With only 3 flying P-63s in the world, I was thrilled to be invited to shoot an airplane that in my eyes has one of the sexiest figures of any World War II aircraft. Everybody has photographed the Mustangs, Lightnings, Corsairs, B-25s, etc. etc., so I knew that I had to create imagery that would fortify my opinion that the P-63 is of similar standing to the P-51, and P-38 in terms of aesthetic beauty.
We had interesting lighting on the day of the shoot, and typical to Northern California fall weather shifts, it was warm and sunny in Sacramento, but, cool with low clouds, mixed with mid-level clouds in the Santa Rosa area. This created an interesting semi-contrasty look, and I was happy it wasn’t the typical sunny sunset shot. In aviation photography I find it quite boring to have a blue sky background, and often try to organize my shoots around more dramatic and different meteorological conditions. Just like any form of photography, the ability of the photographer to control the light in the manner in which he or she finds to be the most flattering on the subject is often what defines the success of a shot or even a whole shoot. Being flexible, and having key talent to assist in placing the photoship, and the subject aircraft in the right position are the keys to placing the light just where you want it. Directing each aircraft is where the real dance comes in. It’s almost like a finely tuned dance with the sun and airplanes- Powerful aircraft with fluid motion reminiscent of the Tango.
I hope you enjoy some sample images from this very unique opportunity. Also, please enjoy the short video we produced.
Special thanks to Will Whiteside and his exemplary flying skills for helping make this shoot a success!
JP
P-63 in flight
It is amazing how vehicles, architecture, art, and music can define a specific era. For me, airplanes have the ability to define an era like no other vehicle because often the design is reminiscent of the current artistic trends and it also showcases of the leading edge of technology at the moment.
Let’s take for example my favorite general aviation aircraft, the Spartan Executive. The Spartan Executive’s beautiful sweeping lines and bold polished metal define the best of the art deco era. Glamorous and stately the Spartan Executive sits poised on any ramp, and this was the idea of art in this era. Climb aboard the Spartan, and you are ushered back to a time of glitz and glamor and the ultimate in comfort for the time. Once owned by the likes of Howard Hughes and J. Paul Getty the Spartan Executive served as a symbol of opulence.
Unfortunately only 34 were built, and a handful survive today, but I found this beautiful example at the Reno Air Races this year and was delighted to have had the opportunity to have a dramatic sky to highlight the stateliness of this magnificent aircraft.
I used the Hasselblad H4D60 for this image
Spartan Executive
Sometimes there is very little time to get the right shot. Light fades, budgets are slim, or schedules are very tight. This is why reliability is absolutely critical when shooting Air to Air sessions. I’m often shooting subjects that are not inexpensive to operate, and therefor knowing the equipment I’m using is reliable, and of exceptional quality gives me the peace of mind to work within tight time schedules.
On this mission I would be shooting the Reno race plane “Precious Metal” over the Nevada desert. The afternoon of the shoot brought high overcast, striking light, and beautiful lenticular clouds common to the Northern Sierra. I often shoot in clear skies, and I was delighted to have the opportunity to shoot during such dramatic skies. Although the lighting was pretty flat, I knew the Hasselblad H4D60′s huge dynamic range would allow for the full stretch of the sky’s approximate 12 stops at the time.
Our photo ship for this mission was an Extra 300. I don’t like shooting through a canopy generally, but, I had an exceptional pilot, a plane that was fast enough to keep pace with our subject, and the canopy was very clean. Using a camera like the H4D60, I was slightly concerned that any slight imperfection in the canopy would be noticed in the images, however this canopy was exceptionally clean.
Because we were coming from separate airports we scheduled a rendezvous time for 18:15, over a specific and easily identifiable location, at a specific altitude, and with predetermined turn directions. We arrived on station 18:10 and identified our subjects over the predetermined location nearly immediately as planned and entered the formation at 18:12 to begin shooting. A circle or two with the two subjects, then the jet would break off formation, and the remaining time we spent with “Precious Metal”. A seemingly very short period of time passed, and we were breaking formation and returning to our airports. I had 9 minutes with my subject.
