San Francisco's 2010 Fleet Week
Every year since 1981, San Francisco has hosted an event that is extraordinary to view in person....Fleet Week. The purpose of Fleet Week is to bring awareness to those that serve in the armed forces and more recently to demonstrate disaster preparedness. I am a San Francisco native and have never gone to this event. I have always avoided it as if it was the plague. I dislike large crowds and growing up in SF, I have learn to really dislike tourists. What a shame that I have allowed my prejudices and fears keep me away from such an exciting fun filled event.
This year one of my closets and oldest friends and fellow photographer Eliot invited me to go with him to finally witness what Fleet Week is all about. Even though I was without my big lens, it is still at Nikon waiting for parts from my accidental drop while in Sitka, I still wanted to attend and enjoy the show all that Fleet week has to offer.
We arrived a few hours before the Ship parade was suppose to enter the golden gate to try and find a good location to shoot and to set up our equipment before the crowds started to pour in. With the extra time we had available before the show, I decided to take a few candid shots of some of the people waiting for the show to begin and an assortment of boats out on the bay.
The first part of the show was the parade of war ships entering the Golden Gate and heading to the viewing piers where civilians will be able to have the rare chance to walk onto the ships for a self tour.
The SF Fire boat lead the parade with its water canons fully on.
Once the ships cleared center stage, the helicopter show began. Showing off their skills on how they rescue people stranded in the water.
First the Air Force showed a mock rescue using divers and helicopters to retrieve a victim stranded in the water.
Then came out the Coast Guard showing off their training skills.
Once the air show started, I fully understood why this event is so popular every year. Even though I did not have my big lens as explained earlier, my 70-200mm lens with a 2x extender did a fair job. I did not get the most tack sharp images but non the less, I still managed to get some images I was proud of.
The air show was a mix of small acrobatic planes, to a commercial jumbo jet to military fighters. All of them had reasons why they were exciting to watch.
Watching a 747-400 buzz the bay was a sight to behold. Nothing can really describe watching such a huge aircraft making maneuvers at such low altitudes while having a majestic SF Bay as a background. Of course, I am a little biased since I actually worked on this aircraft for 15 years while employed with UAL. It was a surreal and profound moment for me.
I imagine the pilots of the Fry's Electronics sponsored MiG-17's and L-39 feel damn proud of their achievements. They are the only civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in America and they are fantastic to watch.
This year one of my closets and oldest friends and fellow photographer Eliot invited me to go with him to finally witness what Fleet Week is all about. Even though I was without my big lens, it is still at Nikon waiting for parts from my accidental drop while in Sitka, I still wanted to attend and enjoy the show all that Fleet week has to offer.
We arrived a few hours before the Ship parade was suppose to enter the golden gate to try and find a good location to shoot and to set up our equipment before the crowds started to pour in. With the extra time we had available before the show, I decided to take a few candid shots of some of the people waiting for the show to begin and an assortment of boats out on the bay.
The first part of the show was the parade of war ships entering the Golden Gate and heading to the viewing piers where civilians will be able to have the rare chance to walk onto the ships for a self tour.
The SF Fire boat lead the parade with its water canons fully on.
Once the ships cleared center stage, the helicopter show began. Showing off their skills on how they rescue people stranded in the water.
First the Air Force showed a mock rescue using divers and helicopters to retrieve a victim stranded in the water.
Then came out the Coast Guard showing off their training skills.
Once the air show started, I fully understood why this event is so popular every year. Even though I did not have my big lens as explained earlier, my 70-200mm lens with a 2x extender did a fair job. I did not get the most tack sharp images but non the less, I still managed to get some images I was proud of.
The air show was a mix of small acrobatic planes, to a commercial jumbo jet to military fighters. All of them had reasons why they were exciting to watch.
Watching a 747-400 buzz the bay was a sight to behold. Nothing can really describe watching such a huge aircraft making maneuvers at such low altitudes while having a majestic SF Bay as a background. Of course, I am a little biased since I actually worked on this aircraft for 15 years while employed with UAL. It was a surreal and profound moment for me.
I imagine the pilots of the Fry's Electronics sponsored MiG-17's and L-39 feel damn proud of their achievements. They are the only civilian-owned aerobatic jet team in America and they are fantastic to watch.
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Comments
At last, I bring you the Blue Angels.
This may have been only my first Fleet Week experience but it will definitely not be my last. Next year I hope to visit the ships up close and personal and once again enjoy all the airshows. I also hope to go more than just the one day. I can't wait until next year ;-)
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Minor nit. For the prop aircraft, a slower shutter speed helps give the picture that sense of motion.
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I totally agree Ian. I think I spent too much pouting about not having my 400mm and did not pay close enough attention after a shot a few shots. I so wish I had movement in the props:cry It just make the pictures look more life like. Thanks Ian for the critique
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Thanks Andy...Nikon has back ordered my parts for the broken lens from the Sitka trip for at least two months and that is with a NPS membership....ouch!!! They have however sent me a 300 2.8mm to play with until my 200-400mm is fixed
that will teach me to leave my camera and lens laying in a bench on a moving boat
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I do not like the 300 2.8 only because it costs around 6 grand but wow what a lens it is.....i still miss the versatility of my 200-400:cry
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yeah!!!, that work stuff always seems to get in the way of my of the more important stuff like photography:D
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Just trying to follow your lead Awais
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I hope to be there next year. A friend of mine is already organising our trip for next year (He and his neighbour got approval from their wives to go again next year
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Thank you very much:D
I will definitely be there next year and hopefully will be able to attend all three days
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Cool stuff! I bet you meet a lot of interesting photographers at such an event
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What a great set of images!!! From where did you shoot the airshow?
@rpcrowe.....Thank you very much. I was sitting right in front of St. Francis Yacht Club. Loads of parking and the crowds did not get thick until 3pm when the Blue Angels were about to appear.
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Is the area in front of the St. Francis Yatch Club open to the public?
I plan on being there next year. I haven't shot in the San Francisco area since, while as a Navy cameraman, I covered the Admiral Nimitz funeral in 1966...
The parking lot is for members only but people can walk anywhere except the docks
Parking was fairly abundant just adjacent to St. Francis at Crissy Field
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I can't believe this was your first Fleet Week! Hope Eliot's doing well
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Thanks Schmoo...look forward to seeing your Chernobyl shots
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Great shots and location. Awesome GGB and Alcatraz background. I also avoided Fleet Week and wouldn't know where to be if I did go. Can some dgrinners join you next year?
I agree with a slower shutter speed for propeller blur also, but other than that, nothing at all. Looks great!
Ron
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A dgrinner party during fleet week would be very cool indeed.
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I learned, next year I will have a better understanding of how to shoot, where to shoot and most important, i will have my big lens back:D
please do, you will enjoy yourself thoroughly
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