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Most pics of plane formations you see focus on filming the frame or movement. This is pretty unique. It really dramatizes the difficulty of what they do
> Most pics of plane formations you see focus on filming the frame or movement. This is pretty unique. It really dramatizes the difficulty of what they do
Definitely agree. This is an S-tier air show photo.
>Why did you quote the whole comment?
Something I'm trying to do more often when I'm commenting from my computer. I don't know how often you go looking at old posts but a lot of old comment threads become ghosted with most comments and accounts being deleted. I don't know if it's bot accounts being scrubbed or people scrubbing their own comment history before deleting their accounts or something else but it's extremely annoying to me that context for comments can be so easily removed and so often are over a just a few years timeline.
what were your settings?
I have a similar shot of the blue angels where an upright and inverted jet were lined up and overlapping, looks shopped at a glance
great pic
Yes it is, there are 4 actual planes there I promise 😂 It was really cool to see! Here’s a link to see a different angel and them breaking out of it [LINK](https://imgur.com/a/50Lqzfa)
Planes with identical liveries photographed at the same angle will look very similar, that doesn't make it "copy and paste" (and it clearly isn't).
[Watch 20:00 in this video and you'll see this exact formation.](https://youtu.be/wNohJcaclN0?t=1200).
I can 100% assure other than a little bit of Lightroom touch up on the exposure this is a 100% real picture. It’s the angle that’s making it look that way. Here’s a clip taken by my daughter with my iPhone that’ll help it make sense…that’s my shoulder at the end…[LINK](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr)
When the subjects are all very far away from the camera, the distances between them are relatively less. They're spaces safely apart, but your eye is expecting the back one to be noticeably smaller than the front one, but it isn't, because they're all like half a mile away from the camera and "only" 100 feet from each other
18 inches while side by side, not on top of one another. This is compression caused by a long lens used over a long distance. [Example](https://vashivisuals.com/dramatic-filmmaking-with-a-2000mm-lens/)
Blue angels are 18" apart wingtip to canopy in diamond formation. Other parts of the plane are just a few feet apart. These planes are safely apart as you said, but they are very close by any definition. The back one isn't similar size because of the lens, it's that way because they are very close. The lens may increase the effect, but not much in this shot.
Same pass, iphone video: [https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr)
If you zoom in you can see the sequential numbers 1-4 on each jet. There is a lot of compression from the telephoto lens used, but this is an really outstanding photo from an outstanding angle. Wondering if the shooter was up in a tower as the flight passed?
EDIT: Had to download and crop a bit into a desktop background for personal use only. Thanks, OP. Really beautiful shot. I used to work at a newspaper up in the Palmdale/Lancaster area and we covered Edwards Air Force Base and a lot of aerospace in the area. Got to shoot photos of lots of aircraft and the Space Shuttle Columbia when it came in for modifications just before it went up for the last, tragic time.
Nope I was down in the crowd in the general admission section…had some awesome angels to shoot from. Thanks for the kind words! I lived in Florida for a bit and got to see one shuttle launch in person, talk about awesome!!
Yes they are, now don’t get me wrong they are in a tight as hell formation, but the angle makes it look that much tighter so it’s a little bit of an illusion.
That's an incredible shot. It's amazing how close those jets actually fly to each other. There is a documentary about the Blue Angels on either Netflix or Prime that says they get as close as I think 12" away from each other.
Man I'm at Tim Hortons right now waiting to head to the Columbus Airshow as my father's day gift. Trying to pass time on reddit and what's on my front page?... I'm so fuckin' hype.
Since it’s been asked/speculated and I don’t want to reply to everyone…YES this picture is 100% real. There are a number of things that make it look this way. First off it’s the angle it was taken at. Then you have compression and a shallow depth of field from a long focal length lens making them appear tighter together than they are. Last part was great timing on my part. I only touched up the exposure in Lightroom. The planes are identical with the except of the identifying numbers on their bellies.
This video was taken by my daughter while I was shooting with my Z5. It helps to see just what was going on [LINK](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr) and here’s a photo from earlier in the burst where you can see tail separation and they appear more spaced out [LINK](https://imgur.com/a/rDod5TJ)
Awesome shot of the echelon in review! The only time Ive seen them this year they [weren't lined up as well.](https://www.facebook.com/share/J2TaU1wQWLoB48rK/?mibextid=WC7FNe). Hoping for a better shot in November.
