Sun and Fun Air Show Photos 2013

It had been several years since my last "Sun and Fun" adventure which took me to Lakeland, Florida, the home of the second largest U.S. air show. Only the Osh Kosh Fly-In is bigger. 

I am lucky to have a wonderful client who lets me hitch a ride in his twin engine airplane making the boring ten hour drive in just two. Thanks Dan.

The trip revolves around several days of aerobatic performances, modern and vintage aircraft, a huge aviation trade show, and miles of walking. 

The photo below is of the AeroShell Flight Team. These guys are incredibly precise, and they move like one plane during their performance. I look forward to seeing them every year.

From communist China, two Nanchang CJ-6 trainers demonstrate acrobatic maneuvers below. These are often mistaken for the Russian "Yaks". I can look beyond the political origin of the planes and just enjoy them as beautiful flying machines... or "war trophies" as the announcer called them.

The big draw for me has always been the Warbirds section dedicated to fighters and bombers of yesteryear's wars.  To me, they stand as proud symbols of some of the greatest triumphs of the American people. There is no denying that World War II and the sacrifices made by that great generation made the United States the superpower that it is today.

My favorite photo of the trip happened by ignoring the air show that was going on. I decided to wander about the Warbirds line while the crowds were elsewhere. This is when I saw a wonderful enthusiast in vintage flight gear watching the planes fly by. He made it easy to imagine what young pilots in the 1940s looked like, and it is the one photo that captures the love of flight to me. The skies are calling to him.

Even before George Lucas made his "Red Tails" movie, I was interested in the famed African American 332nd Fighter Group called the Tuskegee Airmen. It is hard to imagine a pre-civil rights world where whites and blacks were segregated in most aspects of life, including the military.

Many contemporaries expected the Tuskegee Airmen to fail in this experimental program, but instead they served honorably earning many citations, medals and the respect of their fellow airmen. They put their foot in the door of equality that had been shut for African Americans paving the way for future generations of black military men.... and beyond.

The Tuskegee Airmen and their all black ground crews fought with distinction and honor putting their lives at risk and proving that they were a formidable fighting force. Their role as long range bomber escorts deep into German territory is legendary saving countless American lives.

Being a bomber crewman was one of the most dangerous jobs in the whole war. B-17 and B-24 bombers carried up to ten men and thousands died from Luftwaffe fighters and accurate flak. I have read figures of over a 50% death toll for the flyers of the heavy bombers. The protection afforded by these fighters gave them the nickname "Red Tail Angels".

This fantastic B-Model of the P-51 was on display by the inspirational Rise Above organization. This model uses an older fastback design instead of the later cockpit bubble. It really changes the look of the aircraft, and probably affects rearward visibility. Check out that flip up canopy.

For comparison, the later model P-51 with the bubble canopy is shown below. This one has been elongated to fit two people.

The owners of "Crazy Horse" must love to polish because this plane's skin sparkled like a mirror.

Some twin engine B-25 bombers were at Sun and Fun, and were great to see flying. Even though they may not be as sexy as a fighter, they did great damage to the enemy. Panchito's polished aluminum skin shined like chrome.

Yellow Rose had painted camouflage and bristled with twelve .50 caliber machine guns that could unleash fury on a strafing pass. These versatile planes could hold bombs, rockets and torpedoes too.

Nearly 10,000 of these were manufactured, and the distinct split tail can be seen from miles away.

The weather during our trip was a mixed bag. We experienced everything from steamy Florida afternoons to dark and ugly rain clouds. Shooting photos in these extremes can be interesting. 

The available lighting conditions affect the photos that I take of the airplanes. I think I only saw blue skies one of the afternoons we were there.

To me, it can be less interesting to shoot airplanes in a dreary dead light of overcast skies. The clarity of the images are affected by the haze in the air too.

Still, I was there to get what I could. My goal was to get a perfectly focused plane in motion with the propeller blurred. This was not easy for me to do for many reasons.

First of all, I was shooting at the equivalent of a 900mm telephoto zoom, and I was panning to track the planes' flight paths. At that magnification, even tiny shakes can ruin the photo.

Because I wanted the props blurred, I was shooting in the 1/250 of a second shutter speed.

I could have raised the shutter speed to 1/1000th of a second, but that makes the prop "freeze" in place which ruins the suggestion of motion like in the photo below of a Helio Courier. This plane is used by missionaries in remote locations, and is designed spiral upwards in very tight places like canyons and runways hacked out of jungles. I've never seen a plane fly so slow and in such a tight radius. It was amazing.

One of the air show highlights for me was seeing the dare devil wing walker, Jane Wicker. I am not saying that she is crazy, but she is much braver than I am. Just thinking about hanging off a wing as the plane does flips and loops is enough to make my hands sweat. 

 There were no parachutes or safety lines... if something happened, it would be a deadly disaster. I bet she has great abs because she has to do crunches against at least 100 mph of wind pressure, centrifugal forces, gravity and an ex-husband at the stick. To see Jane's acrophobia-inducing act, check out the YouTube video. 

