Thunderbird Diamond

Created by Daly Photography

This is the Diamond formation which flies the core of the show together. While they are flying their show and performing their maneuvers, the two solo are setting up for their respective shows. Each of the elements are perfectly timed to create a seamless performance.

This is one of my favorite formation photos due to the clarity- you can easily see each pilot in their cockpits and the lines are so sharp. I also like the contrast of the blue sky in the background and the brilliant white of the USAF Thunderbirds paint scheme for their F-16's.

As you might imagine, this type of photography requires the versatility of panning to track the aircraft and moving between a horizontal to vertical orientation depending on how the aircraft present themselves in the frame.

The best way to accomplish this is to hold the camera without the use of a tripod or monopod. This gives you the ability to compose your shots quickly, switch orientation on the "fly", and pan quickly. I usually use a chest harness at airshows so that I can hook the camera into the front of the harness, lock it into place between performers and give my muscles a bit of a rest.

In order to get the clarity I seek in each shot, I will use a shutter speed of at least 1/1000 of a sec (or faster depending on the available light). I use a 100-400 mm lens and the general rule when hand-holding a zoom or telephoto lens is to double the shutter speed by the focal length you are using. For example, most shots are at the maximum 400 mm. I would thus need a minimum shutter speed of 1/800 second. Of course, as the day goes on and your muscles become more fatigued you might need a faster shutter speed.

Photography as with most things is all about balance. If you increase the shutter speed, you must compensate with another element (aperture or ISO in this case) to achieve the same exposure. For me, that's why shooting in manual mode at the start of learning photography is so crucial. It gives you that understanding so with time it becomes second nature what settings you must use for the photo that you want to create.

When the air shows resume in the coming months, I look forward to seeing you all out there!

If you would like to view this photograph in our online gallery, please click on the photo above.