August 2009
Meet the Member: Eric Hehs
ISnAP
Comments from the Chair
Much to report since the last ISnAP. Slight delay in getting this issue out is the result of waiting for feedback on plans for our next Symposium. The latter is now officially locked-in for March 4, 5, 6 of 2010. Mark it on your calendars as it’s going to be a good one. We’ll be staying at the Las Vegas Hampton Inn Tropicana (for you Texas A&M graduates, that’s in Las Vegas, Nevada). Same place we stayed during ISAP-IV in 2004. We’re in the middle of reviewing the contract with the Hampton Inn as I write these words. By next ISnAP we’ll have reservation information for you as well as a phone number to call. We’ve guaranteed 75 rooms on a first come, first served basis, so take advantage of the offer while you can as these rooms will go in a very big hurry. Rate is an incredible $79 a night. Recommend that you reserve for Wednesday night through Saturday night. Believe me when I say it’s unlikely you’ll find anything better or less expensive in Sin City. We’re getting a very special deal! I’ve received confirmation from Dr. Paul Bevilaqua that he will be our banquet speaker. If that name doesn’t ring a bell with you, try Manager, Advanced Development Programs, Lockheed Martin Skunk Works. Paul’s as far up the food chain at the Skunk Works as one can go. More importantly for us, he’s an excellent speaker and as intimate with the history of this legendary company as anyone on the planet. Most recently - at least in the public domain(!) - he honcho’d the design development of the X-35 - and now the F-35. Paul has promised some interesting insights into Skunk Works lore. I’m saddened to announce that our ever-persevering and eternally jolly secretary, Mr. Denny Lombard, has asked to be excused from his position on the ISAP board. Denny has had a rough couple of years health-wise, and his doctors have advised a reduction in stress, among other recommendations. We have accepted Denny’s resignation with regret but are pleased to be able to tell you he will remain very active with ISAP and is already making plans to attend ISAP-IX. The board, after reviewing options, has asked Larry Grace to fill Denny’s mighty big shoes. Larry has formally accepted and is officially ISAP secretary as of mid-July. We’re all convinced Larry will accommodate the organization’s needs with all the enthusiasm he shows for life in general! All of you who know Larry know what we’re talking about. He’s totally gung-ho ISAP and spreads the gospel wherever he travels. Feel free to contact Larry with any ISAP membership-related questions. His e-mail address is: lgrace@mm.com About it for this go-around. Promise that the next ISnAP will be a little more punctual!
Jay
Meet the Members Eric Hehs
My Year On The Wing! As editor of Code One, I write articles about customers who operate various military aircraft produced by Lockheed Martin. The job involves traveling to air bases in far-off places, interviewing fighter pilots and maintainers, and then putting it all together in my office in Fort Worth, Texas. While Code One regularly engages outside photographers for articles, I always drag my own camera gear on trips. A lot of my images end up in the magazine. Some have been used in company brochures and advertising, which I find quite rewarding.
In the last several of years, I have covered customer operations in Guam, Korea, Japan, United Arab Emirates, Greece, and several locations in the United States, including Alaska. Travel makes the job sound glamorous, but I have my share of frustrations. A recent encounter with a security guard who confiscated my CF cards and audio interview files comes to mind. As most of you know, hauling fifty pounds of photo gear on the shoulders gets old real fast. Transcribing interviews is no fun. Lengthy department meetings and email overload account for a lot of my time as well. I’ve been producing the magazine a while—if “a while” can be defined as more than two decades. In that time, I have often concluded that I’ve seen the F-16 Fighting Falcon from every imaginable angle and with every imaginable backdrop. Then Katsuhiko Tokunaga, a regular contributor, destroys my conclusion with an image—something uniquely dynamic or colorful or just plain visually stunning.
I’m very fortunate as a photo editor and photographer since Lockheed Martin produces the best-looking aircraft in the aerospace industry. The F-22 Raptor, F-35 Lightning II, and T-50 Golden Eagle are some of the latest photo subjects that continue the company’s reputation for sleekly packaged high-performance. Even the C-5 Galaxy and C-130 Hercules, the large workhorses they are, offer aesthetic appeal.
Beautiful subjects, of course, are not enough. Beautiful images require more than pointing and shooting even with the best equipment. (Although, high-quality equipment is definitely a prerequisite.) I’ve seen Tokunaga brief photo missions. He would probably agree that 80 percent of his visual success relates to that preparation.