There were several helicopters in attendance including the Vietnam era Bell UH-1 "Huey". The unmistakable "wump wump" of the rotors sound just like they do in the movies.

The amazing Bell AH-1 Cobra attack copter was selling rides. Maybe I should have gone because I doubt I will ever get another chance. Would you believe the original design dates back to 1965?

Some aircraft at the air show never make it off the ground, but that still does not diminish their appeal.

Take this 1943 Hawker Tempest Mk 2 for instance. This extremely rare bird was the fastest radial engine powered plane of the war, and the shape is beautiful. This one will be restored in the future.

 Its engine had 2,250 horsepower, and the plane was influenced by the design of the German Focke-Wulf FW-190. The war's end and the jet age made them obsolete before they had a chance to shine.

The beefy bird below is a Westland Lysander. It was pretty much already obsolete as World War Two started, and it was used as a spotter plane.

One thing for sure, it is chunky... no wait, that is me.

There were other infamous and important warbirds on the line including a pristine Vought F4U Corsair. 

I remember this kind from "Bah Bah Black Sheep", the 1970s television show chronicling the exploits of "Pappy" Boyington and his Black Sheep Squadron.

The Corsair's design seems to be unique with its gull wings.

There was also a Curtiss SB2C-5 Hell Diver. I've read that these planes were not loved by the men who flew them and they had several colorful nicknames including the "Beast". This photo shows the flaps with holes deployed on divebombing runs. This is not a small aircraft... it even had a rear seat machine gunner.

Below is a sample of the only kind of wing walking I would ever attempt. 

There was another mystery plane which stumped me and several pilots I questioned. When asked what it was, they replied "I have no idea"... and these are guys that eat and breathe aviation. 

I found out that it started life as a North American AT-6 like the one shown below which is nice, but kinda boring compared to the slick custom built plane.

Some relatively modern jet fighters showed their stuff including the Douglas A-4 Sky Hawk. This small fighter was made for maneuverability. The Blue Angels used to fly these. I love seeing the hot jet exhaust distort the background.

Below my friend, Lewis, was wondering if he could hotwire this thing... the answer is probably "yes".

One semi-affordable jet is the L-39 Albatross. "Affordable" is a relative term to pilots... as in "This plane costs 1/3 of what a million dollar P-51 Mustang does." 

The L-39 originated from Czechoslovakia, and the first one flew in 1968. They are still used today.

Something not often seen is the Grumman OV-1 Mohawk, an Vietnam-era observation plane. Notice the bulging cockpit windows designed so the pilots could easily look down. To me, this thing looks like a giant puffer fish with propellers.

There is plenty to see on the ground too...

Pyrotechnics go "boom" during simulated bomb runs.

The look like mini mushroom clouds.

These fireballs sometimes make smoke rings of epic proportions. This one dwarfs a nearby plane.

 The volunteers who work this show are incredible. I see the same guys year after year, and they do a great job keeping everything organized.

If you get tired of looking at flying contraptions, you can always resort to people watching.

I met several people in period clothing including this German soldier with his own Kubelwagen with a working MG-42 machine gun and a very rare 1944 Sturmgewehr MP-44 assault rifle, which was the first of it's kind. It reminds me of an AK-47, except this one is said to be worth $30,000. I got to hold it too. It looked incredibly modern.

I hope next year brings more planes, warbirds and interesting people to watch.

There are just too many photos to stuff into this article.

See the rest of the 2013 Sun and Fun gallery here...

Web Site for AQuity HD Spectacle Lenses

The fun thing about building web sites at Graphic Works is that I get to learn about new and interesting products. Take something as common as eyeglasses... did you ever stop and wonder how they are made? Most of us are told to come back to pick them up, but that is about it.

Our client, QSpex Technologies, Inc. makes the state-of-the-art equipment that allows eye care practitioners to make their own lenses in-house with a liquid monomer in a proprietery molding system.

This web site was built to explain the different lens options available in the AQuity HD line of High-Definition lenses. From glare-free to photochromic and anti-glare, you could really get a very high quality pair of glasses without having the wait too long. Check it out at www.AQuityHD.com

Portraits of Beautiful Harlequin Great Danes

When I found out that my work friend, Barbie, had 2 Great Danes, I just had to
take their portraits. Her dogs were different than the tan "Marmaduke" Danes that I knew. Instead, their fur is an amazing pattern of white and black splotches. In person, they are absolutely stunning creatures.

My sister had a 180 lb. great dane and she loved that dog. He was fiercely loyal, protective and looked like a small deer running around their farm. He could easily look you in the eye if he put his front legs on the window to look in. With his pointed ears, dark shiny eyes and long face, he looked like an alien scanning the room before making an abduction. I'll admit that he was a bit scary to me. The snapshot to the right shows him with my dog, Winston.

The build of these dogs is unlike the average canine. Look how long those legs are.

Bella is a beautiful lady and less than 2 years old. Jackson is her half brother sharing the same father.

"Jax" was only 3 months old at the time of these photos, and very much a puppy despite his size.

