Some more Oshkosh 2012

Now that the 2012 airshow season is in the past, every now and then I'm going to try to throw in a few more shots I took this year.  Each season I attempt to take a few baby steps in the direction of being remotely capable with a camera.  We have a Nikon D60 with a 70mm to 300mm Sigma lens (very basic model) that is now in need of a thorough cleaning after being put through its paces at countless airshows and a trip halfway around the world to Vietnam.  So, this year's crop of photos required a little more editing to work out a few dust spots.

My goal for the year was to enhance my panning skills; panning is what you do to really capture motion.  As in the examples below, panning is done at a manually set shutter speed that is slower than what you would typically use for normal shots such as a family picture. The effects which you are looking for are the blurred background, a blurred propeller and a nice clear picture of the object in focus (in the center of the frame, of course).  With my skill level, I normally come home from an airshow with several hundred pictures that result in only a small group that I'm really happy with.  Growth is the key, though, right?

The shots below were taken at EAA AirVenture 2012 and are two of my favorite aircraft.  First is the Avenger - a WWII carrier-based torpedo bomber, this is an impressive aircraft in size and noise output as it rumbles down the runway.  Just as impressive is the short distance this beast needs to get into the sky.  Second is a shot of a P-51 Mustang, which is the airplane I would buy if I ever win the lotto.  With its sleek design and Rolls Royce Merlin engine, it just commands respect.

Enjoy!