ISnAP July 2015

2015 Ultimate Access Event: Photo Review

Meet Our MemberScott Germain

Mission Accomplished: Touring The USS MidwayJohn Ringquist

Slapshot: A Tail Flash Is BornScott Wolff

2015 Ray Fagen Memorial AirshowLarry Grace

Demo Team Schedules

FRONT COVER PHOTO: Steve ZimmermannThe Military Aviation Museum’s Me-262 and P-51D, flying in formation for the camera over the Great Dismal Swamp. Camera: Nikon D810 Lens: Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR II, mounted on a Kenyon 6 x 6 gyro.

Focal Length: 105mm Shutter Speed: 1/100 Aperture: f/11 ISO: 160Mode: Shutter Priority Format: RAW Process: Lightroom 5

BACK COVER: Steve ZimmermannThe deHavilland DH.98 Mosquito with Mike Spalding at the controls. Military Aviation Museum, Virginia Beach, VA.

Camera: Nikon D810 Lens: Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 VR II,mounted on a Kenyon 6 x 6 gyro.

Focal Length: 105mm Shutter Speed: 1/60 Aperture: f/13 ISO: 160Mode: Shutter Priority Format: RAW Process: Lightroom 5

ISAP’s goal is to bring together our members who share a love of aviation, and want to preserve its history through their images. Through our organization, members can seek to enhance their artistic quality, advance technical knowledge, and improve safety for all areas of aviation photography while fostering professionalism, high ethical standards, and camaraderie.

ISAP continues to help our members to better their photography skills, workflow, and set up resources to help with business questions that our members have. Updates are being made to the ISAP website and member portfolio section, and we are showcasing ISAP members’ images and accomplishments on our social media pages.

Update or add your portfolio to the ISAP website. ISAP has received a lot of comments on our portfolio section and a few of our members have been contacted for job opportunities and image usage because of these portfolios.

In this issue we are continuing to highlight ISAP members. I’m sure you will enjoy learning how your fellow ISAP members got started, as well as seeing some of their images and learning some tips. Remember that ISnAP is your publication to share your images, stories and tips with other members and the public. We look forward to each member sharing his or her stories with all of us.

Enjoy this issue of ISnAP!

Sincerely, Larry Grace, PresidentKevin Hong, ISnAP EditorInternational Society for Aviation Photographywww.aviationphoto.org • www.facebook.com/[email protected]

WELCOME TO THEJUNE 2015 ISSUE OF ISNAP!

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Betsy AguirreAbdullah Albalushi

Lynn Allen IIChad BellayBrent Beck

Kenneth BurnsJames CoppGary DanielsDavid Franks

Damien Guarnieri

David HenryKarl Hugh

Jeremy HumphreysMichael Jackson

Steven JantzLiz Kaszynski

Kevin KanarskiScott Kelby

George KounisHector Leiva

John LoveDave Mills

VanHan NguyenDerek ReynoldsTom Reynolds

Kevin RobertsonEdward RognerAlonso RochinDarin Russell

John Sepp

Matthew Short Mark SutherlandJeffrey WaldronDane Wiedmann

Andy WolfeKeith Wood

Steve Zimmermann

w e l c o m e n e w a n d r e t u r n i n g i s a p m e m b e r s

The ISnAP is a periodic publication of the International Society for Aviation Photography and is used to communicate news, functions, convention information, and other information of interest on the local, regional, and national scenes. The views and opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and should not be construed as the views or opinions of the International Society for Aviation Photography.

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The First ISAP Ultimate Access Shoot was held in Dallas Fort/Worth. It was a great event even with the bad weather in the area. ISAP sponsors - Red River Paper allowed members to print on their high quality paper and Full Color Inc. showed us their newest photo products printing on metal and wood.

Air to air with warbirds and helicopter rides were a great option with a night photo shoot. We would like to thank Cavanaugh Flight Museum and The Cold War Air Museum for letting us shoot their collections of aircraft and fly for us. Please take a look at some great photos from the event.