I am told that since these photos, he has eaten lots of food, and he is on the fast track to becoming a big man.

To me, showing the dogs in "puppihood" is something that should make people exclaim "Awww... too cute!' They they will never be this small again... especially this breed.

The other thing that I like to capture is the love between the owner and the" adopted child". Any dog lover will tell you that this can be a strong unbreakable thread that lasts a lifetime and beyond.

The affection between Barbie, Bella and Jackson cannot be hidden.

Little Jax is still labeled a puppy, enven though at 50 lbs., he would be considered pretty large for a normal family dog. He could easily grow to be 150 lbs. or more when he grows into his enormous paws.

For convenience, we met outside the Graphic Works studio. My plan was to take some outdoor shots since the weather was unseasonably warm. The advantage was two-fold. This would allow the dogs to unwind from the car ride and get used to me pointing a big camera at them. Also, it would give a chance for them to empty their bladders which Jax did on my shoe in the first minute he saw me. I avoided an in-office disaster with a a little pre-planning.

Even though we were in the middle of an office park. I wanted the photos to look like we were in a city park. By strategically shooting up from a low angle, I was able to hide much of the parking lot and busy street in the background.

When I sensed that hey were tiring, we went inside to try some studio portraits. I had photographed dogs on paper rolls before, but not this heavy. They poked holes in the paper in no-time flat, but that is what Photoshop is for. Next time, I'll use a muslin backdrop.

I wanted to emphasize the size difference between the two dogs which will disappear in a matter of months.

I also wanted to capture the unique personality of each animal. Talk about charisma... these two have it in spades. Here they were having a beautiful tongue contest.

I thought a speckled background might look good with our spotted doggies.

To me, this angle only makes Jaskson cuter!

As a photographer I cover the basic angles, and then I try to make images that are not what you would expect. A little experimentation can yield some interesting results.

Call me strange, but this last one is my favorite.

Check back again soon. There will be followup photos.

Photos for Performance Audio & Video

My buddy, Jason, is what I would call a master installer of audio/video equipment in people's homes and businesses. From simple television installation to full home automation systems, he can do it all. His installations are so clean and neat that it can make photographing his finished work a challenge. The photos below looks like a regular rooms, but they are completely wired for video, audio and home automation... and it does not stick out like a sore thumb.

On closer inspection, you may start to see the speakers in the walls and ceiling. It's only when you see an interface from an iPad, television or wall module do you realize that you can control any media device or home system with the swipe of your finger. Pretty cool.

If you need expert AV installation and personable service, give Jason a call or check out his web site at www.PerformanceAVatlanta.com. You can also check out past articles about Performance Audio and Video here: past articles.

Meet Rusty, the One-Eyed Dog

Rusty is a cycloptic Canis familiaris with an indomitable "can-do" spirit. As a puppy, he lost his eye in a freak mowing accident (that will teach him to mow the yard), and recently almost died with a mystery illness. Luckily, he bounced back.

I have a feeling that Rusty did not realize that having just one eye was supposed to slow him down, because he is very active running and swimming on "his farm".

Oops. Where is the tail? Too bad, I liked the look on his face.

I had traveled to Cartersville, Georgia to take photos for a Boy Scout promo and Rusty lived in the house where I did the photoshoot. In between the human photos, we coaxed Rusty onto the set to see if I could make a portrait of him.

I find that dogs who love treats can be easier to photograph compared to ones who could care less. Rusty likes cheese... enough said. The photos below were taken at an angle that makes it easy to imagine Rusty whole again.

A few minutes before these photos he decided to take a swim in the river even though it was 40 degrees outside.  I think he would have jumped in even if there was ice on the surface. Rusty was not going to let anything stop him from having a fun. Good boy!

Delicious Cake Photography for Couture Cakes in Atlanta

Some cakes seem just too pretty to eat... even if that is the point. Such is the case with anything made by Lisa Humphreys of Couture Cakes, an Atlanta boutique bakery specializing in dazzling wedding and event cakes.

I collaborated with Couture Cakes to make photos of a showcase cake that looked absolutely amazing. The theme included delicate flowers, pearls and butterflies.

Lisa styled the accessories and we moved various items in a out of the photo in different configurations. Below is an early image that we later abandoned for a simpler design.

The final destination for the photos is Cake Central magazine. We made the photo below with lots of negative space so that it could be used as a cover which often require space for a magazine logo and article teasers.

As it turns out, we did not get the cover, but we did get a nice 2 page spread.

It is amazing to think that all of this is made with flour, sugar, time and talent.

A closer look reveals details like hand painted butterflies and letters, meticulously formed shapes, subtle color design and a variety of surfaces.

The flowers are made from edible fondent which may be a surprise to anyone viewing it. I would bet some people looking at these did not even realize that they were not real flowers. They are so delicate that it took several days of patient work to make them. 

Lisa is an absolute master of cake design and it was a pleasure working with her.

Photo details for this included 2-3 flashes, 1 humongous umbrella, and 1 soft box. An additional flash was sometimes used to lighten the background, which was a painted wall in her home.