Flying High

Independence Day in Independence was a blast, but the most fun thing we did was go for a scenic ride in a Cessna! During the parade that morning we saw a plane fly overhead pulling a banner that advertised $20 plane rides and that was an adventure we couldn't pass up. Cynthia and I drove out the the rural airstrip after the parade and went up for a ride over town and got some cool shots.

The plane was a slow-moving Cessna 172 Skyhawk II:

When we met our pilot we were surprised to see that she looked like she was in high school, but as it turns out she was a college student and had been flying planes for years. We both thought she looked a lot like Lauren Lapkus, heh.

We piled in and taxied down to the head of the runway:

Woo hoooo!

I told the pilot that I was a photographer and she let me open my window so I could get clearer shots:

As soon as I stuck my camera out the window I realized how hard it was going to be keep it steady as I took pictures. It's not the same as sticking something out a car window, a plane travels faster and that wind will about beat you to death if you don't sit back. Made me glad that I stuck to my self-imposed rule of never holding my camera without it strapped around my neck.

We're flying!

Independence, Iowa:

The Wapsi River:

The south side of town with the old high school and the public pool:

The old mill along Main St.:

People out cruisin' the Wapsi:

The train depot. The pilot (I forgot her name) banked sharply in a few spots so I could get a good shot straight down:

I like this shot mainly because the way the lens gives the horizon some curvature and it makes the earth feel so much smaller:

There's St John's Church in the middle and the Buchanan County Courthouse at the bottom:

And the old mill again as we circle back over town:

Lots of trees and stuff:

Banking to line up with the runway:

Then we landed and that was a bummer because the time went so fast while we were flying high.

Safety First

Quad City Air Show 2015

Finally posting some of the photos I took at the air show on May 9th. The first one is my absolute best air show shot to date and the most technically perfect action shot I have ever taken. I was super pleased when I saw this photo:

It may not blow anyone's mind, but that shot right there is the result of LOTS of practice and years of air show photography. Just the right balance of light/dark, crisp focus, and a fast enough shutter speed to stop jets traveling over 300mph at low altitude. One of the things I've learned about air show photography is that the histogram always looks bad when pointing up at the bright sky, so you have to rely on your own eye and judgment to get the proper exposure.

OK, now that I got that one out of the way, here's the rest of 'em. Let's start with the V-22 Osprey:

And this hot chick:

We walked through the C-130 Hercules and even though it looks big from the outside, you don't realize how large it is until you walk through it. It was too dark inside for decent photos, unfortunately.

Army Humvee:

The bomb squad was there showing off their bomb disposal robot:

A WWII B-25 Mitchell:

This is the Grumman TBM Avenger, a WWII torpedo bomber:

The T-33 was flown during the 50s and 60s and is a cool jet to watch:

Some University of Iowa aircraft:

A WWII T-6 Texan:

The Shockwave! A jet-powered semi with 3 afterburners:

I don't remember what this was called, it was just a small stunt plane:

Vietnam War-era trainers:

Some more stuff:

Fat Albert! A jet-assisted takeoff C-130 Hercules:

And of course the Blue Angels. They're the most entertaining to watch. When I lived in Pensacola (where the Blue Angels are based) I saw them frequently flying their routine out over the gulf.

Cool.