P-51

A New and Old Adventure (Success?) by John Wineberg

As always, my annual trip to Reno, was a fantastic adventure full of new memories with old friends.  (See previous blog post, same name, for more info).  My trip began with a stop in South Lake Tahoe where I recorded this video.

I'm on my way to reno with a stop off in South Lake Tahoe. This is part one of this adventure. The Reno Air Races are the next stop.

With each video I am a little more comfortable in front of the camera.  I admit that it's awkward and I hope that with time it will be less so.  Part of what I hope to do here is to show my progression in abilities over time.  I know that i'm an amateur where video is concerned but I love doing it and am enjoying the learning curve.  The Rode Filmmakers Kit has made this super easy and I am glad I made that purchase.  

On Saturday I arrived at The Reno Stead Airport for the National Championship Air Races.  I decided to splurge and purchase a pit pass in addition to the regular admission.  This would give me access to the area where the race planes are prepped as well as closer access to the flightline where the planes line up prior to each race.  There are several classes of aircraft including jets, WWII T-6's  and other stock and modified planes.  My favorite aircraft is the P-51 Mustang and there are several that fly in the races.  Some are stock and others are highly modified like Voodoo.

 

Voodoo In The Pit.  Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

I spent most of Saturday in the pits and loved every minute of it.  You get to see a totally different aspect of the races.  There is so much hard work that goes into this day that, as a spectator in the stands, you never see.  

Crew members working on parts from Voodoo.  Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Crew members working on parts from Voodoo.  Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Race Prep. Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Polishing Strega's Blades. Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

I have to admit that I had some challenges.  Photography and videography aren't my full time gig so my time with my gear is limited.  Sometimes I have to learn as I go.  For this trip the biggest challenge was video.  I'm more comfortable with video that has the camera on a tripod.  This provides a steady platform and there is no camera shake to worry about.  For this trip I used a Benro Monopod and it was the first time I have attempted video with it.  Camera shake was a problem as well as learning how fast to pan or tilt while filming.  I may have to invest in a gimble or some new VR lenses for more stable video.  Once again that pesky learning curve.  The cool thing is that I am learning and the next time out i'll have something usable.

This year the event added an attraction.  In  1970 the movie "Tora! Tora! Tora!" debuted.  Several planes were manufactured to represent the Japanese Zero's.  These planes were then donated to the "Commemorative Air Force".  From then on they have been performing this act for air shows throughout the world.  I feel lucky to have witnessed it.  

Tora! Tora! Tora!  Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

The beauty of these planes is hard to describe.  It's like walking back in time.

Commemorative Air Force,  Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

I spent some time just taking in this view.  My generation can only imagine what it must have been like in the 40's.  Slowly but surely those that lived as part of the "Greatest Generation" are departing this world and will no longer be able to tell their story's.  It is events like this that will keep these memories alive as well as being part of our understanding of our past and its' impact on our culture.  

Commemorative Air Force,  Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

On Sunday I joined my friends for the show and spent less time photographing and more time enjoying our time together.  I've known these men for over 40 years.  As time has passed we have gone our own ways but Reno is always on the calendar.  Each year we meet and enjoy this event and our time together, catching up, sharing our successes, failures and some stiff drinks.  It is a time I have cherished and will continue to for many years to come.

Rare Bear, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

You are probably asking yourself, where are the race photos?  The answer to that is that I don't have a sufficient lens capable of capturing close up images of the planes in action.  At a minimum I would have needed a 400mm lens.  This is not in my budget and I didn't feel like lugging one around this event.  They are very large and heavy.  I was able to capture a few images of the action though.  

Start of the T6 qualifying race. Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Breitling Jet Team, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Breitling Jet Team, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Falcon 7X Flyby, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Opening Ceremony, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

There is so much to soak up at this event.  Everywhere you look is an image waiting to be made.  I think it also helps that I love this event and that I have been attending off and on since the mid 80's.  There is something magical about these aircraft.   It's like i'm a little boy all over again.  The sights and sounds, just as exciting as they were 30 years ago.  

Cockpit, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Argonaut, Hawker Sea Fury, Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

Reno Stead Airport, National Championship Air Races 2015

I hope you've enjoyed this adventure as much as I have.  I believe that the only way to grow as a photographer is to push your limits and try new things.  I feel that this adventure did just that.  Would I have done things different if I had it to do all over again?  The answer is yes, but I never would have figured that out if I had never tried.  

 

A New and Old Adventure by John Wineberg

Reno Air Races, Reno Stead Airport.  Opening Ceremony

Since the mid 1980's I have attended the Reno Air Races.  A group of guys, that I have known since I was a kid, accompany me to the desert to watch vintage WWII aircraft and some not so vintage aircraft, race around pylons on a several mile course.  The finish line is right in front of the grandstands and the sound, when the planes come around, is something you have to experience at least once in your lifetime.  This year I am going to arrive one day early so that I can take advantage of some of the photo opportunities without missing the precious time I have with my friends.  

Over the last couple of years i've had a bad case of "G.A.S." (Gear Acquisition Syndrome).  Like many photographers I lust after the latest and greatest and feel less than adequate with the gear that I have.  For this trip I had delusions that I would rent a Nikon D750 with a fast Nikon 70-200 2.8 lens.  Then I really thought about it.  Why would I take new gear to an event that I have less than 9 hours to shoot?  There will be demonstrations that will be once in a lifetime events.  Do I risk using unfamiliar gear for this or do I take my tried and true lenses and camera?  

P-51 Mustang, 2012 Reno Air Races


So I decided to stick with my own gear.  It's not fancy or top of the line.  It isn't full frame with a large megapixel count.  My lenses don't cost thousands of dollars.  But you know what?  I have been making beautiful images with this equipment and I know that I have more to learn.  There isn't anything that I can't do with the current lineup of lenses that I have, where this show is concerned.  I'm not shooting in low light.  I'm not blowing these images up to wall or billboard size.  I'm not going for a ton of background blur at a distance and i'm not worried about the frames per second because my current camera can't handle it, because it can. What am I using you ask? Well here is the list and what it would cost to purchase them.

Nikon D7000 (Purchases Refurbished) Now $624 for D7100, D7000 not available.

Nikon 35mm 1.8g $197

AF-S Nikkor 55-200 f4-5.6g  Used for $99.95 Not available new.

AF-S Nikkor 18-70 f3.5-4.5G Used for $149 Not available new.

Fuji X100T $1299.95  My latest splurge.

Go Pro "Hero" $129.99

So for under $2500 I have three lenses, two bodies and an action camera.  If I were to spend the money to upgrade, I would be looking at over $4000 for two camera bodies and close to $4000 for a Nikon 24-70 f2.8 and a 70-200 f2.8 lenses.  The above list has taken me several years to accumulate.  This doesn't include the in sundry hardware and software that I use to edit or the additional equipment that I use for indoor portraits or my off camera flash equipment.  This is just what i'm taking with me on this trip.  Photography is expensive.  Top notch lenses are expensive.  I'm looking forward to seeing what I can accomplish with this gear list and the abilities that I have spent the last 20 years acquiring.  Check back in a week and you will see the results.  I will also be posting some new videos on my YouTube Channel .  

If i'm lucky, I will have created a whole new adventure out of something i've been enjoying for many years.