Highlights

Off to the Races.
by Moose Peterson

We’re in the Press Room, suiting up as if heading off to battle. 200-400VR cleaned, set and ready. Check! Camera body cleaned, loaded and charged. Check! The bag has a couple of extra lenses packed inside with spare flash cards, battery and water. Sunblock is applied, sunglasses cleaned and packed, wide brim hat on and ready. Vehicles are assembled outside and the call is made. 08:40 we depart, be on the road ready to go at 08:35. The level of activity cranks up a couple of notches as everyone double checks their gear, and then heads for the assembly area. The smell of AV gas wafts over the air as the sounds of motors turning over and props chopping at the air can be heard. We head outside just as the P40s and P51s take to the air, their roar bringing smiles to our faces. Nah, this isn’t the European theater of war, it’s the Reno Air Races.

For fifteen years, I’ve lived just three hours away from this adrenalin fueled photographic experience and had never made it to the tarmac. It wasn’t until my good friend, Scott Diussa of Nikon Professional Services said he was going and graciously asked me to join them did I make it. Five minutes after hitting the Press Room, I was hooked!

The excitement, fun and thrill of the Reno Air Races doesn’t need to be explained to the members of ISAP. The camaraderie and friendship that is Reno is something we all treasure. So what can I contribute to say thanks to everyone for bringing me and my family into the fold? I want to share just a couple of things I’ve learned from all of you that I combined in my own head along with camera gear, which helped me make the images I now cherish.

Stopping those birds

One skill that I could apply at pylons is panning. This is a technique I use every day so it’s very much second nature. It starts with proper handholding. The lens rests in the palm of the left hand, gravity holding it in place. The camera body with an eyecup is pressed against the forehead and elbows are brought in and braced against the sides (some of us have greater waistlines than others). With those basics in place, all that is left is the panning.

I set up my stance so when the plane is in the place I previsualize where I want it (based on the background) then twist at the trunk to do the actual panning. I prefocus the lens at the distance where I first want to pick up the plane in the viewfinder. With that done, when the plane comes around the track, I throw the lens up just before it gets to that locale I prefocused on, get the plane in the viewfinder and then twist at the trunk to pan/track it. I pan with the plane until while twisting I’m back to shooting straight in front of me, the post I felt was the best background. Then the finger comes off the shutter release but I continue to twist, watching the plane. If I don’t see a shot, I stop twisting / panning once the camera is no longer making any noise. If I see an “up the butt” shot, I reset my feet and shoot as the plane leaves the pylon, stopping the panning again only after the camera is no longer firing.

Making them purty

We all know and feel the romance of flight, which is probably why we’re all there. I want to bring that to every click the best I can. This is where background and movement in the image even though it’s a still image comes into play. Background selection is essential in this pursuit. To communicate the speed, a background that blurs really cleanly is essential. The blur comes from panning and the clean look comes from the tones. Thankfully, that’s easy to find at Reno. The romance comes with them big, gorgeous puffies that float by. Staying within the boundaries while working in the clouds is always a challenge for me at Reno.

Another challenge is one started by our good friend Richard. Blurring the prop is important I feel to communicate the power of flight. Richard shared with me the 1/250 maximum and 1/60 full 360 blur formula and it works for my images. The camera is in Shutter Priority, the appropriate shutter speed dialed in based on what’s in the air and the aperture is set by the camera. With that, it’s just click time.

For Nikon users, here’s a little more trivia. The camera’s AF is set to AAA and the body set to AF-C. In custom settings, A1 is set to Focus and Release. These settings make the D3 family, D700 and D300 series AF really fly (sorry, had to work in at least one bad pun).

I know that most of the veteran photogs know this stuff. I know this because you are all such a sharing and supportive group. I’m hoping that some of the new “kids” on the block though might benefit from what I’ve learned combined with what you’ve shared with me. And if we’re ever at an event together and your need an assist, please don’t hesitate to ask. Helping fellow photographers is the ISAP way!