The Shooter

    This article is meant to be a tongue-in-cheek look at the aviation photographer (the shooter) who, whether he knows it or not, has evolved into a creature of habit and is recognized for his (or her) certain behavior" traits.
    Anybody can point a camera and press a button, the trick is knowing when not to press the trigger. We have all seen photos of aircraft with people walking in front, too dark, wings, noses cut off and my all time non-favorite - the out of focus shot. All of these and many others detract from the subject and can all be avoided with practice and seriously thinking about why you are taking the photograph.
    Aviation photographic interests are as different as people, some people are not interested in naval aircraft if the wings are folded. Others want to crop rotor blades from helicopters as to not have the fuselage appearing too small. Many people want to know when and where the photos are taken. Some people shoot prints (blacklwhite or color) and some are the "slide shooters" and now we have the digital photographer.
    There are two sides to the amateur aircraft photographers' hobby- civil (consecutively spaced window stuff) and military. Some people, within each group, are only interested in a single aircraft type (photograph, collect, trade or sell), thus they are of limited interest to others.
    There are hundreds of people that trade slides of aircraft. Some are registration or serial hunters. They seek at least one slide of each aircraft of interest. Others want only one from each user. Some follow only certain users, whether Pan Am, the Bulgarian Air Force or every aircraft operated by their favorite Tiger squadron.
    How, where and when to take photos is as varied as the intended use for photos. A photo journalist seeks people doing things - action or reaction to events. Some aviation photography can be that as well, air show shots for example. This article is aimed at the so called "portrait" shooter. That is the airplane only, in the best conditions possible. You can see these "shooters" early in the morning at air shows. They are usually the ones giving the shooting edicts speech so necessary to keep "rivet counters" away from the subject until done with by the serious portrait shooter.
    The aircraft portrait shooter works (or should in my opinion) with several variables by design or repetitive nature. It is always neat to watch five or six "shooters' all walk independently up to the same point to shoot a subject. Why? Because they seek the common best spot. Points to look for are-.


Another example of shooting in overcast conditions. Phantom 64-1013 is preparing to leave Moron AB in Spain in December 1965. Do the posts distract from the subject? Photo: Richard Kierbow.	This is an example of the background giving character to the photo. F-4D 66-8819 taxies out on a mission from Phu Cat AB, Vietnam on May 11, 1971. The markings are bland, but the weapons and operational setting make this an interesting shot. Photo: Martin collection.	The most striking feature of this shot is the fully extended nose wheel on Phantom FG.1 XV570, from RNAS Yeovilton. It is displayed at its home base in July 1972, complete with a souvenir from time aboard USS Saratoga. The weather is, well typical, for a lot of UK shows and most likely responsible for the lack of tourist in the way. The fences don’t help either, but the Phantom rising out of the weapons display makes it a majestic shot. Photo: Martin collection.

    Is the entire aircraft in the picture? A truly good portrait shot should have some extra space all around the subject. When prints are made one invariably loses a portion, thus without extra spaces, the nose and tail gets chopped.
    Is there anything blocking the view of the subject? People, fire bottles, starter carts and ground crew are all subjects of debate. The ground crew may add to a photo or distract. Items like fire bottles can also add to a photo, (depending on your opinion) but items like large work stands hide the subject. This question can be extended to what is behind the subject. Evidence of air show paraphernalia, tents, ropes, people in civilian clothes, handbags, prams, kids, litter and just about any other FOD material that goes with an air show will detract from the subject. Some people even dislike the tall light stands present at many airfields.
    Which angle is the shot taken from? For most of us ground stricken bi-pods side views or three-quarter front shots are the best angles to cover most markings, hence portrait term. If the opportunity to take pictures from an elevated perspective arises, go for it. Some aircraft, like the Hornet, hide portions of markings when taken from three quarter front. Some airlines (civil stuff again) have registrations in hard to see places. Each aircraft type has a varied appeal from different perspectives. The A-26 Invader and S-2 appear lost when taken at eye height from a direct side view, as the engine pods hide a good portion of the rest of the subject.
    Is there enough light? If there is enough to cast a dark shadow with a definite line, then shoot. The sun should generally be behind you, casting your shadow toward the subject. My rule on Kodachrome, on late in the day sun is, if your shadow is longer than you are tall, then think twice if the subject is worth the film expenditure. Avoid the high noon sun shots. Cameras can give a false reading and light conditions can be deceiving. Classic examples are a white airplane on a black ramp, a dark aircraft on a light-coloured ramp, or any subject with snow banks in the background. You want the subject to be well lit by the sun. For example, from the angle of the Hornet tails, it is "shootable" only when the sun angle allows light coverage of the outside tail. The arch of the sun is lower in winter, thus different from the higher and longer lasting summer exposure (except our friends south of the equator who have it inverted anyway). In the new age of digital cameras, many of these rules can be bent.
    All the above points are for straight nonmoving portrait shots of aircraft. Other types of situations are: taxing (really close and vibrating, shoot at a higher speed) take off and landing (more distance, get your bigger mm zooms out), ground to air action shots, (higher speeds, avoid the dots in the sky syndrome) and air-air (we should all be so lucky).