The same goes for ground shots. My best stuff comes from preparing and by taking an active role with the subjects. Most pilots don’t mind posing. Maintainers and other ground personnel appreciate the attention. So my advice is to make friends and get everyone involved with a shot instead of documenting an activity. That is, brief your ground shots. The results highlight the difference between professional and amateur. More advice: Make my job easier. Focus some of your energy and talents on writing. While a well-written caption won’t sell a photo, it may increase your value to magazine and photo editors. A well-written article with a set of great images is an editor’s dream. Make your deadlines, too. A plug to ISAP: The opportunity to learn from the experience of some of the greats in this industry makes ISAP the perfect organization for any aspiring or recognized aviation photographer. Socialize with those who share your work experiences. We have a lot to learn from each other. See you at the next symposium!
Eric Hehs
Editor of Code One Magazine and its website, www.codeonemagazine.com
How I Did It!
wouldn’t look any different from a piloted F-4. The clincher: the closest QF-4’s were at Mojave Airport, where desert heat waves roiling off the ramp would severely degrade telephoto imagery
QF-4 for
Caroline Sheen, my editor, then suggested I try an approach that had worked previously for a B-58 cover: me in the air, the plane on the ground. Bingo. It would show off the QF-4’s distinctive antennae as well as the day-glo orange paint scheme.
Chad Slattery
Air & Space / Smithsonian Cover
© 2008 Juliette Harris, BAE Systems
[With this issue of ISnAP we’re introducing a regular feature explaining in detail how an outstanding or unusual photo was made. We invite your story and photos.] Late last year Air & Space/Smithsonian magazine asked me to shoot a cover attempt for its January 2009 story on the QF-4, an unpiloted version of the Phantom II used for live fire exercises. A few phone calls confirmed the obvious: no way was I going to get to fly formation with it for air-to-air photos. Next idea: straight on at dusk, on the ground, with a 600mm lens, canopy raised, some nice lighting, a technician or two for scale. But that was a dead-end too: as far apart as the main gear is, you couldn’t get a vertical out of it without making it look like a cockpit on a unicycle tire. And except for an empty cockpit, it
Helicopters are not good platforms for this sort of photo. The downwash raises dust and beats up ground personnel. And it’s difficult to direct both people and pilot while leaning out of the aircraft and trying to hold on to the camera. That leaves telescoping boom lifts. They have their drawbacks: they’re expensive to rent (it cost $1200 for the B-58 shot) and you’d better be good at resisting vertigo. But there’s no better way to shoot straight down on an aircraft. I prefer ones with a 120- or 130-foot height; since you can’t station it directly above the plane, you have to anchor it off to the side and then extend it from there. The elbow bend usually costs you 20 feet of height. But even at full extension, you can yell directions down to folks on the ground, so you’re not fumbling with a transceiver or megaphone. I began this shoot by choosing the most worn-out plane I could get. I wanted it to look like a tired warrior girding for one last
fight. Then I positioned it on the cleanest ramp space available, at an angle to the concrete’s cut lines to give it a diagonal orientation. Luckily, BAE owned a lift and offered its use at no charge. I stationed it directly opposite the sun angle to avoid the boom’s shadow intruding across the plane and then strapped in. I always wear a harness on lifts (I followed Mike Fizer’s advice and bought a Metolius climbing rig) and used Trango and Metolius carabiners to anchor onto the boom bucket’s rail. We went to full height, about 100 feet above the ground. The bucket could rotate laterally; by turning it and leaning out a bit, I had an unobstructed straight-down view. The ground crew moved into place and I positioned them to emphasize their shadows. The camera was a Canon 1Ds Mk 3 with a 24-120 IS lens. I framed it vertically, keeping the ramp lines perpendicular, and leaving enough breathing space around the plane to allow for the masthead and for story lines. I shot 58 frames at a variety of focal lengths. The frame chosen for the cover was shot at 32mm focal length, f/7.1 at 1/400 second.
airport security awareness around the perimeter while at the same time allowing members to enjoy their avaiation related hobbies including, but not limited to aviation photography and spotting. The program is a win/win for both progam members and the MSP Airport Police, as members can observe and report suspicious activity around the airport directly to the police dispatch, while at the same time practicing their hobby All potential Airport Watch members must first undergo a criminal background check and a TSA-grade security background check. Members are then trained by the MSP Airport Police security division prior to being issued an I.D. card. This start of this type of program is a true victory for the aviation photographer! ISAP members, Gary Chambers, Larry Grace, Matt Miles and Mark Naumann are active members of MSP Airport Watch.
