Photographic Portfolio of 2005 Images and photographic notes of my successes for the year

Each year I like to produce a collection of my best and favourite images. I will try and explain why I like them and how I came to get the image, with camera settings and technique employed. Some will have been published in books and magazines and possibly in conjunction with features, so you can say those were also chosen by the editor in question. I hope you like my work from 2005.

Portfolios by Category Air to air portfolio  -  Click here for more images and reports.

ZH106 is seen alongside 10 Squadron VC-10 K.3 (ZA147 'F') during my last flight with 10 Squadron in July 2005, they disbanded a little later in the year DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (41mm) 1/350 f8.

Image used in Patrick Watson's book entitled 'The RAF Jaguar, Guardian Of The Skies'. It is a detailed walk around of the Jaguar with aerial photos and Gulf War artwork. Above: Jaguar GR.3A (XX112) of 6 Squadron inscribed '90 years, 1914-2004, The Flying Canopeners', painted up for its squadron anniversary at RAF Coltishall in May 2004. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (90mm) 1/500 f6.7.

Air Forces Monthly - Images for feature entitled 'European Air Forces Survey' Left to right: Nimrod R.1 (XW664) of 51 Squadron when refuelling with 101 Squadron VC-10 in 2004. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (90mm) 1/250 f6.7.  E-3D Sentry (ZH104 '04') callsign 'NATO 20' on a crew training air refuelling mission over the North Sea in AARA 7 on May 13, 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (85mm) 1/350 f9.5.

Left to right: Tornado F.3 (ZE831 'XQ' and ZG780 'WF') callsign Javelin 1-2 of 25 Squadron, refuelling from a 10 Squadron VC-10 K.3 callsign 'Tartan 41' at 20,000 feet over North Sea in July, 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (56mm) 1/250 f9.5. Tornado F.3 (ZE288 'HA') of 111 Squadron from RAF Leuchars, May 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (70mm) 1/250 f9.5. Tornado F.3 (ZE155 c/s 'Tarnish') of BAE Systems at Warton, conducting missile firing trials, in July 2005 over Irish Sea (AARA 13). Note the small tail mounted camera. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (75mm) 1/1000 f5.6. Typhoon IPA.5 (ZJ700 c/s 'Tarnish') of BAE Systems at Warton, in refuelling trials at 20,000 feet over North Sea (AARA 6) and later in high altitude refuelling trials with TAC towline at 35,000 feet (Danger Area EGD323) in July 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 28-135mm IS (70mm) 1/350 f8.

Low level flying portfolio  -  Click here for more images and reports.

Air Forces Monthly - Images for feature entitled 'European Air Forces Survey' Left to right: Harrier GR.7 of 20(R) Squadron (ZD466 '56') from RAF Wittering, flying low through the valleys of mid-Wales. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f4L lens + 1.4 extender, 1/800 f/4, ISO 400. Additional processing with 'Neat Image' software to reduce grain. Jaguar GR.3 (XZ394 'FG') of 41 Squadron on June 7, 2005 in the Lake District. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L + x1.4 extender (420mm) 1/1000 f6.7, exposure compensation -1/2, ISO 200. Unmarked Hawk T.1 (XX185) in mid-Wales on May 18, 2004. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (285mm) 1/500 f6.3, ISO 200.

A joint feature with my good friend Massimo 'Max' Di Mele for Rivista Aeronautica on RAF low-flying, 8 pages and many images including my feature on the  Prince of Wales Trophy, a low-flying navigational competition flown by the Qualified Flying Instructors (QFI) at RAF Valley.  Left to right: 208 Squadron Hawk T.1 (XX250) flying in the Prince of Wales Trophy. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (400mm) 1/500 f6.7, exposure compensation -1/2, ISO 200. F-15E Strike Eagle (00-3001 'LN') first of a pair of Eagles of 494FS, 48FW based at RAF Lakenheath was used in the feature, as was the Tornado GR.1 (ZA326) below.

Back in June I was up in the hills looking for some low-level photographic action. The day was bright but the sun a little hazy, at ISO 200 you could get shutter speeds up to 1/1000 second. Low-level photography is very hit and miss. You never know what you will see, some days nothing at all. This particular day was memorable with Lakenheath F-15s and this rare bird, Boscombe Down's only Tornado GR.1 (ZA326). I was using my DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8L lens with the x1.4 extender on my Canon EOS 20D. The effective focal length being 672mm with the digital aspect ratio. The aircraft would have been full frame at 300mm side on, but I wanted the more exciting nose-on angle. The hazy sun helped to keep the detail in the white upper surfaces, which otherwise would have been pure white without reducing the exposure by a 1/2 stop.