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M E E T O U R M E M B E R

Scott GermainI’m a professional airline pilot in real life, but my flying passion centers on air racing and flying warbirds. I’ve raced at Reno as a pilot three times, and as a crew member of various racers in the unlimited class. These flying interests have been a natural mix with my photography passion – something that started when I was very young. Since I get paid for my photography, I guess that makes me a professional. I never did study photography like others; I picked it up along the way back when I was a kid. I’ve just kept at it, from taking my film to Kodak for processing, through learning how to develop and print in a darkroom, all the way to the digital tools we all use today. I currently reside in Phoenix, Arizona.

I used Nikon for a long time, but I switched to Canon when the EOS-5D came out. I also just got a new EOS-1Dx, which is really amazing. It’s going to change my game, for sure.

Like 99% of other air to air photographers, I like the 24-105 USM L lens with IS. Now that I have opportunities to shoot out of something more roomy than a T-6, I picked up the 70-200 f2 IS USM lens. I also have some speedlites, PocketWizards, the usual stuff.

I was editor of Warbird Digest magazine for a long time, and (I) we never had any problem with shooting and using .jpgs. I felt I was forced to shoot that way with the EOS-5D, and with the 5D Mk II I now have, simply because the write speed on the camera was so slow. Writing a RAW file just takes forever, and it limits your shoot-ing. Now that I have the -1Dx, I’ve shot everything in RAW, and I hope to enjoy the wider limits of that format and seeing what, if anything, I’ve been missing.

On the software side, I’ve always used some version of Photoshop. I was an early adopter of Lightroom when it came out. It’s array of tools and interface allowed me to find a better voice when it came to making my images look the way I envisioned them. I’ve also just started using PhotoZoom for enlarging, and have been looking at a few other plug-ins to up my game. I feel like my personal craft has been pushed off to the side for a long time, so it’s kind of a renaissance for me. I’m glad to be outside my comfort zone and learning again.

I was a member before, but when photography got mixed down a few levels, I let it lapse. Now that I’ve re-upped, I see all the great work of the membership – what an inspiration! I’m not a member of any other organizations such as ISAP, but if somebody has a camera, I have something in common with them.

I absolutely try to help others. Paul Bowen, whom I’ve been privileged to know and work around, has been a huge influence for me. Not only in his work, but how he shares and makes room for others. And it’s absolutely the right way to be: there is enough room for all of us in this profession.

Advice for photographers new to aviation is both easy and hard...There are certain aspects of our craft that are easy: show up at an airshow and shoot photos! You don’t have to be in the photo pit, or have a press pass to make great images. Your photographs are stories, emotions, ideas, and records of what happened. Don’t let your gear, what gear you think you should have, or your perceived status as a photographer get in the way of that.

There are other aspects that you just don’t jump in to, such as air to air. That is a whole discipline unto itself, and one that I’m about to address in my own way. It’s not so much you can’t shoot photos in that environment, but there is just so much going on that it’s not easy to do. And you have to be safe the first time, the last time, and every time in between. It’s terribly unforgiving for photographers to try if you’re not working with the right people, or trained by the right people.

But my overall advice? Keep the finger down on the shutter release. Make mistakes. Use them as learning tools. Do something nobody else is doing. And don’t forget to have some fun along the way!

M E E T O U R M E M B E R

MISSIONACCOMPLISHEDTOURING THE USS MIDWAYArticle and images by John Ringquist

I had the distinct pleasure to tour the USS Midway Museum in San Diego, CA on March 26, 2015. I wanted to see the Midway for a long time and was excited when the opportunity came while visiting in California.

The tour of this famous aircraft carrier is very comprehensive including the bridge, the flight deck and below-decks. The Midway was named for the Battle of Midway (1942) in which four Japanese carriers and one heavy cruiser were sunk. This battle was significant in turning the tide of the US war in the Pacific.

The USS Midway was commissioned in 1945 as the largest ship in the world for the decade and the first too large for the Panama Canal. In 2010, the Midway Museum surpassed 5 million visitors since its opening in 2004, and in 2012, she was the first Navy ship museum to host one million visitors annually. A complete photo tour of the ship is on my website, www.ringquist.com. I hope you too will be able to experience this extensive tour. Plan on a full day to view all decks but suggest you start at the top decks (bridge) in case time is a factor. I especially appreciated having naval veterans available to answer questions and tell stories.

