Re Bull Air Race - Detroit...

[Tifosi2k2]

Went to the Red Bull Air Races last weekend in Detroit. It was the first time the race was held in two countries simultaneously, Detroit and Windsor, Canada. Between the 2 there was an estimated 750,000 people in attendance. Too bad the show wasn't that big.

The afternoon practice on Friday got scrubbed due to wind, both qualifying runs on Saturday were also scrubbed. We only had one qualifying run Sunday followed by the semi-finals, then the finals. They skipped both the "Point One" and "Super Eights" rounds. All told I had about 20 minutes total "track time" the entire weekend. Kind of bummed.

Other than that: What a spectacular show! These things are incredible....
Here are a few I liked:

1.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar02

2.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar03

3.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar04

4.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar05

5.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar06

6.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar07

7.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar08

8.
http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar01


Thanks for looking!
-chris

[James M]

Nice shots Chris I like the sense of speed.

[JRB]

The afternoon practice on Friday got scrubbed due to wind, both qualifying runs on Saturday were also scrubbed. We only had one qualifying run Sunday followed by the semi-finals, then the finals. They skipped both the "Point One" and "Super Eights" rounds. All told I had about 20 minutes total "track time" the entire weekend. Kind of bummed.

Couldn't agree more. All I kept hearing was the announcer tell how great it was going to be, and 'WOW" just another few minutes for the racers to begin. What a crock a s---!
Thank goodness we have the Gold Cup races and the honest folks that run them coming up. They tell it like it is, not all that BS.
When they did fly it was amazing but that didn't happen enough. And to make matters worse, I was on the Windsor side for the weekend and I used everything I had in the bag and it all came up as short as the Red Bull events. Oh well, maybe next year?
Downtown Windsor was a great time by the way!

[JRB]

Very nice shoots Chris, what were you using?

[Tifosi2k2]

Very nice shoots Chris, what were you using?

Thanks JR.

Canon 1d2N with a Canon 500 f4.5. I tried using a monopod, but quickly gave that up due to how fast they were, and how spread out the course was. Too much swinging around the monopod hindered my movement quite a bit.

[DocZ65]

Terrific shots.
I was on the Canadian side up river quite a bit.

[PhotosGuy]

Great shots, especially at 1/60!

[sadowsk2]

The afternoon practice on Friday got scrubbed due to wind, both qualifying runs on Saturday were also scrubbed. We only had one qualifying run Sunday followed by the semi-finals, then the finals. They skipped both the "Point One" and "Super Eights" rounds. All told I had about 20 minutes total "track time" the entire weekend. Kind of bummed.

Couldn't agree more. All I kept hearing was the announcer tell how great it was going to be, and 'WOW" just another few minutes for the racers to begin. What a crock a s---!
Thank goodness we have the Gold Cup races and the honest folks that run them coming up. They tell it like it is, not all that BS.
When they did fly it was amazing but that didn't happen enough. And to make matters worse, I was on the Windsor side for the weekend and I used everything I had in the bag and it all came up as short as the Red Bull events. Oh well, maybe next year?
Downtown Windsor was a great time by the way!

JRB-

I'll be seeing you at the Gold Cup! I got those tickets at the Commodore's Club in the "Top 5" rows section! I'm hoping to bag some nice shots! Too bad Miss Budweiser isn't there anymore... I remember the days of Miss Bud and Miss Miller duking it out on the river ;-) Hopefully I'll get to meet you and/or some POTN folk there!

[tomd]

Chris,
I noticed in exif data that you used ISO 50.

I'd like to learn more about aviation photography, can you tell me about your decesion to use this speed?
Thank you,
Tom

[Tifosi2k2]

Thanks everyone for the kind words. It was really fun despite the lack of flight time.


Chris,
I noticed in exif data that you used ISO 50.

I'd like to learn more about aviation photography, can you tell me about your decesion to use this speed?
Thank you,
Tom

Tom,

I used ISO 50 so I get could drop the shutter speed really low. I was trying some stupid stuff around 1/15th, which didn't come out (big surprise). As bright as it was I had to drop the ISO to 50 so I wouldn't overexpose. Honestly, most of what I posted here could have been shot at ISO 100. The choice wasn't anything aviation specific, just a slower shutter.

Having never shot airplanes before I had no idea where to start to get sharp pictures with some prop blur mixed in. Losing those three sessions Friday afternoon and Saturday really hurt. I spent most of the day between 1/30th and 1/160th with the occaisional shot up around 1/200th. Knowing what I know now, I should have been around 1/100th at the slowest, and spent the majority of my time between 1/160th and 1/200th. I had heard somewhere that these particular planes run a higher RPM, so you can get away with a faster shutter and still get a nice prop blur. Lesson learned.

For my first time I was pretty happy with the results. They could always be better, but thats what makes photography fun!:)

chris

[jbergdoll]

http://turn2imaging.com/WebImages/rbar06
That one is the best, the rest don't really do much for me.

[claybuster]

Here's another thread on the races:http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=512511&page=2
Mike

[gallixx]

great shots! And thanks for sharing the data of shutter speeds and ISO ratings!

[RCoulter]

VERY nice!! :D

[paiintballa182]

numbers 3,6, and 5 look awesome

[Mike-DT6]

Some great shots there. Numbers 4 and 6 are my favourites.

Mike

:-)