My dad flew the later improved version of the B-29, the B-50. Amazing aircraft!
Anyone taken a tour of, or a flight in Fifi?
Anyone taken a tour of, or a flight in Fifi?
markus_h_photography
Established
RAAF C130
briansilcox
Established
Hi Argenticien (Dave),
It is one of several planned shots we will brief before departure. Some will be complete (wingtip to wingtip), and others will be more of a close up. You cannot see the detail as well on the shots with the whole airplane, and sometimes that becomes the more interesting look at the subject.
In this case we are both very close... about 15- 20 feet, but with 24mm perspective to get full wing coverage, and lots of background.
Hope this helps...
Brian
It is one of several planned shots we will brief before departure. Some will be complete (wingtip to wingtip), and others will be more of a close up. You cannot see the detail as well on the shots with the whole airplane, and sometimes that becomes the more interesting look at the subject.
In this case we are both very close... about 15- 20 feet, but with 24mm perspective to get full wing coverage, and lots of background.
Hope this helps...
Brian
Muggins
Junk magnet
Wow! Did you get one with the Thunderbolt that close as well?
My Dad remembers both flying from Debden during WWII.
Adrian
My Dad remembers both flying from Debden during WWII.
Adrian
briansilcox
Established
Hi Muggins,
Yes, I will have it up for you shortly... folks like your dad are what we do this for, believe it or not...
Brian
Yes, I will have it up for you shortly... folks like your dad are what we do this for, believe it or not...
Brian
briansilcox
Established
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, Troy, AL, March, 29, 2016
Canon 24-105 f4L, 1/80 f13, EOS-1DX
Canon 24-105 f4L, 1/80 f13, EOS-1DX
Great work, Brian. 
Don Parsons
Well-known
My dad was in the airplane biz after his Air Force career, where he flew a little bit of everything. Sold a lot of Bonanzas and the related Debonair. But mostly 310, 320, 414, 421, etc.
Muggins
Junk magnet
Thank you, Brian. That photo is just fantastic. The P47 is always in the P51's shadow, but was no slouch itself.
Adrian
briansilcox
Established
Republic P-47D Thunderbolt, Troy, AL, March, 2016
Canon 24-105 f4L, 1/80 f11, EOS-1DX
Canon 24-105 f4L, 1/80 f11, EOS-1DX
TXForester
Well-known
Hi, Brian
I'm curious about the planning of a shoot with regard to the art aspect. Obviously you have constraints that include availability of subject aircraft and pilots and a pilot and plane for the photography platform and weather. I'm guessing some shoots come down to an hour or two and you don't have much choice about the time of day. So I'm wondering what kind of input you and anybody else (e.g. an art director) have in planning the shoot with regards to light and background (landscape)? For instance do you try to get the pilots to turn through a particular heading, so at that moment they are on that heading during the turn, the sunlight strikes the aircraft from a pleasing angle? Do you get input on the choice of landscape, and where in reference to it the aircraft will fly? For instance picking out a lake or reservoir/dam, or may a forested or hilly topography.
Thanks
Mike
I'm curious about the planning of a shoot with regard to the art aspect. Obviously you have constraints that include availability of subject aircraft and pilots and a pilot and plane for the photography platform and weather. I'm guessing some shoots come down to an hour or two and you don't have much choice about the time of day. So I'm wondering what kind of input you and anybody else (e.g. an art director) have in planning the shoot with regards to light and background (landscape)? For instance do you try to get the pilots to turn through a particular heading, so at that moment they are on that heading during the turn, the sunlight strikes the aircraft from a pleasing angle? Do you get input on the choice of landscape, and where in reference to it the aircraft will fly? For instance picking out a lake or reservoir/dam, or may a forested or hilly topography.
Thanks
Mike
briansilcox
Established
Hi Mike,
You exert as much influence on all of these areas as you can. I usually work with many of the same people, either as subject pilots or those flying the camera plane. We have developed a set of routines that get us the backgrounds, lighting conditions and and lighting angles that we have found over the years to be most effective.