In order to cut down weight of my Canon camera gear (23lbs.) for traveling, I brought only my new Panasonic Lumix FZ1000 camera for the trip to California. It has a 25mm to 400mm, f:2.8 - f:4.0 Leica lens, a 20.1 MP 1” high-sensitivity MOS sensor, and offers 4K QFHD video recording capability. It also includes 5-axis image stabilization. At first, I was hesitant to not bring the Canon gear, but this camera performed very well. The advantage of 4Kvideo is to capture 8MP stills in-camera from the video recording, therefore allowing you to grab a special moment in time, which is not always possible with still photography. The world of photography sure is changing.

USS Midway carrier facts include:• 69,000 tons total weight• 1001 feet (305 meters) long• 258 feet (79 meters) wide• 1947 - Operation Sandy: the only successful launch of a German V-2 rocket from a ship, the dawn of naval missile warfare• 1963 – First successful landing using “hands off” auto pilot technology• 1975 – Leads the evacuation of Saigon; 3073 refugees in two days• 1991 – Flagship of Persian Gulf air operations in Operation Desert Storm• 1991 – Rescues 1800 Americans fleeing Mt. Pinatubo eruption• 1992 – Decommissioned in San Diego, CA

All of us, at some point or other, have started a conversation with the question, “Wouldn’t it be cool if…-”

Here at FighterSweep, we found ourselves in that exact scenario approximately four months ago. My most trusted colleagues and I were discussing possibilities for articles and projects, when Jonathan Derden asked, “Hey, wouldn’t it be cool if Shaw did a Wild Weasel 50th Anniversary paint scheme?”

The line went quiet as the three of us pondered how epic such a design might be, and another question broke the silence: “Do you know if they have any plans to do something?”

My response was honest. “I have no idea, but we can certainly ask.” And ask we did.

As it turns out, no one at “The Home of the Wild Weasel” had plans to adorn the wing commander’s jet with anything other than it’s standard drop-shadow scheme–the same one it’s been for some time. Fortunately leadership at the 20th Fighter Wing is extremely passionate about the Wild Weasel mission,

especially its history, and after really considering my question, they got excited.

“You know what? I think that would be really cool,” we were told. “Know of anyone that might be able to design something like that for us?”

“Yeah, I think I might know a guy,” was my sarcastic response, knowing that a dear friend and FighterSweep colleague–Kenneth Lustig–was also one of the most talented graphic artists on the planet.

Within a few days, we at FighterSweep produced the first concepts of what a Wild Weasel tail flash might look like. There was a selection process to see which design gained the most favor, and once that was done, the task started coming to life. Adapted from a historical shoulder patch in the Wild Weasel community, the road to bringing “Slapshot” back to life was not an easy one, and it’s only because of the persistence and dedication of Colonel Bryan Harris, Chief Master Sergeant Jason Tiek, Master Sergeant John Lewis, and their talented, persistent airmen at the 20th Maintenance Group, that the project even got off the ground.

SLAPSHOT: A Tail Flash Is BornArticle and image By Scott Wolff

Camera: Nikon D700 Lens: Nikkor 24-70mm f/2.8 Aperture: f/10 ISO: 200 Shutter Speed: 120 seconds

With us every step of the way, and a major driving force behind the project, was Colonel Paul Murray, the 20th Operations Group commander. An outspoken champion of the SEAD/DEAD mission, Murray was commander of the 480th Fighter Squadron in 2011 when Operation Odyssey Dawn kicked off over Libya, sending Wild Weasels back to war for the first time in almost a decade.

After several weeks loaded with multiple phone calls, emails, waivers, and miles of red tape, Colonel Murray called me with the news. “It’s a go! Since our paint shop is down, Moody Air Force Base is going to allow us to use theirs, and we’re hoping to have it done in time for the Wild Weasel Tactics Conference.”

At that point, everything started falling into place. Under the leadership of Master Sergeant Lewis, Technical Sergeant Todd Bosley coordinated with the 23rd EMS at Moody to work logistics–to include the procurement and assembly of

all the materials needed, and also helped with execution on a variety of levels. Staff Sergeant Joseph Shelton and Senior Airman Stephanie Arwood worked details of design before they went to Moody, and Airman First Class Anthony Jimenez helped with material and travel prep as well.