The credit line described the shot as one of my “signature bird’s-eye-view portraits.” It’s nice to have a niche.
--Chad Slattery
MSP Airport Watch Larry Grace
Photo © Larry Grace
In January 2009, the Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport (MSP/KMSP) officially launched a civilian airport watch progam in conjunction with the MSP Airport Police Department. The program, called MSP Airport Watch, is overseen by Sgt. Al Cooper of the MSP Airport Police. The primary goal of the program is to provide a heightened
Photo © Hayman Tam
Ball-Bartoe JW-1 Jetwing
Wings Over the Rockies Air and Space Museum Denver Colorado http://shutterspeedaero.wordpress.com/
Gadget Bag by Jay Miller
That being said, S. C. Johnson and Son, Inc., under the auspices of their “Off” brand of insect repellants, has released within the past year their “Clip On” insect repellant system. Powered by a couple of rechargeable AA batteries and equipped with a small, replaceable container of metofluthrin and several other lesser ingredients that serve as the actual repellant, this little gizmo really works - and works well. It hangs, via a built-in clip, off a belt or camera bag strap without any difficulty and costs about $13. Replacement repellant cartridges run about $8.50. The cartridges last about 12 hours. Importantly, what they emit is odorless, invisible, and totally innocuous. Once you clip the unit to your belt or strap or whatever, you flip a small switch and forget about it. The unit, which is about 4.5 inches from top to bottom and about 3 inches across, weighs just a couple of ounces. Internally, it is a clever but uncomplicated design containing a very small fan and the electronics to operate same. The fan slowly spreads the repellant via a small wicking system and a set of vents. The fan makes a small amount of noise - but not enough to be obtrusive at any level.
Wife Susan found this one. It’s a relatively unobtrusive and inexpensive solution to an age-old problem all photographers confront at one time or another - bothersome insects. Like most of you, I’ve tried everything to deter mosquitos, ticks, fleas, noseeums, and other such blood suckers. The list includes sprays, lotions, herbs, spices and serious cursing, and none worked without some major shortcoming or limited effectiveness - particularly the curses. Admittedly the various sprays (most containing DEET) worked for a few hours, but the simple act of shpritzing ‘em on my torso while protecting my eyes and various and sundry orifices left a lot to be desired. Additionally, the sprays invariably left a tacky film on my skin and there was always (and still is) a concern that DEET probably wasn’t the best thing I could be absorbing into my system. According to Wikipedia, DEET’s chemical name is “N,N-Diethyl-meta-toluamide”. It was developed by the U.S. Army in response to jungle warfare during WWII. Military use started in 1946 and civilian use (as “6-12”) started in 1957. Main reason insects are repelled by it is it blinds their olfactory receptors and it’s just generally unpleasant for them to be around. At least four human deaths have been attributed to DEET and about 1 person in 100,000,000 will have a seizure-level reaction to it. Regardless, in general, it’s deemed pretty safe for human use. Accordingly, it’s found just about everywhere bug repellants are sold.
I have to admit that I’ve been surprised by this little unit’s effectiveness. When Susan brought one home (after reading a review in Time Magazine or some such), I thought it was just another “let’s screw the consumer” gimmick. When Susan gave it a try in the backyard a day or two later and came back with a glowing report and zero mosquito bites, I was still skeptical. I tried it shortly afterwards and after an hour of taking photos outdoors without a single bite, I began to have a change of heart. After a week or using the unit and not getting bitten once - by anything - I concluded the Johnson family has a winner. We’re now planning to acquire several more and spread them around. I’m planning to keep one in my camera bag at all times. If you work in situations that expose you to little things that bite, I can all but guarantee this is the long-wished-for, no-nonsense solution to your problem. No muss, no fuss, and it works. Maybe a little pricey, but in my opinion, worth every penny.
Jay
Learjet 85 Mockup By Paul Bowen
Todd Schwartz, Intake Studios in Wichita, and assistant Vincent McNeill shot the video while Christian Beltrami came from Montreal to direct the video. Tom Jenkins, my assistant/second photographer for the past 20 years, and Dick Yauk assisted me in set-up and during the shoot. We tethered our Canon EOS 1Ds Mk III to our Power Book and we were off to work. After three 12-hour-days of shooting with and without props, and with multiple variations, as well as with talent, we finished the shoot without melting any windows or scratching any woodwork.