Cameras
Cameras are like stereos. You get what you pay for. By far the most important item is the lens, just like the speakers that come with your stereo. Having a camera that uses interchangeable lenses gives the shooter the best flexibility possible. Several lenses may be useful. In my opinion, a fixed 55mm is great but a zoom that covers 35-100mm will probably serve you best around aircraft. The next would be a lens that ranges between 85-200mm. If funding permits, the lower range zooms are handy for tight spots. Other than the usual "no-brain' required backup batteries and lens paper, always carry a spare camera, you never know when a failure will happen. It has happened to me several times. If possible when you purchase your equipment, try to ensure the back up camera accepts the same lens as the primary. Why carry two cameras with two complete sets of lenses (and all mm ranges). I have seen fellow amateur photographers shoot with up to five cameras hanging from straps, up to eight extra lenses, 60 rolls of film, and so much other gear that it reminds me of Arnold Swartzenager's rescue team going after the predator. Add the usual jacket, tactical vest, rain gear (negative thought), sun hat (thinking positively), a notebook or tape recorder for serials (a sure sign of a Scramble spy) and sundry gear that nobody can figure out and voila you get the true geek.

    The human eye sees a scope close to what a 55mm lens does, thus the optimum shot. The wide angle lens may be desirable when shooting at close quarters, such as onboard an aircraft carrier deck (if you're ever fortunate enough). If you ever get there don't expect to get many of your subjects to fit with a 55mm lens. There are wide angle correcting lenses that give good results with out the"cokebottle"appearance. It all comes down to funding.
    Know your equipment. So what if you have the latest cameras with eight lenses that cost three months wages. When it comes down to a different and difficult situation there could be dozens of options and not much time to choose. Automatic set cameras only makes preprogrammed decisions. If you have to shoot into the light and other variables come into play, then be really sure you know your equipment and RTFM (read the fine manual). It is too late to be fumbling around when your favorite aircraft is hurtling down the runway and your window of shooting time is down to a second. Experience tells me, the more complex the equipment, the more that can go wrong (just like cars and computers!)
Film
    The vast majority of slide shooters I know of, will only use Kodachrome 25/64 (please don't send emails on this, it is just my opinion). It is because it has a world wide processing standard and tolerance. The film, in my opinion, has by far, the best qualities of color and sharpness when taken with in correct parameters. In other words, don't expect great slides inside a dark hangar at 1/1 5 of a second. By nature of the ASA setting of 25/64 film, it works best in direct sunlight conditions. It is the standard for trading and selling and when it comes to trading aircraft slides, it is the currency.
    With fewer and fewer processing labs, the return time grows longer. A negative trend was finger prints on the bottom slide of each pile. I have seen this many times a year from packing. Another problem seems to be the "Kodak lines"which carry a very light scratch across the film. These according to one answer I got was if you use a power winder, a static charge builds up within the camera attracting dust etc. and gets caught causing a scratch. Having used several cameras, with and without power winders, on a single shoot, I think the cause is at the processing lab probably for the same reason. My experience is they do not show up when prints are made from the "lined' slide.
    Don't leave film in the trunk of your car on a hot day.   I had a roll that traveled for two years in a camera bag in India and when shot and developed recently has a definite purple tinge to it. Keep future film in the fridge wrapped in plastic with no openings facing upward (the anti spill device). When traveling, a cool, secure place is best.
    The serious portrait shooter may have oddities, but the results are a classic photograph.

