Oct 31, 2021 | AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S TC 2.0 E III Tele-converter, F/A-18 Hornet, Nikon D300, Nikon D300 Salad, The Blue Angels
Nikon D300 Salad | Vapor The Chicago Air & Water Show is a really nice venue for capturing aircraft images of the Blue Angels. You can’t always pick the background, but even with these bald skies, the vapor trail provides some contrast. The Blue Angels have been performing since 1946, making it the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA. For more information and images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
The Back Story This image was captured using bursts of clicks while panning and keeping the subject in the finder. Note: I post an image everyday at hankconrad.com.
Details…
| Event | Chicago Air & Water Show |
| Location | North Avenue Beach in Chicago, IL
|
| Date/Time | 8/17/2012 2:51pm Local Time |
| Weather | Fair Skies | 76°F | Light Winds |
| Method | Bursts of clicks while panning and keeping the subject in the finder. |
| Gear | Nikon D300 with AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II lens & AF-S TC 2.0 E III Tele-converter |
Exposure
| 400mm (600mm) f/9 1/1000s -0.33ev 400iso |
| Post | |
Sep 14, 2020 | AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Daily Image 2020, F/A-18 Hornet, Nikon 1 V3, Remembering Oshkosh
Remembering Oshkosh | The Blue Angels With their F/A-18 Hornets, the Blue Angels, of course, are the main attraction to any airshow even Air Adventure. They have been performing since 1946 making them the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA. Notice the “F/A” in the F/A-18 Hornet designation since it’s both a fighter and an attack aircraft. Even with these bald skies, the vapor trail provides some contrast. They fly in formation only an amazing 18 inches apart. For the whole story with all images, see Remembering Oshkosh | a 7 Image Story.
Dec 1, 2019 | AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Daily Image 2019, F/A-18 Hornet, Fighter Jets, Nikon 1 V3
Fighter Jets | Blue Angels Why are the Blue Angels image first? Well, because they never disappoint! The Blue Angels, of course, are the main attraction to any airshow flying their F/A-18 Hornets. They have been performing since 1946 making them the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA. Notice the “F/A” in the F/A-18 Hornet designation since it’s both a fighter and an attack aircraft. Even with these bald skies, the vapor trail provides some contrast. They fly in formation only an amazing 18 inches apart. For the whole story with all images, see Fighter Jets | a 7 Image Story.
Dec 16, 2018 | 1 VR 10-30mm f/3.4-5.6 PD-Zoom, 1 VR 30-110mm f/3.8-5.6, 7 Image Stories, AF 80-400mm f4.5-5.6D ED VR, AF-S 70-200mm f/2.8 ED VR II, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, AF-S TC 2.0 E III Tele-converter, Aviation, B-25 Mitchell, F-16 Fighting Falcon, F-22 Raptor, F/A-18 Hornet, IMHO, Nikon 1 V3, Nikon D200, Nikon D300, Soft Sepia Aircraft, Spartan 7W Executive, Waco YKC
Soft Sepia Aircraft | a 7 Image Story Some airplanes look really nice in B&W Sepia, some don’t. Weather and background also make a big difference whether a B&W will work for a given airplane at a particular location. My preferences tend to be sharp contrasts and a larger depth of field. Generally, I capture the images in color and convert to B&W in post; even if I know the finished image will be B&W.
Just like color aircraft images; bald skies are the pits. The bald sky tends to end up almost black. A few clouds make a big difference, particularly on flying aircraft.
Each image will be posted individually this week under category Soft Sepia Aircraft.
Click any image below for a slide show!
Aug 23, 2018 | 7 Image Story Posts, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Chicago Air & Water, Daily Image 2018, F/A-18 Hornet, Nikon 1 V3
Chicago Air & Water | High Flight As this Blue Angel’s F/A-18 Hornet climbed high above the clouds, the poem “High Flight” came to mind. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
High Flight
Oh! I have slipped the surly bonds of Earth
And danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings;
Sunward I’ve climbed, and joined the tumbling mirth
Of sun-split clouds, — and done a hundred things
You have not dreamed of — wheeled and soared and swung
High in the sunlit silence. Hov’ring there,
I’ve chased the shouting wind along, and flung
My eager craft through footless halls of air. . . .
Up, up the long, delirious burning blue
I’ve topped the wind-swept heights with easy grace
Where never lark, or ever eagle flew —
And, while with silent, lifting mind I’ve trod
The high untrespassed sanctity of space,
Put out my hand, and touched the face of God.
— Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr. 3 Sep 1941
Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee Jr. During the desperate days of the Battle of Britain, hundreds of Americans crossed the border into Canada to enlist with the Royal Canadian Air Force. Although breaking the law, but with the approval of the still officially neutral United States, they volunteered to fight. John Gillespie Magee, Jr., was one such American. Born in Shanghai, China, in 1922 to an English mother and a Scotch-Irish-American father, Magee was 18 years old when he entered flight training. Within the year, he was sent to England and assigned to the newly formed RCAF Fighter Squadron #412 where he flew the Supermarine Spitfire.
Flying fighter sweeps over France and air defense over England against the Luftwaffe, he rose to the rank of Pilot Officer. On 3 September 1941, Magee flew a high altitude (30,000 feet) test flight in a newer model of the Spitfire V. As he orbited and climbed upward, he was struck with the inspiration of a poem — “To touch the face of God.” Once back on the ground, he wrote a letter to his parents. In it he commented, “I am enclosing a verse I wrote the other day. It started at 30,000 feet, and was finished soon after I landed.” On the back of the letter, he jotted down his poem, ‘High Flight.’ Just three months later, on 11 December 1941, Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr., was killed flying a Spitfire V. He was 19 years old.
Aug 22, 2018 | 7 Image Story Posts, AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Chicago Air & Water, Daily Image 2018, F/A-18 Hornet, Nikon 1 V3, The Blue Angels
Chicago Air & Water | Blue Angels The Blue Angels, of course, are the main attraction to any airshow. This image tries to capture their F/A-18 Hornets flying formation; only an amazing 18 inches apart. The Blue Angels have been performing since 1946, making this their 71st season and making it the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA. For the whole story and all 7 images, see Chicago Air & Water | a 7 Image Story.
Aug 30, 2017 | AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Daily Image 2017, F/A-18 Hornet, Military Aircraft, Nikon 1 V3, The Blue Angels
The Blue Angels Why another Blue Angels image? Well, because they never disappoint!
Aug 20, 2017 | AF-S 70-300mm f4.5-5.6G IF-ED VR, Daily Image 2017, F/A-18 Hornet, Military Aircraft, Nikon 1 V3, The Blue Angels
The Blue Angels at the Chicago Air & Water Show The Blue Angels, of course, are the main attraction to this year’s show. This image tries to capture their F/A-18 Hornets flying formation; only an amazing 18 inches apart. The Blue Angels have been performing since 1946, making this their 71st season and making it the oldest formal flying aerobatics team in the USA.
