Gathering of Mustangs and Legends - pics

[Dream Child]

Originally posted by Odee
WOW What lens and camera are you using?  I only had the 55mm lens for my Rebel XT Canon, but your shots look far better than mine:aok
 

Almost all of the flight pictures on the first page were taken with a Cannon Powershot S1, 10x optical zoom. (The present Cannon equivalent offering is the S3 with a 12x optical zoom.) To get the shots, I had to manually set the focus to infinity, set the camera on the action setting, preload the camera's shutter speed and F-stop, then follow the action until I got the shot I wanted, realizing that my shutter speed and F-stop settings might not be quite right by time I actually took the picture.

[Dream Child]

Originally posted by Fencer51
Golfer, I am not going to get into an argument about the 51 formation.

It stated on there website for months until sometime last week that SATURDAY would have a 51 plane formation.  Don't fall for revisionist history.  The two days were identical.  And thanks I too heard the 51 plane announcement.  The "20 planes" taxing might have been indicative of the "plan" but we were already there.  Little late to indicate something then eh?

Cheers

Fencer,

As I live 20 minutes from Rickenbacker, I'd been following this for about 6 months prior to the show. The only day I had ever known them to be having the flight of 51 Mustangs was Sunday. Having said that, I don't believe they did, as the weather was poor until Friday, so they didn't get the practice they required for the formation.

[PhilBGolf]

When I read the website, I remember them promising a 600 plane P51 formation, with 3 262's and an SR71 escort.  Also, they were giving away leather bomber jackets and free kisses from the girl that was polishing "Sweet and Lovely."  Why else would I fly all the way up there from Pensacola?

[Odee]

Dream Child, thanks for the info...  Stupid techno-rookie me was using auto focus...     I have since gone through the manual and am practicing with the regular old fahion style of focus, f-stop, etc. like my old Canon 35mm has.

Originally posted by PhilBGolf
....Why else would I fly all the way up there from Pensacola?

Discounting the exagerrations?  I think you flew up there on the hopes of nabbing a ride in a pony or other bird.... as well as the photo=op kiss from the 3 Calendar Girls in there Cherries on white dresses

There never was to be 51 ponies in the air at one time... you guys are mistaking the formation NUMBER #51  which they did do on Saturday.

[33Vortex]

Amazing pics, thanks for sharing!

[Brooke]

Thanks for the pics!

[Dream Child]

Originally posted by Odee
Dream Child, thanks for the info...  Stupid techno-rookie me was using auto focus...     I have since gone through the manual and am practicing with the regular old fahion style of focus, f-stop, etc. like my old Canon 35mm has.

For an aerial shoot like this was, you can almost guarantee setting the focus to infinity will work, as the aircraft were never closer than 1000 feet or so, and only rarely that close. As for the shutter speed and F-stop, even if you're off a little, as long as it's not blurry, you can adjust the lighting on the computer, at least to a point. To help keep it not blurry, set the shutter speed high.

There never was to be 51 ponies in the air at one time... you guys are mistaking the formation NUMBER #51  which they did do on Saturday.

Actually, Sunday was supposed to have 51 ponies in the air. One of my coworkers was there Sunday. His recollection was that they said they didn't have enough practice due to the weather conditions earlier in the week and they weren't willing to risk it. Can't say as I blame them, as it was raining much of Thursday before the show. Even with the weather, we still had several ponies fly over where I work on Thursday.

[Simaril]

Question for the photo guys among you.

I had a number of shots that I thought would show a very deep blue sky, but they ended up being glared out into white. How would I have better set the limits with the autofocusing, auto exposure 35mm to keep the target plane bright enough to see, but the larger sky dim enough to show the rich blue that was really there?

I tended to take my shots with the sun out of the picture (duh) but between me and the plane -- so the light was shining on the surface of the planes, sometimes giving a visible reflection. I was afraid that with the noon and early afternoon sun's brightness, if I took the picture with the sun above but behind me the planes would be sillouhetted out into just outlines.

The planes looked bright and sharp, but the sky was washed out into white, like I said.

[PhilBGolf]

Circular polarizing filter

[Dream Child]

Originally posted by Simaril
Question for the photo guys among you.

I had a number of shots that I thought would show a very deep blue sky, but they ended up being glared out into white. How would I have better set the limits with the autofocusing, auto exposure 35mm to keep the target plane bright enough to see, but the larger sky dim enough to show the rich blue that was really there?

I tended to take my shots with the sun out of the picture (duh) but between me and the plane -- so the light was shining on the surface of the planes, sometimes giving a visible reflection. I was afraid that with the noon and early afternoon sun's brightness, if I took the picture with the sun above but behind me the planes would be sillouhetted out into just outlines.

The planes looked bright and sharp, but the sky was washed out into white, like I said.

Simaril,

Are you shooting film? If there was still smoke over the airfield, or clouds behind your subject, that will make big a difference. The angle you take the shot from the sun will make a difference, as the blue is polarized light from the atmosphere at 90 degrees from the sun, so the perfect shot would have the sun be at 90 degrees from the subject as you're looking at it.