Close Encounters

[brian1208]

We got up to the Bournemouth Air Festival yesterday, a lovely day out but very difficult photographically as there was a significant haze over the sea and we were shooting into the sun (I've been using the de-haze tool in Lightroom CC to reduce the effect, it looks pretty good but can be a bit fierce so needs gentle application)

I was using the EM-1 + 40-150 f2.8 with 1.4 X TC, mostly using C-AF with 9 points, and 9 fps (so PADAF ) with the camera in portrait orientation - magic but very hard to keep the planes in the right part of the frame

I am filling an album here

https://www.flickr.com/photos/75445098@N04/albums/72157657187845979/with/20762125956/

but thought I would put up a few "cross-over" shots for your enjoyment

arrows crossover by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

blades cross over by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr
arrows crossover 2 by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

blades close shave by Brian Wadie Photographer, on Flickr

[brian1208]

Re: Close Encounters

Thanks John, I saw a bit of video of the crash as it hit the cars on the A27, hideous.

A reminder that despite all their skills that they demonstrate for us they are still always at risk of death or serious injury (just heard that 7 are dead and at least one other is in a serious condition with more injured )

[Wee man]

Re: Close Encounters

Nice shots, seems portrait seems to work for moving targets.

[brian1208]

Re: Close Encounters

Nice shots, seems portrait seems to work for moving targets.

Thanks Ed, it sure does for me

(its even with my 75-300 mk2 worked today, shooting House Martins against a very dark sky )

[Beagletorque]

Re: Close Encounters

That does look close! I must try the portrait thing too, thanks for the head's up.

[Mrs T]

Re: Close Encounters

Great shots. I do like no. 3 with the Red Arrows and boats.

[brian1208]

Re: Close Encounters

thanks both

[Guest]

Re: Close Encounters

You've captured some great juxtapositions there, Brian.

Some look way too close for comfort.

The Shoreham Airshow crash was all over our news yesterday, what a tragic event.

[brian1208]

Re: Close Encounters

thanks Mark (just realised brain fade struck again, sorry Mark , I usually manage to get a few of these "cross-overs" but this time using the EM-1 + 40-150 + TC really helped grab the moment

(I'm working my way through the rest of them and there are plenty more similar moments, trouble is it can become a bit like holiday snaps "and here's another cross-over moment - oh yawn!" )

[KeithL]

Re: Close Encounters

I like #3 of these Brian. The counterpoint with the tall ship is a great idea.

The Hunter crash: I watched the video, too. Looks like a flame-out to me - it clearly had no power. I'm amazed that the pilot survived, albeit with very serious injuries. It will be devastating for him to realise that his accident cost seven lives, if he recovers; I truly wouldn't want to trade places with him.

I saw comment on the net that "these old planes" shouldn't be stressed "with aerobatics"; but Hunters only went out of service last year, so it may not even be that old.

[brian1208]

Re: Close Encounters

now I can say - Thanks Keith

It certainly looked like either a flame out or the pilot "greyed out" with the g-force, it looked a fairly high G manoeuvre to me

[KeithL]

Re: Close Encounters

now I can say - Thanks Keith

It certainly looked like either a flame out or the pilot "greyed out" with the g-force, it looked a fairly high G manoeuvre to me

Didn't look as though it going very fast - maybe not fast enough as it went over the top. I'd tend to suspect pilot error this time. We'll find out, no doubt!

[PeterBirder]

Re: Close Encounters

Great shots Brian.
Thanks for sharing.

... but Hunters only went out of service last year, so it may not even be that old.

Hunters have not been manufactured since the 1960's. The ones that "went out of service in 2014" were four aircraft of the Lebanese Air Force which were taken out of long term storage by them in the 1980's and were probably cobbled together by canibalising a number of airframes.

The aircraft that crashed at Shoreham WV372 (civil reg. G-BXFI) first flew in July 1955 as a single seat F4 fighter and was delivered to 222(F) Sqn RAF in Germany in Septenber 1955. Within a year it suffered an in-flight fire due to a detatched jet pipe and was returned to Hawkers for repair. It was repaired and converted to a 2 seat T7 trainer and returned to the RAF in 1959. It was sold by the MoD to a civilian owner in 1997 and had seven different owners up to this year.

Regards.

[brian1208]

Re: Close Encounters

the both the pilot and the Hunter, will have had to have passed the CAA checks before being allowed to fly

[Tordan58]

Re: Close Encounters

Nice set. I think the third one stands out, beautiful background that makes an interesting contrast.