Photo Storage
    Photographs, whether prints or slides, should be kept in a dry (non-damp) location. This I have learned the hard way, a long time ago, by finding a pile of ship prints stuck together in a rather large clump, due to keeping them in a damp basement. I thought the box would keep them safe. Photographs are a historical record and should be treated with respect and care.
    In this day of digital systems, photos can be stored on disks of any sort. The age of digital cameras and scanners has arrived. The images do not fade, bend, warp or lighten with age. They are considered timeless, but there is nothing like a photo in hand or a viewed slide. The fading of old photographs is reason enough to take care of your images.
    Slides and photos can be physically stored in a number of different manners. The deciding factor should be what your intended use is. How often do you need to retrieve a photo, add to your collection, sort and generally browse? Do you use a slide projector, a light table, the nearby window? It should be noted the storage of your collection is a different matter than material you intend to trade.
    An aircraft photo collection should be stored with a retrieval method in mind. I have seen some collections that have no organization at all. To have hundreds or thousands of photos or slides stashed in boxes or trays with no way to find anything is a waste. Methods of storage vary from labeling the boxes slides come in, to the specialized custom trays or furniture holding tens of thousands of slides. Coin collecting boxes are also ideal. They are designed to hold hundreds of two by two inch coin holders. Metal trays acquired from camera stores come in single and double layers. These hold large numbers of slides, but the choice of where to place dividers is limited by the plastic tray inserts. One collection I know of has every slide kept in an individual paper envelope. This will be expensive if your collection grows from hundreds to thousands. But in its favor, it is secure and safe. It also allows a variety of markings methods to be used without marking on the slide itself.
    No matter the physical method of storage, there are two main factors to consider. The first is, can you expand your storage capability? Will your system except an increase of slides within the divisions you set out? Do you want a box or equal drawer space for every F-16C lawn dart unit? If you acquire 15 more QF-4S slides, can you find and fit them in where the others are stored? Do you have a box, drawer or divider for every major type? Do you put several types together? A box for each country? If you have hundreds of Luftwaffe Phantoms, do you divide them by unit, put them in order by serial, or by paint scheme? The divisions are endless. It all depends on the scale of where you are and where you are going. The second storage factor is, can you find a photo or slide when you want it? Either your system must be very well maintained or you enter the computer age. There are numerous database programs that can help here. The trick is to decide the full extent you want to go down this path before starting. Suggested fields for a data base could be; country, air arm, type, serial, unit, code/modex, date, location, scheme, port or starboard view, who took the photo and perhaps some special notes field. Others keep track by codes, the format; negative, slide or print, which angle, and number for each image. All of which is useless if you don’t have the ability to retrieve the slide or photo you require. How in depth will you ever need to go? If you don’t set it up to start with it, can be a major pain to redo later. Will you ever need to do a query for photos of a specific aircraft, with a given unit, with some red tail markings from the left side at NAS McFog in 1992?


RAF Phantom XV494 from 41 Squadron was shot under overcast skies. The overexposure has brightened the underside of the aircraft and the EMI reconnaissance pod. Photo: Martin collection	The first production F-4K Phantom XT597, following two YF-4K, sits on a sunny Californian ramp. Direct sun and a clear ramp leaves the photographer with many options. Photo: Martin collection.	Taken on a dark day in the Gulf of Tonkin, F-4J 15509 NE100 from VF-21 awaits use on US Ranger in March 1971. The CAG markings on the Phantom make the photo. While shot in less than ideal conditions the photo proves interesting. Does the background distract or enhance the photo? Photo: Nick Waters.

