This weekend Andrews Air Force Base hosted the annual Joint Services Open House air show. I stopped by for a few hours yesterday afternoon with my wife and our toddler son. I know little about capturing proper air show photos—my approach consisted of dialing in an aperture (f/8, usually), pointing my lens to the sky, and mashing the shutter button. C&C is welcome, especially from those of you with some insight into how to do this correctly. Enough words . . .


The early afternoon skies were gray and bland.



The planes are up there, Daddy (I told you I didn’t know what I was doing . . . )



USAF Thunderbirds



High-G turn, with ‘burner lit






The pilot of the #6 F-16 (lower jet in this pic) is one of two female T’bird pilots, Maj. Samantha Weeks.



Maj. Weeks again, during a low-altitude, high-speed ‘burner pass right over the assembled crowd. Awesome.



Maj. Weeks yet again, this time on top and completely blind to her partner.



There are few people in this world of whom I am envious, and fighter pilots are on the list. What in incomparable thrill it must be to pilot these planes.

For not knowing what you were doing (yea, right!) you sure did a fantastic job of capturing some high speed aircraft. The only thing you could have done better is capture the whole A-10 in the first photo but you cant be perfect all the time. Great color and very sharp. I have been to many air shows and I know you had a great time. Looks like your son is really enjoying himself also.

wow amaizing photos that first photo is awesome but I agree wish you would have caught the rest of the A-10. Your photos are so clear and sharp what are you shooting with.. lens wise?????

Thank you.

I was using a Nikon D70 and the lens that hardly ever parts with it these days--Nikkor 70-200 2.8 VR. It's almost cheating.

I was a little worried that 200mm wouldn't be enough reach, and there were plenty of good shots to be had with a 300-plus lens, but the planes actually flew close enough for my wee 200 often enough. I was just having fun anyway, and not at all envious of the guy stading next to me with a Mark II and big, white 500mm monster. He looked like he was working a lot harder than me.

We're agreed on the first pic--not sure how that one escaped the "editor."

These are wonderful !

Super job, Tim.

That bag behind your son sorta looks like a puff of, um, gas.

Originally Posted by wxwax Super job, Tim. That bag behind your son sorta looks like a puff of, um, gas.

I'll spare everyone the diaper-change-on-the-Andrews AFB-tarmac photo.

The one picture I really wanted I didn't get. It was of the two opposing solos flying directly toward each other and each banking 90 degrees just before the moment of impact. Thrilling stuff. They performed it twice, and each time I was following action elsewhere over the field. Next time.

The pic below is of one of the closing maneuvers, which has the four main T'birds flying out to the N, S, W, and E points of the compass and then converging in the middle of the field at considerable speed. The timing is important.

Originally Posted by HarveyMushman This weekend Andrews Air Force Base hosted the annual Joint Services Open House air show. I stopped by for a few hours yesterday afternoon with my wife and our toddler son. I know little about capturing proper air show photos—my approach consisted of dialing in an aperture (f/8, usually), pointing my lens to the sky, and mashing the shutter button. C&C is welcome, especially from those of you with some insight into how to do this correctly. Enough words . . . The early afternoon skies were gray and bland. The planes are up there, Daddy (I told you I didn’t know what I was doing . . . ) USAF Thunderbirds High-G turn, with ‘burner lit The pilot of the #6 F-16 (lower jet in this pic) is one of two female T’bird pilots, Maj. Samantha Weeks. Maj. Weeks again, during a low-altitude, high-speed ‘burner pass right over the assembled crowd. Awesome. Maj. Weeks yet again, this time on top and completely blind to her partner. There are few people in this world of whom I am envious, and fighter pilots are on the list. What in incomparable thrill it must be to pilot these planes.

Wow Tim, excellent series
Looks like you had quite a successful day shooting.
These Air Shows are quite the crowd pleaser aren't they
Glad you had a great day, got yourself some awesome shots there Tim
... Skippy
.

Great stuff Harvey. bsvirginian

Thanks, all.

Air shows are fun.

Nearby is this: www.flyingcircusairshow.com One of these summer Sundays I'll get over there . . .

Really great shots, Harvey!! I was just next door at the Show Place Arena (PG Equestrian Center) at a horse show and I work in the area so I got to see "practices". Air shows are great fun and looks like you guys had a good time.

Pax River NAS uses the high school I went to (Northern in Calvert) as a test drop zone, so we had planes flying over all the time. And, when I was a nerd in Honors Science Seminar our teacher's husband programed the flight simulators there so we got to go down and fly them. I'm pretty darn good at crashing an F-14 Tomcat into an air craft carrier. (The F-18 Hornet was easier.)

More shows, more fun. I can't wait for Thunderbirds to come here next year!

Originally Posted by Phyxius Really great shots, Harvey!! I was just next door at the Show Place Arena (PG Equestrian Center) at a horse show and I work in the area so I got to see "practices". Air shows are great fun and looks like you guys had a good time.

The T'birds were practicing over the National Mall this afternoon, for a Memorial Day show I assume. By the time I walked to a clear vantage point (with my camera phone . . . ) they were done.