Title: Up and Away
Date Taken: September 15, 2011
Location: Reno, Nevada
F-Stop: f/10
Exposure Time: 1/500 sec.
ISO: 250
Focal Length: 300 mm
Photographer: Kitty Carlisle
While considering a topic for this week's Shooting Challenge, a tragic accident at this year's Reno Air Race weighs heavily on the minds of not only myself, but so many people in my life. While at the Virginia City 100 this weekend, I ran into someone I knew personally that had been at the air races when the crash occurred, and he shared a great notion with me, stating that the best thing he could do as a pilot was to get back up and fly immediately. I agree whole-heartedly and intend to do just that this week. I also felt compelled to honor the thousands of people in our community impacted by this tragedy by selecting "Flight" as this week's Shooting Challenge. I usually attend the Air Races, but this year new commitments found me in a different location. I went back through my files, and fortunately was able to locate several images of pilot Jimmy Leeward who lost his life this week, and his P-51 Mustang, "Galloping Ghost." Out of respect, I elected not to use any of those images, but instead selected another Warbird from the same Unlimited Class.
Taking photographs at aviation events can be a challenge, but the rewards are well worth the effort. Aside from the usual challenges of shooting public events, such as unwanted traffic in your frame, lack of control for staging, and sometimes limited access, tracking of fast moving objects, harsh lighting, difficult backgrounds, and the need for stopping action are also factors. Be sure to get some great shots of planes in the air, but don't overlook other great opportunities, including roll-byes on the tarmac, close-ups of paint schemes, details of the airplanes, and candids of pilots and crew.