     One really neat visual idea for storage is to use two by two and a quarter inch card stock. They can be used as dividers, while labeling the quarter inch portion that stands above the slides. This works for the coin boxes and trays by folding down the top quarter inch portion. As your collection grows, your dividing systems can be expanded, with each unit of a given type having its own section. This can be taken further with colour coding the card stock, tail codes, camouflage types etc. This system works for your collection as well as trade material. The whole object here is to be able to find your photo at a later date. Another idea is to use foam squares more than two inches wide to hold up and act as moveable dividers.
    If you are carrying around thousands of slides to trade, then plastic sheets are ideal, although they add to weight and bulk. Many times I have seen people at Phantoms with no clue or care, looking at slides and touching the slide film with no idea of the damage they are doing. Thus, the transparent sheets are ideal. The ultimate in displaying slides for trade was the individual that brought plastic sheets, contained within a flexible binder, complete with printed data sheets. This person returns each time, with the same replenished stock. The really serious traders (or the seriously inflicted, depending on your view) show up at our events and other events, with light tables, loops, serial books, want lists etc. Even though I though of myself as a serious trader, I am always humbled by the stacks of up to half a million trading slides brought in by the really, really serious traders. There is, of course, never enough time to view half a million slides.
    Why mark slides or prints with data? It is a historical record. As a researcher who has been frustrated by looking through endless photos, I have often wondered why didn’t the shooter take the time to record data. It makes a difference in the future. As time advances, information gets forgotten. Ten years down the line the shooter starts to wonder where did I take this or that photo. In some countries slide film and processing are a separate purchase, thus enter the "fridge shooter." The film gets shot and stored in the fridge until funds are available to process. The end result is the month and year stamped on the slides can be years after the photo was taken.
    How do you mark slides and prints with data? For myself it depends on if the slide is for trade, or the collection. In my opinion all photos should have the name of the photographer, place, date taken and if inclined, the copyright symbol. For trading material - put all your data on the back of trading slides or use a pencil. I use stamps for copyright, date, place and my name. It is really handy to put only the serial in PENCIL on the front top right of the slide to assist in sorting. If you use ink on the fronts of slides, it usually conflicts with the receivers method of marking data on slides. People may will not want your slides in trade because it is a real effort to cover with labels, white out (yuck) or remount, which makes the entire effort a lot more labor intensive than it has to be. Many times I have passed on slides just because of the "junk" appearance of the mount, on an otherwise really nice slide. I know of one person that uses up to eight stamps and stickers on each slide. Remember stickers or labels can cause jams in future projection use. For collection material everybody has a different way of arranging data, or even doing so! A standard seems to be emerging among collectors - type of aircraft on the top left and serial on the top right.
    In North America and a couple other places cardboard mounts are still used. These are easy to mark with either pencil, ink stamps or just about any kind of pen. The thin white plastic mounts used present a slight problem with marking data. A permanent marker is required, as pencil can rub off (pencil will do on trade slides, thank you very much)! To those out there using thick after market plastic mounts - don’t. They don’t fit in most projectors, are a pain and in my case 95% of the time get returned. If the slide is really worth keeping, I end up remounting.
    For prints, be careful to use a non-hard point writing device as the indentation will show through as a crease on the image side. Also find an ink that will not rub of onto the next print when stacked. I found this out the hard way and ended up applying tape over ink to stop if from bleeding on the next print.
    Many years ago, I started out as a novice shooter. Looking back, all those missed photo ops, unlabeled prints, slides, coupled with some undue care and attention to storage, record keeping and shooting strategies make me cringe. It has taken a long and tedious time to organize and build a collection to the useful research stage it has become. The work has paid off with easy access and a manageable library.
    The time you spend adopting any of my suggestions may well turn out to be an enjoyable experience. How about getting together with other enthusiasts and having a slide/photo night, while sorting and labeling. Just remember trade in pencil or ink on the back!

The Shooter . . .