Military fighting vehicles like you have never seen.

Fresh back from my stint in Iraq I thought I would share some photos from all the photo shoots that I did while over there. There have been some expensive cars featured here, but I believe I might have the edge on the vast majority of you other photographer.

The setup:

When I went over seas, I said, "what would I need my wireless receivers for?" To save space I also only brought one strobe. So as I'm sure you can figure out, I could only use my 1DmkII, a tripod, 20-30 second exposure(depending on the situation), and a single strobe off camera. So basic of a set-up, but you use what you have with you.

At first I only had iPhoto and I had to make due with only that program. It was okay when I had wheeled vehicles that I could take and put in front of various backgrounds, but when I wanted to move to tracked vehicles, I needed PS. Tracked vehicles can't just be taken down the street at night and set up for a photoshoot, just not possible. I finally got PS for my new Macbook, and so I was finally able to broaden my photo taking abilities.

You may be able to see the progression of vehicles with good backgrounds, and no PS, to vehicles with terrible backgrounds and necessary PS.


Enough talking, I just wanted to share my experiences with you, so on to the photos.


This is called a %$#@.

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Wow. These look as if they're right out of the manufacturers "catalog." These belong on the walls of the CO at Aberdeen or Anniston. How does one arrange a "glamor" session with a Stryker or a Bradley?

As regards #1, they put a CIWS on a vehicle? Looks like a little nightvision and a little millimeter-wave radar unit as well. Kee-rist that would make a rather nasty anti-personnel weapon.

those are real combat machines.

Great images. You have made fighting vehicles look great. I never thought that such vehicles could look so cool. In all my time in the Army I could never make such images. I thank you for your efforts and great work. Please keep them coming as a salute to the great people who operate and maintain them. Pete

FlyingPhotog wrote in post #4769733
Wow. These look as if they're right out of the manufacturers "catalog." These belong on the walls of the CO at Aberdeen or Anniston. How does one arrange a "glamor" session with a Stryker or a Bradley?

As regards #1, they put a CIWS on a vehicle? Looks like a little nightvision and a little millimeter-wave radar unit as well. Kee-rist that would make a rather nasty anti-personnel weapon.

I go to the area of base respective to the vehicle, find one with it's crew next to it, and then ask if they want professional photos of themselves with their track or truck. easy as that. 90% of the time they would agree, or they would be cool enough to guide me in the right direction.

Thanks for the compliments.

*edit

#1 respectively is not mounted on any type of moving vehicle or platform, it is stationary. Nor is it anti personel, but that would be one messy clean up for sure

very nice

Damn impressive images. What's the go with the wire stuff on the outside of that Stryker unit?

edit: found the answer on Wikipedia

sweet. did you modifiy the backgrounds?

awesome man.

RadAL wrote in post #4769967
sweet. did you modifiy the backgrounds?

on the last two, yes. The bradley, I only enhanced and interpreted the original backgrounds to what you see now. Apart from the blue background, that is still somewhat close to the original.

VERY cool shots. fits the mood well. my girlfriends best friends husband is in iraq now, he's a gunner on the humvees. i heard he does some cool stuff

Some pretty nice photos. This is something I can relate to.

SnowManZ wrote in post #4769860
I go to the area of base respective to the vehicle, find one with it's crew next to it, and then ask if they want professional photos of themselves with their track or truck. easy as that. 90% of the time they would agree, or they would be cool enough to guide me in the right direction.

Thanks for the compliments.

*edit

#1 respectively is not mounted on any type of moving vehicle or platform, it is stationary. Nor is it anti personel, but that would be one messy clean up for sure

Thanks for the background info. Thanks for puttin' it on the line!

I like what you did with those. Very nice work. Do you have a tighter shot of the last one?

I was trying to stay away from violating any security issues, so I never took any detail shots of any vehicle.

Thanks for the compliment.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #4771194
I like what you did with those. Very nice work. Do you have a tighter shot of the last one?

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