Videographer Todd Schwartz supplements Paul’s modeling lights for his turn in the mockup. Paul used the strobes when shooting stills.
Bombardier contacted me to shoot the new Learjet 85 mockup interior for upcoming advertising needs. The mockup was in Wichita, on its way to England. The team had one week to arrange the three-day photo shoot, which included stills and video, with and without talent. There were a lot of people involved in the shoot. Melanie Filiatreault, Sr. Marketing Communications Specialist from Montreal, and Leslie Goldstein arranged for the mockup and personnel to support it, provided the shot list, and art directed both the stills and video. Ashley Bowen Cook (guess who’s daughter), account executive with The Greteman Group advertising agency in Wichita, brought in talent from Los Angeles and Kansas City. Gail Bowen (guess who’s wife) was hired as a stylist to provide props and wardrobe.
Directors Melanie Filiatreault and Leslie Goldstein review images with Tom Jenkins.
Melanie, Leslie, and Ashley Bowen Cook discuss wardrobe for the models.
Inside the mockup with the talent in one of their wardrobe changes. Paul alternated with the video crew for access to the mockup. Note the long exposure needed to reveal the overhead lights - 1/8 second @ f/22 with 100 ISO.
The overall interior was shot with the Canon EOS 1Ds Mk III, EF17-40 mm f/4L USM lens at 1/4 second @ f/20 with 100 ISO planted on a tripod.
These five images were shot as a quick test to try out CS4’s photo merge. Paul used the same wide lens, at the 17 mm setting.
We had to shoot the cockpit also, so we put a black cloth over the windshield, except for the very back edge of both pilots’ side windows. We diffused light through that area to light the overall cockpit. Then we lagged the exposure and using the 17-40 mm lens, and captured the overall cockpit while perched on a tripod.
The lower shot of the instrument panel was “hand-held” at 1/20 second @ f/8 to give the client a “new view”.
Tom Jenkins assembled the images using the automatic setting .
Tom used “free transform� to correct the perspective and produce a usable, wider - top-to-bottom and side-to-side image. Compare it to image #5.
Paul
Dutch Demo F-16 Eric Vorstenbosch
ISnAP Sponsors (in alphabetical order):
Canon USA http://www.usa.canon.com
Air & Space Smithsonian http://www.airspacemag.com
Delkin Devices http://www.delkin.com
Aircraft Owners & Pilots Association http://www.aopa.org
Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company http://www.lockheedmartin.com
Boeing http://www.boeing.com
Nikon USA http://www.nikonusa.com
Events of Interest August 2009
06-09 Aug Bristol Balloon Festival Ashton Court, Bristol, UK
18-23 Aug MAKS 2009 - Moscow Aviation and Space Salon Zhukovsky, Russia 20 Aug Dawlish Carnival Airshow Dawlish, Devon, UK
08-09 Aug Wings & Wheels Ursel Ursel, Belgium
15-16 Aug Saskatoon Air Show Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada
20-23 Aug Bournemouth Air Festival Bournemouth Seafront, Dorset, UK 22-23 Aug Shoreham Airshow Shoreham, West Sussex, UK
15-16 Aug Rougham Air Display Rougham Airfield, Suffolk, UK
29-30 Aug Dittinger Flugtage Dittinger Flugplatz, Dittingen, Switzerland
13-16 Aug Airbourne 2009 Eastbourne, Sussex, UK
Events of Interest
29-30 Aug Göteborg Aero Show 2009 http://www.aeroseum.se/goteborgaeroshow2008/index.html Göteborg, Sweden 29-30 Aug Radom Air Show 2009 Radom-Sadkow AB, Poland 30 Aug Families Day Out Air & Vintage Vehicle Show Little Gransden, Cambridgeshire, UK
September 2009
4-13 Sep Guernsey Aviation Week 2009 St.Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands, UK 12 Sep RAF Leuchars Airshow RAF Leuchars, Fife, UK 12-13 Sep Heli-Event 2009 Melchnau, Switzerland 16-19 Sep NATO Day in Ostrava http://www.dny-nato.cz Ostrava-Mošnov, Czech Republic 19 Sep Heldair Show Maritiem Den Helder, Netherlands 20 Sep Sanicole Air Show http://airshow.sanicole.com/ Leopoldsburg Airfield, Hechtel, Belgium
05 Sep Czech International Air Fest Brno, Czech Republic 05-06 Sep The Victory Show Foxlands Farm, Cosby, Leicestershire, UK 10 Sep Jersey International Air Display Jersey, Channel Islands, UK
22-24 Sep Helitech 2009 Duxford, Cambridgeshire, UK 25-27 Sep Southport Airshow http://www.visitsouthport.com/airshow/home Southport, Lancashire, UK 26-29 Sep Malta International Air Show St. Pauls & Luqa, Malta
Code of Ethics
http://aviationphotographers.org
Membership
Since 2001, ISAP has grown to over 400 members representing some twenty countries. We have successfully filed and received a 501 (c) (3) as a tax-exempt status. Our new “official” name is now International Society for Aviation Photography, Inc. The board also determined that ISAP membership will be viewed as a privilege. Accordingly, along with membership comes a responsibility to fellow members. The board has created three types of membership: Full-time professional, Part-time professional, and Associate. All member types will share, educate, and network with each other to continually improve the skills and knowledge base of ISAP as a whole. ISAP, it is hoped, will quickly become a professional organization held in high esteem by the aviation industry.