Shelton, Arwood, and Jimenez all traveled to Moody to apply the paint, with Staff Sergeant James Noble working as the project lead. Bosley and Lewis stayed behind at Shaw, making sure all was well with coordination between the two installations.

“This was very historical for our personnel and the USAF as a whole,” said Master Sergeant Lewis. “I have been attached to a lot of significant events over my twenty-one years, and I am not sure any can top this.”

The deputy commander of the 20th Operations Group, Lieutenant Colonel Scott Walker, brought the jet home nearly three weeks ago. Aside from the short time from when Walker landed to when the jet was rolled into a hangar to be hidden away, the airplane was kept out of sight–meant to be a surprise to the Old Guard of the Wild Weasel Society, as well as the rest of the current crop of Wild Weasels flying the Block 50 F-16CJ.

To see these senior members of the Wild Weasel community utter, “Oh wow!” and break into applause even before the hangar was fully open was just icing on the cake. Their heritage is very proud and steep, so bringing “Slapshot” back to life after a long hiatus is easily one of the most amazing things we’ve ever been a part of.

We’d like to thank Colonel Stephen “Jester” Jost, 20 FW/CC; Colonel Paul “Dino” Murray, 20 OG/CC; Colonel Bryan Harris, 20 MXG/CC; Lieutenant Colonel Scott “Spyder” Walker, 20 OG/CD; Captain Steve “Cage” Cecil, 20 OG/CCE; 2LT Jennifer Hyden, 20 FW/PA; CMSGT Jason Tiek, 20 MXG/CCC; MSGT John Lewis, 20 EMS/MXMF and SSGT Kenny Holston, 20 FW/PA.

As always, the professionals at Shaw AFB are a fantastic group to work with, and we look forward to our return in the very near future. The story of “Slapshot”is just beginning, so stay tuned for more. First In…Last Out!

http://fightersweep.com/2465/wild-weasel-tactics-conference/

On June 20, 2015 the Fagen family held their memorial airshow named after Ray Fagen. Ray, Ron Fagen’s father, was a WWII Army veteran and is the inspiration for the museum and the airshow.

The show had a large gathering of WWII veterans and their families with a guest appearance by WWII Triple Ace P-51 fighter pilot, Col. C. E. “Bud” Anderson. The very professional lineup of performers along with their historic and rare aircraft created an event unlike any other. The battle reenactment gave spectators a glimpse of WWII field combat. WWII history came alive. The Craig Morgan Concert was great with new songs and old favorites and AeroShell Aerobatic Team’s night show was the perfect ending to a perfect day.

Aircraft attending the show EAA’s B-17 Aluminum Overcast, CAF Arizona Wing’s B-25 Maid in the Shade, B-25 Lady Luck, Fagen Fighters B-25 Paper Doll and a PV-2 Harpoon Navy Bomber. In the fighter group, we had P-51 Mustangs Old Crow, Petie 2nd, Sierra Sue, along with Fagen Fighters P-51 Twilight Tear and Sweet Revenge. P-38J Ruff Stuff, Bell P-63 Kingcobra, FM-2 Wildcat, F4-U Corsair, and an Original Japa-nese Zero. A P-40E Warhawk and two P-40K Aleutian Tigers that flew together in formation for the 1st time in over 70 years. Aircraft from the CAF Sioux Falls’ Wing Stinson L-5 Sentinel. Trainers include two Stea-rman PT-17s, and 13 T-6s, including the fabulous AeroShell Aerobatic Team, and the Fagen Fighters trainers including the BT-13, PT-19, PT-26 ,PT-22 and many more rare warbirds on the airshow grounds.

A video recap of the 2015 Ray Fagen memorial airshow can be seen at: https://youtu.be/BT9jD3Uk1Uc

2015 RAY FAGENMEMORIAL AIRSHOW

by Larry Grace

Fagen Fighters WWII Museum and History PreservationTo learn more about the Fagen family mission to keep WWII history alive in Granite Falls, MN. In a special half hour episode, Pioneer Public Television local show “Postcards” explore the family behind Granite Falls’ latest global tourist attraction the Fagen Fighters WWII museum. http://video.pioneer.org/video/2365486622/

Website and Facebook page:http://www.fagenfighterswwiimuseum.org

https://www.facebook.com/FagenFightersWwiiMuseum

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ISnAP July 2015

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