I choose what time we go, where we go, and how high. Smooth air is essential for low shutter speeds. I do use a gyro on the camera, and have a radio with a "push to talk" velcroed to my right index finger. I do however advocate the others to chime in if they see some location that would get us better clouds, etc, and this has many times saved my bacon!
Cloud tops are first choice of background, water maybe second, and if nothing else is available, I will work with very late soft light and backlight to control or subdue the background. Sometimes we fly low over farmland or forests when it is clear sky and make a background out of uniform textures and colors.
Sometimes you get into a a shoot where you cannot direct all of these things, and you invariably get what you get. I am not doing much airshow location work, as this tends to be the case for that.
For lighting I usually prefer the last hour before sunset to launch, and once on location, we simply fly in circles to get lighting variations, but also remain is stable formation. I am constantly nudging the subject pilot up down, "too close," "closer," etc to the point I am not very popular when we land. It helps to have flown some close formation to understand the challenges involved.
While much of this is down to repetitive formula after 30 years... (ughhh), there is always something comes up that amazes you out there.
You exert as much influence on all of these areas as you can. I usually work with many of the same people, either as subject pilots or those flying the camera plane. We have developed a set of routines that get us the backgrounds, lighting conditions and and lighting angles that we have found over the years to be most effective.
I choose what time we go, where we go, and how high. Smooth air is essential for low shutter speeds. I do use a gyro on the camera, and have a radio with a "push to talk" velcroed to my right index finger. I do however advocate the others to chime in if they see some location that would get us better clouds, etc, and this has many times saved my bacon!
Cloud tops are first choice of background, water maybe second, and if nothing else is available, I will work with very late soft light and backlight to control or subdue the background. Sometimes we fly low over farmland or forests when it is clear sky and make a background out of uniform textures and colors.
Sometimes you get into a a shoot where you cannot direct all of these things, and you invariably get what you get. I am not doing much airshow location work, as this tends to be the case for that.
For lighting I usually prefer the last hour before sunset to launch, and once on location, we simply fly in circles to get lighting variations, but also remain is stable formation. I am constantly nudging the subject pilot up down, "too close," "closer," etc to the point I am not very popular when we land. It helps to have flown some close formation to understand the challenges involved.
While much of this is down to repetitive formula after 30 years... (ughhh), there is always something comes up that amazes you out there.
TXForester
Well-known
Thank you Brian. That is something that has interested me since picking an Air Classics or other flying magazines about 40 years ago.
briansilcox
Established
I think that is where I got the bug... in 1966.
biomed
Veteran
Great work, Brian!
biomed
Veteran
Unfortunately Tracey Curtis-Taylor's transcontinental flight came to an end in Winslow, Arizona. Tracey and her passenger survived the crash. She plans to ship the Spirit of Artemis back to Hungary where it was restored for rebuilding. She may bring the plane back to the USA to complete the flight early next year.
This photo is from her blog
This photo is from her blog
There can't be too many P-51s still flying in the USA wearing RAF colours, can there? Wonderful images. Thanks so much for sharing them.Hi Argenticien (Dave),
It is one of several planned shots we will brief before departure. Some will be complete (wingtip to wingtip), and others will be more of a close up. You cannot see the detail as well on the shots with the whole airplane, and sometimes that becomes the more interesting look at the subject.
In this case we are both very close... about 15- 20 feet, but with 24mm perspective to get full wing coverage, and lots of background.
Hope this helps...
Brian
Cheers
Brett
David Hughes
David Hughes
Hi,
There are places in Wales where you can do all that, and I do mean get the shot from above, standing beside your car that's parked at the side of the road...
Usually you get a Hercules or two or three and an escort. The problem is they surprise you and I usually have the dog on his lead in one hand and the camera in the car on the other.
Regards, David
There are places in Wales where you can do all that, and I do mean get the shot from above, standing beside your car that's parked at the side of the road...
Usually you get a Hercules or two or three and an escort. The problem is they surprise you and I usually have the dog on his lead in one hand and the camera in the car on the other.
Regards, David
briansilcox
Established
According to the owners, that Mustang, while it is painted in an RAF looking camouflage, is actually a CAC built A-68, and it was the first one assembled in Australia with parts manufactured by NAA and shipped there to train Australian aircraft workers on the new type.