I've been taking pictures
of airplanes all my life and, of course, warbirds have always figured
strongly in the mix of airplanes I like to capture. One of my favorite
venues is the annual EAA gathering in Oshkosh. But, surprisingly, it's
not always easy to get clean photos there. In fact, I find that if a
person can take good warbird photos at Oshkosh, he or she will find
almost every other gathering of warbirds to be a piece of cake,
relatively speaking. Why? Let's go through a list of factors that
contribute to the challenges faced by Oshkosh photographers.
1. Access: The
paved part of the warbird flightline is split in two. The east part of
the area falls within an FAA-mandated "showline" parallel to the Runway
18/36 centerline, and it's not accessible to the public. Some years,
fully half of the jet warbirds parked on the ramp are simply out of
reach. Even those that end up, by sheer luck, to be on the "public" side
of the rope line are often double-stacked close to each other -- meaning
that it's next-to-impossible to get unobstructed photos of each
airplane.
During the daily airshow, nearly the entire warbird operations area
(except for the P-51's "Mustang Field") is closed entirely, opening only
at the conclusion of the show at 6:00 PM.
By the way, the "Magic Hour" of 7:00
to 8:00 PM is perhaps your best opportunity to get good flightline
photos, and even the occasional dramatic takeoff or landing photo as
aircraft depart or arrive throughout the week. (Don't forget that many
aircraft often depart from Runway 9/27 in the 2-1/2 hours between the
end of the airshow and sunset.)
2. Distance: The
warbird flybys performed nearly every day could be a chance to get some
good ground-to air shots, but even this opportunity is fraught with
challenges. A thinking person might be tempted to stay near the warbird
parking area, thereby attempting to get some inflight shots and also
capture the planes as they return to their parking areas afterward.
Alas, there's a slight problem with that tactic. The preferential
airshow "flow" utilizes Runway 36 (north flow for flybys), and because
the aircraft must not overfly Runway 9/27, they must begin their turn
away from the crowd at about midfield. This means that if you're standing near the warbird area at the
north end of the main flightline, the aircraft will be over a mile
away as they climb up and away from you -- not close enough for truly
compelling ground-to-air photography. One exception to this is when an airshow performer or Heritage Flight formation performs a "banana pass"
that ends up overflying the warbird parking area. This is relatively
rare, but it does happen sometimes.
I have flown quite a few
warbird flybys at Oshkosh, and I always try to perform a few slightly
banked "photo passes" for the crowd before turning to the east, but I
can tell you that many pilots simply don't do this, either because they
either don't think to do it, are concentrating 100% on the airplane
ahead of them, or aren't personally comfortable with anything but a
level pass. I can't be critical of any pilot who makes a personal safety
decision like this -- but you should know that the chances of getting
that magical warbird "photo pass" shot during the flyby passes are slimmer at Oshkosh than just
about any other major airshow.
Also, the warbird flyby
centerline is very far displaced, laterally, from the crowd line. This
is due to two factors: FAA regulations, and the fact that the
pyrotechnics crews are set up between the main runway and the parallel
taxiway that serves as "Runway 36 Right" during the show. The
warbirds making low passes
fly east of the pyro, so the "showline-to-crowd line" distance is quite
high.
3. Feet and Heads:
AirVenture is hugely popular, and with that popularity comes vast
throngs of people. An aircraft photographer has to get up mighty early
in the morning to beat the crowds onto the flight line. Even at 7:00 AM,
getting good static photos of airplanes can often be an exercise in personal
patience. I have been known to wait 20 minutes to get a shot that does
not contain human legs or other body parts seemingly protruding from the
fuselage of a particularly nice-looking warbird. Ground-to-air photos
can be just as tough, because unless you're in the
front row of the crowd, you will inevitably find yourself behind some
tall person wearing a giant, floppy sombrero. (OK, that's a bit of an
exaggeration, but you know
what I mean...)
