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This weekend, I took a little trip down to North Georgia to see Wings Over North Georgia, featuring the Air Force Thunderbirds. I'd seen the Blue Angels perform---many, many years ago-- but not the Thunderbirds. I'd forgotten what a blast air shows are!
I ended up with a backache and horrible leg cramps on the ride home, and a migraine the next day--all from dehydration, because they didn't let you bring anything in, and then they RAN OUT of bottled water for sale!
It was worth it though.
Air shows are tough--for a lot of reasons, but not the least of these is the fact that it's almost impossible to capture what you're seeing in a way that holds the same excitement for someone viewing only the photo. The spectator is seeing the stunts, the speed, hearing the BOOM of those jets and so it's all so exciting and you click the shutter way too often!
But the viewers of the photo are likely just going, "Yep, that's a plane. And another plane. Oh, and look, three planes."
So, recognizing this, I'll try to not go TOO far overboard with the sharing, but it's still pretty pic heavy.
1. Warm-Up Act; The Geico Skywriters
2.
3. Doing a "Knife-Edge Pass" where the pilot turns the plane so the wing is perpendicular to the ground, as they make a low pass over the runway.
4. FIREBALL! Because, who doesn't love a good fireball?
5. The fireball turned into smoke rings, which the planes then flew through:
6. Cobras doing a passing maneuver
7. To begin a salute to the military, skydivers parachuted in, each representing a different branch of the armed forces.
8. Finally, the Thunderbirds come flying in!
9. Thunderbirds
10. Thunderbird, Up Close
And finally, my two favorite shots:
11. There was jet-fueled car there that had a race with two of the airplanes. This was the race with the Lucas Oil plane. The car won!! I bet it wouldn't have beat the Thunderbirds, though!
12. My favorite Thunderbird shot
As always, C&C (not that I'm going back out to try it again tomorrow!), general comments and witty banter are all appreciated!
I ended up with a backache and horrible leg cramps on the ride home, and a migraine the next day--all from dehydration, because they didn't let you bring anything in, and then they RAN OUT of bottled water for sale!
It was worth it though.
Air shows are tough--for a lot of reasons, but not the least of these is the fact that it's almost impossible to capture what you're seeing in a way that holds the same excitement for someone viewing only the photo. The spectator is seeing the stunts, the speed, hearing the BOOM of those jets and so it's all so exciting and you click the shutter way too often!
But the viewers of the photo are likely just going, "Yep, that's a plane. And another plane. Oh, and look, three planes."
So, recognizing this, I'll try to not go TOO far overboard with the sharing, but it's still pretty pic heavy.
1. Warm-Up Act; The Geico Skywriters
2.
3. Doing a "Knife-Edge Pass" where the pilot turns the plane so the wing is perpendicular to the ground, as they make a low pass over the runway.
4. FIREBALL! Because, who doesn't love a good fireball?
5. The fireball turned into smoke rings, which the planes then flew through:
6. Cobras doing a passing maneuver
7. To begin a salute to the military, skydivers parachuted in, each representing a different branch of the armed forces.
8. Finally, the Thunderbirds come flying in!
9. Thunderbirds
10. Thunderbird, Up Close
And finally, my two favorite shots:
11. There was jet-fueled car there that had a race with two of the airplanes. This was the race with the Lucas Oil plane. The car won!! I bet it wouldn't have beat the Thunderbirds, though!
12. My favorite Thunderbird shot
As always, C&C (not that I'm going back out to try it again tomorrow!), general comments and witty banter are all appreciated!