Blue Angels in Pink

wxwax

This is the last year NAS Atlanta will exist. The Navy's losing this landlocked outpost as part of base closure budget cutting. Which means this is also the last year the Blue Angels will be pouring fuel into their exhausts and leaving smoke trails across our sky.

The weather didn't really co-operate this year. Overcast, low ceilings and hazy. Yuck. That didn't stop folks from turning out, nor cops from setting up shop in the middle of a main throughfare that crosses the end of the runway at Dobbins AFB.





A few folks got on top of tall buildings in the flight path. Some of them now have a new part in their hair. And a few might be shopping for hearing aids this evening.





With the weather not cooperating, we have two choices. Blast the heck out of the contrast, and get blue birds with white skies.





Or stumble across a different way of processing these shots. I chose to stumble. In this case, super high contrast with super low exposure somehow results in a pinkish color that I assure you, was completely absent from the visible spectrum! But hey, take what the good Lord gives you, and oversaturate it, know what I mean? This is just for Ian.





I was sitting at the end of the runway, so getting tight shots of planes was really hard. Those suckers move fast.





As a result, a lot of shots were cropped closer than a Midshipman's hair.





But not always.





A good time was had by all. Wish you were here. Send money.

DJ-S1

Love 'em!

So if you didn't realize it by now I am a geek. Yes, it's true. So when you said "pouring fuel into their exhausts", I thought to myself "Self, is that really how they make the smoke?" So I punch up the BA website and cruise thru the FAQ and while I'm there I check the schedule out and what-do-you-know, the bi-annual airshow that I went to last year in Westfield Mass. is actually being held this year again (someone should define "bi-annual" to them) and the Blues will be there! Which made me very happy until I realized that it is the same weekend that my local airshow will be held, with the Thunderbirds. Now that would make for one long doubleheader weekend! I may just have to give it a shot though... :uhoh

PS: The FAQ says that the gun in the Blues' F-18 is replaced by a "biodegradeable parafin-based oil canister" which is used to make the smoke trails. (Told ya I was a geek.)

gluwater

Sid, that 4th shot is really nice. I should really go to the Chicago Air and Water show this August. The Blue Angels will be there and I have never gone before.

gus

They are all really great but that 2nd last one ..wow !

ian408

Thanks Waxy for making the effort, Lord knows I appreciate it
Not sure I like the pink though

A company worked for was located near NAS Moffett Field (for those
of you wondering, it's where the blimps were on the West Coast).

When the Blues came for their show, we'd sit on the roof and watch. There
was more than one time during the show that I thought they were going to
hit the building.

Moffett is "closed" now. Meaning it's home to the California Air National Guard
and the occassional Airforce One landing.

Richard

Great series, Sid, and a creative solution to a difficult problem. I always like it when someone comes up with a new take on something that has been done many times before. The shot of the planes just above the people on the building is hair-raising, and I like the way the processing brings out the texture of the smoke trails in several of the others. Very well done. clap

Regards,

wxwax

Thanks guys. In the cold hard light of day, I can see the pink is over the top. But what the hey, it was worth trying. And I'm with RS, I like how the smoke trails are brought out. Wish I knew had to do that and keep the sky looking more normal.

wxwax

Meet Major Matt Shortal.





Born in Chicago, Matt joined the Marines Corps in 1994. A veteran of the second Gulf War, Matt enjoys triathlons, instructing pilots... and flying upside down.

DJ-S1

I like how the smoke trails are brought out. Wish I knew had to do that and keep the sky looking more normal.

sounds like advanced masking to me. Last tutorial on the page, might help - might not.

USAIR

Awesome is all I can say
Cool inverted one too

Thanks
Fred

Awais Yaqub

super captures

do these birds sound more then f16 ??

wxwax

Awais Yaqub wrote:

super captures

do these birds sound more then f16 ??

Thanks, Awais.

You know, I've never heard an F-16, so I'm not sure. I would imagine these are a bit louder, as they have two engines in instead of one.

ChrisJ

Wow, I love this shot:



I miss the Angels... used to see them every year when I lived in Seattle.

Great shots! My other favorite is the diamond-4.

wxwax

Thanks Chris. I think they flew a little further apart than perhaps they normally do - it was rather windy on Sunday.

DoctorIt

+1 on the Wow factor here!!!



That should be on a magazine cover. We say "great capture" a lot on these here forums when we really mean "nice shot". This one really takes the cake for right framing, right time, right angle.

wxwax

Thanks Erik. Photoshop gets the credit for the framing, I had to do some cropping. A familiar story, at first I thought the plane had dipped too low for the shot to be useful. But on closer inspection...

Repeat after me... we love telescopic foreshortening.

Jeffro

i've never had the pleasure of seeing the angels, but saw the t-birds some 12 years ago.

cool shots....I may have to make my way to the Chicago air and water show too...

Skippy

Shoot! How Did I Miss This Post ??

wxwax wrote:

This is the last year NAS Atlanta will exist. The Navy's losing this landlocked outpost as part of base closure budget cutting. Which means this is also the last year the Blue Angels will be pouring fuel into their exhausts and leaving smoke trails across our sky.

The weather didn't really co-operate this year. Overcast, low ceilings and hazy. Yuck. That didn't stop folks from turning out, nor cops from setting up shop in the middle of a main throughfare that crosses the end of the runway at Dobbins AFB.

A few folks got on top of tall buildings in the flight path. Some of them now have a new part in their hair. And a few might be shopping for hearing aids this evening.

With the weather not cooperating, we have two choices. Blast the heck out of the contrast, and get blue birds with white skies.

Or stumble across a different way of processing these shots. I chose to stumble. In this case, super high contrast with super low exposure somehow results in a pinkish color that I assure you, was completely absent from the visible spectrum! But hey, take what the good Lord gives you, and oversaturate it, know what I mean? This is just for Ian.

I was sitting at the end of the runway, so getting tight shots of planes was really hard. Those suckers move fast.

As a result, a lot of shots were cropped closer than a Midshipman's hair.
But not always.
A good time was had by all. Wish you were here. Send money.

Geeeeeez Waxy, these are GREAT I've only ever been to an Airshow once in my life, and I had an absolute ball......I hope my cousin will take me again next year when it comes back to Australia.

The formation flying is just wonderful to watch, and the noise is incredible.
The speed at which they can move is just amazing, and yet they appear to fly so gracefully so to speak.

You did REAL GOOD .......lucky boy Skippy (Australia)

wxwax

Thanks Skippy! Your huey is on its way to Andy.

A couple more.

Skippy

Gawwwwwwwwd

wxwax wrote:

Thanks Skippy! Your huey is on its way to Andy.

A couple more.

Awwwww thank you very much kind sir......... when I went to the Airshow I only had a 70-200mm ...... way too short for these flying craft, since then I have now got a 400mm F5.6 so next year I'll be ready
If I can just get one formation shot as good as one of yours I'll be happy Skippy (Australia)