My Low-level Photography feature in Outdoor Photography magazine describes low-level photography in the hills of Wales. It uses images taken from two locations. Four images were chosen by the editor, the first (top) a Harrier GR.7 of 20 (R) Squadron based at RAF Wittering was used as a double page spread. Other images used in the feature were (above, left to right); FRADU Royal Navy Hawk T.1 from RNAS Culdrose, Harrier GR.7 of 1 Squadron at RAF Cottesmore and a Tucano T.1 from RAF Linton on Ouse.

Used in June 2005s Pilot magazine in conjunction with a piece to promote the Target Aviation Photography website. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS f4-f4.5 (400mm) 1/350 f5.6 -1/2 exposure compensation ISO 200.  Harrier GR.7 (ZG857) from FJ & W OEU based at Coningsby. Although this image has been cropped (still good at 12x8), I like it because of the very exciting angle, as it approaches and turns away from my position. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS f4-f4.5 (350mm) 1/750 f6.7 ISO 200.

Some of the more interesting low-level images of 2005. Left to right: A very new Typhoon F.2 (ZJ914) test flying out of BAE Systems Warton in June 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (250mm) 1/1000 f6.7, exposure compensation -1, ISO 200. 11 Squadron Tornado F.3 (ZE342 'DZ') in June 2005, 11 Squadron was disbanded later in the year. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L + x1.4 extender (420mm) 1/1000 f4.5, exposure compensation -1/2, ISO 200. Harrier T.10 (ZH664 '112') of 20(R) Squadron, this was my second of two very welcome T.10s that day in October 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L 1/640 f4, exposure compensation -1/3, ISO 200. October 2005. Tornado GR.4 (ZA459 'F') 'MacRoberts Reply' in special 90th Anniversary markings of 15 Squadron, October 2005. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L + x1.4 extender (420mm) 1/640 f5.6, exposure compensation -1/3, ISO 200.

The new 'Loop' Magazine. The first edition used the above images in two features. Harrier GR.7 (ZD379 '27') of 3 Squadron in September 2005 and DH.82 Tiger Moth (G-AJVE) landing at Woburn in August 2005.

Air shows portfolio  -  I covered a number of fantastic air shows in 2005 Axalp and Kecskemét were the most rewarding, click here for more images and reports.

Air International feature on the Swiss Air Force's annual air power demonstration at the Ebenfluh firing range at Axalp.

The 25th International Moth Club Rally, the organisers wanted me to come up with some images for the air show program, these were the images they chose. Also Issue 132 of 'The Moth' (below) used eleven of my images in various features on Woburn.

Kecskemét Air Show, Hungary in August 2005 produced some very nice images including; Soko J-22A Orao (25207) of the Serbia and Montenegro Air Force and Hungarian Air Force MiG-29UB (26), see report Hungary Air Show

On base portfolio  -  I visited a number of bases in 2005, click here for more images and reports.

Los Llanos-Albacete I spent an exciting day with Ala 14 of the Ejército Del Aire (Spanish Air Force) at their Los Llanos-Albacete air base, for a feature on their ageing Mirage F.1Ms. See report Spanish Air Force Mirage F.1s Reach 30. Aviation and Time Magazine. Mirage F.1M (C.14-37 '14-19') taking off at Albacete. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (235mm) 1/500 f8, ISO 200. European Air Forces Directory 2005/6. Mirage F.1M (C.14-68 '14-40') taking off at Albacete. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (100mm, yes I was that close!) 1/750 f8, ISO 200.

Left to right: RAF Coltishall for the disbandment of 16(R) and 54(F) Squadrons. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (100mm) 1/750 f6.7, exposure compensation -1/2, ISO 200. Meiringen, Swiss Air Force base is one of my favourite air bases for photography. A pair of Northrop F-5E Tiger IIs (J-3049 with J-3073) depart. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L  1/800 f5, exposure compensation -1/3, ISO 100. Papa, Hungarian Air Force base. Retired MiG-23 (08), one of 80 Russian built and now obsolete aircraft held in store at this facinating air base. For this image I clambered up a grass revetment to get the angle I wanted. Sigma 20mm f1.8 set at 1/60 f11 ISO 100. RAF Marham for the 90th anniversary of 13 Squadron. 13 Squadron's own specially marked GR.4A (ZA401 'XIII') leads in the airfield attack formation at the end of the show. DSLR x1.6 sensor + Canon EF 100-400mm L IS (400mm) 1/350 f6.7, ISO 200.