Just as I hoped the results are stunning. The polished plane with just a hint of yellow against a surreal sky, makes it look powerful and menacing. Sometimes having a short period to capture what you need focuses you. However having a clear idea and focus of what you want the end result to be is the key to efficiency. If your vision is clear, then directing your subject to the proper position becomes that much easier, and you’re able to get the result you desire.
This image was shot using the Hasselblad H4D60, HC 80mm, and captured to Lexar 32GB CF digital film cards.
Precious Metal 2011
In June I was invited to shoot an air to air session at Breitling’s annual event in Buochs, Switzerland where once a year, Breitling brings together it’s fleet of aircraft, and hosts a daily airshow where their customers can participate in a day of aviation as passengers in a variety of aircraft. From flying with the Breitling Jet Team, to taking a thrilling ride in the newest Bentley with race car legend Derek Bell, customers learn first hand the level of precision and accuracy that Breitling holds itself to.
I teamed up with Hasselblad to provide images that are of a different caliber than is currently being provided in the field. Providing something unique and different is always something I strive for. I thought it would be interesting to use a camera with a long history in aerospace, and has a similar drive for perfection as Breitling and I do. Seems how my current Canon body is getting a little old and a replacement is fast approaching this mission served two functions to me- determine the feasibility of utilizing a medium format DSLR in an air to air environment, and provide the customer with image quality that has not been achieved before in the air to air environment.
Generally on high-profile photo shoots I prefer to use known elements, therefore reducing chances for failure. However, if risks aren’t taken, progress can’t be made. I did a lot of research, compared sizes, weights, and ergonomics of my current set-up to the Hasselblad H4D-60 and concluded that they were strikingly similar. The H4D-60 was only slightly heavier, and to me that just means more stability. Everything pointed to using the H4D-60 for this shoot, and though there was a risk of using a new camera, I believed the rewards would far outweigh the risks. There was no comparison between the sensors- 20mp vs. 60mp. The one, of many very exciting things, about the H4D-60′s sensor is that it is a CCD sensor, as opposed to the CMOS of the Canon. For shooting propeller driven aircraft this is great because you don’t get the wonky bent propellers when shooting slow shutter speeds- the propeller stays straight as an arrow!
My mission from Breitling was to provide an image-set of the 4 ship Breitling Angels with their new paint. This was a very high priority to Breitling. We briefed various formations, and addressed the teams capabilities. It was also determined that including the Breitling Jet Team somehow would be critical. This is not an easy task! Considering the Breitling Angels are capable of about 110 Knots while in formation with the photoship, and the jets would be doing at least 180 knots, the disparity in speed created a very unique problem. The maximum shutter speed I could use I knew would be 1/250th of a second, anything more would stop the props of the Angels, and the photo would look fake. However, would 1/250 be enough to stop the jets as they passed under? Just barely!
The mission was very successful, and the H4D-60 proved to be an incredible asset! Precision flying, Precision Time Pieces, and a Precision camera, all deeply rooted in a history of aviation. Afterall, what other camera and watch combination has been in space?
I hope you enjoy the sampling of images from the shoot.
Read the Hasselblad Bulletin Here
Visit Breitling for more information
Visit Hasselblad for more information
JP
In January we were asked by Breitling to bring Yves (Jetman) Rossy to the United States for an aerial demonstration. We organized a small team of four, and made the event possible at Grand Canyon West.
We were responsible for location scouting, negotiations for land use, permitting, aerial coordination, FAA coordination, and logistical support.
As a result of our efforts, Jetman was able to accomplish his flight.
This event was viewed by more than 750 million people through over 300 different international and domestic media outlets.
Working with us is like having your own personalized production staff.
