The Bournemouth Air Festival, Days 1 - 4...

It's that time of year again, where the town was taken over by an estimated 1.2 million visitors - plus a coastguard-confirmed figure of 1000 boats viewing from the sea - over four days for the local air extravaganza. Now in its seventh year, it has become firmly established on the air display calendar, and gets better every time it is staged. I had Nic stay with my for the first two days, but sadly she couldn't stay for the two weekend displays. Next year, eh?

One of the highlights of the festival was to be the flight of the world's last two airworthy Avro Lancasters; one having flown from Canada for a two month visit to the UK, but unfortunately the day before is was due the latter experienced an engine problem and was consequently grounded.

However, the  good news was that the local towns people had a (considerable) whip-round, and financed an unscheduled second display of the Avro Vulcan. This iconic Cold War aircraft is always a crowd pleaser, but is rumoured to have only one more year of flying before it remains forever grounded. Already heavily modified beyond its design specification to keep it in the air, the problem of maintenance and spare parts is beginning to work against it. See it while you still can, folks. 

Some of the aircraft that flew in the festival are featured below:

Top three: The Red Arrows
RAF BBMF Dakota C-47
RAF BBMF Memorial Flight comprising the Avro Lancaster and two Spitfires
B-17 Sally-B Flying Fortress
3 images of the Avro Vulcan
2 images of the RAF Typhoon FGR4
The Royal Navy Black Cats helicopter display team
Two parachutists of The Tigers Freefall Team
Sea Vixen
Heritage Flypast, comprising a Hunter Jet (Miss Demeanour), Canberra and Sea Vixen
Royal Marines Commando Assault



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter



© 2014

Nothing to it, really...

What I like about firework photography is that they make their own picture. I just open and close the shutter.

24-70mm f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 2½ seconds at f/11. ISO 200. Tripod and remote release.

© 2014

3 years on...

Three years ago today I met Nic, and it was all through the tragic accident that killed Jon "Eggman" Egging - Red 4 - of the Red Arrows. To mark the anniversary I make an impromptu visit to the memorial to the RAF pilot that is situated on the East Cliffs of Bournemouth. 

Initially, I had intended to take just a few snaps and then leave, but whilst waiting for some decent light I was advised that the mayor of the town was due to make an appearance at 2 pm to lay a wreath in memory of the pilot (above). An unannounced ceremony, there were but a handful of passers-by to witness it, plus a representative from the local newspaper. In just over a week the cliff tops will be packed for the Bournemouth Air Festival; the seventh such event.

24-70 f/2.8 AF-S Nikkor. 

© 2014

Jellyfish...

It has been a decent summer in the southern part of the UK, and it continues to be so, but now there are the first hints of autumn approaching with cooler mornings and leaves turning on the horse chestnut. In spite of that once it does warm-up the days - and evenings - are still pleasantly warm. Not so this time last week, when we received the tail-end of ex-hurricane Bertha, and the constant threat of rain and strong, gusting winds. Although largely a spent force by the time it reached us, it was enough to keep me away from shooting the local fireworks display - something I try to do each Friday night during the season. It still went ahead despite the conditions (I heard it), but not with me in attendance.

Tonight was different: calm, warm and clear, so I set up on a local beach to start shooting. This kind of photography is always hit-or-miss. Sometimes I come away with any number of successful images, but on this occasion I only managed the one (above). I include it here as it is different to the hundreds of other firework shots that reside on my hard drives, and that, to be honest, is the challenge: to get something different each time. It reminds me of a jellyfish.



70-200mm f/2.8 EX Apo Sigma lens. 4 seconds at f/11. ISO 200. Tripod and remote release.



© 2014

Perigee moon...

Supermoon: not as rare as you might think. In fact it occurs, on average, every 13 months when the perigee moon, as it is known, makes its closest approach to Earth. However, we have three such moons this year, which is rare. The last one was in July and the next will be on 9th September. Despite the name the moon only appears about 14% bigger than usual.



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor with TC-14EII converter. 1/40th second at f/6.3.  - 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400. tripod and remote release. Mirror lock-up.



© 2014

Stompin' on the Quomps...

It was short notice, and the weather not only held but improved, so I made the short trip to Christchurch Quay, Dorset, this afternoon, to photograph a friend's jazz and blues band: Zoë Schwarz Blue Commotion, performing a late afternoon set at Stompin' on the Quomps. I have photographed the band on stage before, but for this shoot I restricted myself to using a super-telephoto lens, purely for the pictorial effect such optics produce.

From top to bottom:

Zoë Schwarz - vocals
Si Genaro - harmonica
Rob Koral - guitar
Pete Whittaker - keyboards
Paul Robinson - drums



300mm f/2.8 AF-S VR Nikkor.  - 0.7 EV compensation. ISO 400. Monopod



© 2014

The first display of my season...

This time last week everything was ready for a night shoot: bag packed; camera pre-set so I don't have to fumble too much in the dark, and the location chosen... but no matter where I looked, I couldn't find my bike lights. As a result, the shoot was called-off and I watched something on TV, instead. Frustrating as it was at the time, I try to be philosophical about such set-backs, and resolved to buy a new set of lights later in the week. I had half expected for the errant lights to suddenly turn up, having bought replacements, but at the time of writing they are still nowhere to be seen.

I could, perhaps, have driven, or even walked, to my chosen spot, but the local summer firework displays are very popular, and finding a parking space is nigh on impossible unless you arrive hours before blast-off. I rule out going on foot for no other reason that the time it would take for me to get there and back.

This week everything on the checklist is present and correct, so shortly after 9 pm I set off in the deepening gloom; (new) lights blazing. The weather forecast does warn of showers, but I'm optimistic. Even the wind remains light. I fire off 45 frames in the ten minutes it takes for the display to run its course and the rain starts.

Same again next week, weather permitting.


80-200mm f/2.8 Apo EX Sigma lens. Bulb setting. f/11. ISO 200. Tripod and remote release



© 2014