Harrier GR.9s - Low Level - Wales - 25 Sep 07
A cracking sight to see two Harrier GR.9s heading for Cad Pass on the 25 Sep 07. I decided to stay low on the hill for some head on and cockpit shots of anything that came through. It was a hard job keeping sight of the Harriers down in the weeds. I lost the nose on one of them, but quite like the effect. I fluffed the shot before this which had the nose intact! I only managed to get a quick snap at the number 2!
Lead Harrier GR.9 was ZD409 with no markings and the other GR.9 was ZD330 with 801 NAS markings. I believe that both airframes are part of the Naval Strike Wing - although you can never tell even with full markings! If anyone knows, or was the pilot of ZD409, then I would gladly send him high res copies. ZD409 & ZD330 - Cad West - 25 Sep 07 http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...61HARRIERS.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...62HARRIERS.jpg ZD409 - Cad West - 25 Sep 07 http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...066HARRIER.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...068HARRIER.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...069HARRIER.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...070HARRIER.jpg A few blow up variations on the cockpit shot of ZD409 http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...969ROTATED.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...69CLOSEPIT.jpg http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...06969CLOSE.jpg ZD330 - Cad West - 25 Sep 07 http://i66.photobucket.com/albums/h2...IERWINGPIT.jpg |
I've said it before, and I'll say it again - fantastic stuff. :D
Cheers for posting. |
They are just brilliant. I betcha your PM's base is getting full.
The driver's will like those for sure. Very well done. PPP |
Cracking photos TEEEJ.
Not too bad indeed! |
Fanbleedin'tastic!!!!
Quintuple :ok: FW |
Absolutely brilliant pictures Tom - thanks for posting.
It never ceases to amaze that these (you) guys have the time to look anywhere other than where you're heading when down in the weeds. Great stuff. |
What is impressive is that his eyes are shut.
Feel the force Luke..... |
:= Harrier pilots don't blink.
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awesome pics Teej :D once you finally get Tornado pics, i'll be a happy man ;)
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they are f'in awesome!!! nice one
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Crackin' pics TeeeJ!
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Thanks for the comments! I'm a happy bunny now as the pilot of ZD409 has been in contact and I'll be able to provide him with high res copies. :)
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As others have said...well done that man! great photo's :)
Do you have a website? |
Just incredible
:ok: |
Wicked!!
as 1 of your biggest fans;) I would like to congratulate you on some more fantastic pics :D. P.S, what camera did you use to get that close up of the cockpit?, because its really well focussed.
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Thanks for the comments.
Do you have a website? I've always thought that the low-level routes would be a good expedition/outing for recruits at the Defence School of Photography?Especially with inside information knowing what was scheduled to come through and at what location. A small group of recruits could cover all aspects of a fly through from high photographic vantage points to low. The results could be quite spectacular?! Especially on a good day for vapour! |
I do hope someone in RAFland has approached TEEEJ with either a) an offer of work and/or b) a ride in one of Aunty Bettys finest sky chariots. OK, so you've got to be in the right place and at the right time but Tom - you've got talent.:ok::ok::ok:
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as 1 of your biggest fans I would like to congratulate you on some more fantastic pics . P.S, what camera did you use to get that close up of the cockpit?, because its really well focussed. For those I used a Nikon D2X fitted with a Nikon Nikkor 300mm f/2.8. The lens is exceptionally quick to focus and has built in vibration reduction. You don't have to go to that expense to get good results though. My second camera is a Nikon D70 fitted with a Nikon Nikkor 100-400mm zoom. All those images were shot on shutter priority at 1/1250th where the camera automatically selects the aperture. In all those cases I was lucky with the available light and it registered f/2.8. After much trial and error I never drop below this speed for fast movers. For props and blades I set it at 1/320th. You can go a lot lower with shutter speeds, but you need perfect panning. The weight of my camera/lens is quite substantial and with only a limited number of fly by opportunities I would rather go for keeping the shutter speeds high. I mount the lens and camera on an old tripod head with a homemade pistol type grip. The extension tube of the tripod mount runs underneath and horizontal to the lens with the pistol grip right at the end. When I say a pistol grip it is just a bolt covered with bubble wrap and duck tape at the moment! The idea came to me on one of those long days spent on the low-fly routes. |
TEEEJ,
That second lens, would it be the Nikon 80-400mm like the one the police heli crew here in Dorset carry to back-up the 18-200mm? I've been trying to persuade Domestic C-in-C/ Comptroller Fun&Finance that one of these would be a seriously useful addition to the household inventory (even I blanched when I saw the price of the 2.8/300...). Fully concur with all the comments re the pictures - almost worth venturing into Taffeban territory if you can see this sort of thing. Good skills. |
Thud and Blunder,
Thanks. I would presume so in ref to the 100-400. I think you can get them with and without vibration reduction? The following I took when I was starting out in low-level. These were all taken with the D70 fitted with the 100-400. You can get acceptable results with even cheaper kit and good practice. Even a 200mm lens at Cad Pass from the positon where I was standing would suffice. D70/100-400 results http://www.pprune.org/forums/showthread.php?t=285985 |
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