Each member is required to sign a code of ethics, which states I agree to abide by the ISAP Code of Ethics and pledge to honor the highest level of professionalism and conduct, with honesty and integrity at all times. I will familiarize myself with the rules and regulations of any facility that I visit and abide by them to uphold and dignify the reputation of ISAP and refrain from conduct that could harm any future opportunities for other ISAP members. I will treat others with courtesy and exercise good judgment in my actions. I agree to share my knowledge and skills with my fellow ISAP members to help increase the level of ISAP’s reputable knowledge base. If I breach any part of the ISAP Code of Ethics, my membership may be restricted or terminated by the Board of Directors. Adult 1 Year, $35.00 For any questions or problems with your membership application/renewal, please contact : av-membership@aviationphotographers.org
Marketplace
Got anything you want to sell or trade? Here’s your chance! Just drop the editor a email at viggenja37@sbcglobal.net .
Airplane ID Winners!
Membership Types • • •
Pro Full – Full Time Professional Photographers Pro Part – Part Time Professional Photographers Assoc – Aviation Photography Enthusiasts
Membership Benefits
Becoming an “active” member of ISAP by signing and committing to the Code of Ethics and paying your annual dues allows you to: • Access the “members only” area of the web site. • Present your Portfolio to prospective clients via the ISAP Gallery. • Network and mentor with some of the finest aviation photographers in the world. • Carry the ISAP Membership Card which is fast becoming a recognized “icon” in the industry. • Active Membership is a requirement for attendance to the outstanding Annual Symposiums!
Greg Meland came in with the first correct response, with Hayman Tam coming close, identifying the craft as a Schreck FBA (Franco British Aviation) Type H sn 5.160 in the Royal Museum of the Armed Forces and of Military History in Brussels, Belgium.
Photoshop Tip Time Mask Clean Up If a mask appears splotchy, it’s usually because the Auto Mask checkbox is turned on and the brush didn’t apply the mask to pixels that were too different from the original sample (beginning brush stroke). Simply uncheck the Auto Mask feature and repaint the area. Provided by NAPP (National Association of Photoshop Professionals) ® 2008 Kelby Media Group.
August 2009
ISnAP
ISAP Chairman of the Board – ISAP Board Vice Chair – ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member – ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Board Member - ISAP Membership Coordinator - ISAP Treasurer - ISAP Web Site Manager - ISAP Field Trip Coordinator - ISAP Speaker Coordinator - ISnAP Editor -
Jay Miller aerofax@sbcglobal.net Chad Slattery chadslattery@earthlink.net Paul Bowen bowen@airtoair.net David Carlson dcarlson@cusa.cannon.com Denny Lombard dennylombard@roadrunner.com Russell Munson higheye@aol.com Albert Ross alross@sbcglobal.net Eric Schulzinger eric.schulzinger@lmco.com Caroline Sheen csheen@si.edu Katsuhiko Tokunaga tokunaga@dact.co.jp Larry Grace lgrace@mm.com Bonnie (Bartel) Kratz photobonnie@execpc.com Michele Peterson websupport@aviationphotographers.org Richard VanderMuelen richardvm@aol.com Andy Wolfe Frank Landrus viggenja37@sbcglobal.net
The ISnAP is a monthly publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other events or items of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this newsletter are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of International Society for Aviation Photography. Deadline for submissions to The ISnAP is the 25th of the month prior to month of issue. Please submit as a WORD text file as an attachment via email to your editor.
It's "Airplane ID" time! Here's your next challenge:
Photo © Jay Miller