To avoid the "Heads and
Hats Syndrome" during the show, try to get yourself elevated. Use a
pole-mounted camera, climb up on one of the Canon-sponsored photo
platforms, stand on a bench, or get back away from the crowd and use a
more powerful lens.
4: Clutter: Some
aircraft are located in areas where it's simply not possible to capture
them in anything resembling a natural setting. For instance, several
years ago,
there was a magnificent, polished
Ryan ST-A
that would have made a great photo subject, except that it was located
inside a small red tent used by a company that makes metal-polishing
products, surrounded by rope stanchions. The lighting was impossible, the
airplane was surrounded by signs and barricades... Not many photo opportunities there, for
sure.
Often, you'll find tents,
buildings, telephone poles/wires, vehicles, and other items intruding
into the edges of your photos. The AirVenture grounds are full of those
ubiquitous orange cones. And don't forget about the thousands of Oshkosh
Trucks that line the east side of the runway. Be creative. Look for ways to minimize
the effects of these intruders by the way you frame the shot, or else
plan your shot to allow for easy cropping later. Don't just look at the
airplane. Train yourself to see the entire shot. What's in the
background, or along the edges? Can you move slightly to eliminate that
ice chest sitting on the ground under the wing? My personal technique is
to NOT ask either the aircraft's owner or any bystanders to move
themselves in order to get a good shot. I get shots naturally and
organically. You can do what you like, but I try to be as low-impact and
courteous as possible. Of course, you can always utilize your Photoshop
tools later, but I find it more fun to try for totally natural shots.
* * * * *
While we're on the
subject, let's talk for a moment about professional courtesy.
The other photographers on the warbird
flightline are working just as hard as you to get that perfect shot.
Here are some of my personal rules for shooting photos at an airshow. I share
them with you in the hopes that we can all get along, while still
getting great photos. It all starts with respect.
Rule 1: I will stay
out of others' way. For instance, I will not barge up to a line of other photographers
standing at a fence or rope barrier and insert myself in such a way that
I block their view, or potential view. I will stay at least 10 feet away
from other photographers while they're shooting. If I am a new arrival
on a scene, I will remain behind those who were there first.
Rule 2:
I will constantly look around to ensure I'm not impinging upon anyone
else's shot. I will also look far away to ensure this, because I know
that some people use zoom lenses to achieve dramatic depth of field. I
will keep moving, on the off-chance that my legs are inadvertently in
someone else's shot. I will not remain motionless for long periods of
time near an aircraft that is obviously a good photo subject.
Rule
3: I will be aware of my shadow. I
will be aware that late in the afternoon, my 6-foot frame can cast a
40-foot shadow that can ruin someone's once-in-a-lifetime shot.
Rule 4:
I will use my own creativity to plan and
execute shots. I will not "bird-dog" other photographers, following them
around and taking the exact same creative shot they just took. [Note: I
don't mean to suggest that it's not OK to get good ideas from
others -- that's how we learn. I just find it annoying when I come
up with what I think is an amazing, original setup -- only to find a guy
standing at my elbow, pointing his camera in the same direction and
saying something like "Hey, nice shot." Yeah, it was.]
* * * * *
One final note: EAA is
very protective of its media interests. You may not sell your Oshkosh
photos or use them in advertising or certain other commercial endeavors
without EAA's premission. You should
carefully review
EAA's Copyright / Media / Trademark policy before attending the
event.
Having pointed out the
pitfalls of Oshkosh photography, there are some wonderful, unique
opportunities that Oshkosh routinely presents -- multiple aircraft
formations, good back-lighting in the afternoon and, occasionally, some
truly rare and unusual aircraft. Be prepared, know where to position
yourself, be creative, and do what it takes to get that award-winning
shot!
If you learn the craft at
Oshkosh, you will have paid many of the "dues" that make a person a
skilled warbird photographer.
Buck Wyndham
Editor, WarbirdAlley.com
Copyright © 2015 The Doublestar Group. All Rights Reserved.
These photos may only be used for your own reference and enjoyment.