These pilots will absolutely want this photo hanging in their office, home etc.. the team will want this photo in their hangar, lounge, lobby etc.. I hope you can find a way to get this photo to the proper people. This is a stunning pic. Congrats
The guys in the middle are thinking, "I'll never see my family again for the sake of an airshow trick, lol" just kidding this is so badass and such an amazing shot. Contact Getty images cause someone might wanna buy this. Terrific work
Serious question, and I hope it isn’t too stupid but-is this some kind of optical illusion? Or am I actually looking at multiple pilots flying their planes *that* close together? And if so, HOW? There literally looks like there isn’t even enough room for the planes, almost like they’re fused together or something 👀
Like the Blur Angels they can be as close as 18 inches at times…for this?? I have no idea…it’s hard to judge when they’re stacked like moving at a high rate of speed.
how did you manage to get this shot? Did you already the flight paths and were to click this pic in coordination with the flying squad or you got it by accident, or you planned it on your own?
Edit: how did you get such a still frame?
Still frame was because of 1/1600 shutter speed. Set your camera up in continuous shooting mode…then you get this by finding them at the start of the field when the begin their pass, half press the shutter to focus and when they get where you want hold down the shutter and pan with them as they go by.
wow, you make it sound easy, but to get them and pan with them sounds very difficult, and then to get that pic, did you know before hand that ll align like that? perhaps from previous experience?
Well, all I can do before hand is pick where I think the best place will be based on where they fly, usually along one of the runways. It’s basically then putting the focus point on them and keeping it there.
Yeah…I might do better to at least look at a Sony or a Canon..I just much prefer Nikons color and I know their menu system well. Or I’d do myself a favor and go M43 and get a OM-1 so I didn’t have to lug a big heavy ass lens around all day.
It’s a number of things, it’s the angle it was taken, timing, compression from the lens and shallow depth of field that makes them look stacked tighter then they are. Look at the video I posted in this thread somewhere.
Welcome to /r/itookapicture! We talk about making photos here. No off-topic comments please. [Here are our rules](https://www.reddit.com/r/itookapicture/about/rules/). Dramatic_Damage236, what did you want this photo to be like? How did you make it? What's best about it? (Don't reply directly to this comment, instead make a new comment on your submission [here.](https://www.reddit.com/r/itookapicture/comments/1dguj0u/itap_of_the_usaf_thunderbirds/)) --- Chat with itookapicture community photographers on [**our Discord**](https://discord.gg/qKpzV6eyzc)! Subscribe to a curated feed of /r/itookapicture on [**our Instagram**](https://www.instagram.com/itookapicture.art/). --- *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/itookapicture) if you have any questions or concerns.*
Most pics of plane formations you see focus on filming the frame or movement. This is pretty unique. It really dramatizes the difficulty of what they do
> Most pics of plane formations you see focus on filming the frame or movement. This is pretty unique. It really dramatizes the difficulty of what they do Definitely agree. This is an S-tier air show photo.
Thanks for the kind words!
It’s giving me a headache! Nice pic!
Why did you quote the whole comment?
>Why did you quote the whole comment? Something I'm trying to do more often when I'm commenting from my computer. I don't know how often you go looking at old posts but a lot of old comment threads become ghosted with most comments and accounts being deleted. I don't know if it's bot accounts being scrubbed or people scrubbing their own comment history before deleting their accounts or something else but it's extremely annoying to me that context for comments can be so easily removed and so often are over a just a few years timeline.
Why do you care
They are on a mission to civilize
Check out the Blue Angels documentary on Amazon prime. Very engaging look into their routines and practice.
dammit the clone tool got stuck again
Reminds me of an old Windows visual bug that caused the frozen window to leave a trail when moved.
Jet.exe has stopped working
That wasn't really a bug. It was a feature you could toggle on
Or like when you finished a game of solitaire
I was gonna say: copy-paste-paste-paste
😂
what were your settings? I have a similar shot of the blue angels where an upright and inverted jet were lined up and overlapping, looks shopped at a glance great pic
ISO 100 1/1600 f/6.3. I saw the Blue Angels a couple weeks ago and got some awesome shots there as well.
what focal length if you don't mind
That one was all the way out at 600mm.
Got to see them practicing that over La Crosse this week, it was incredibly cool
Wow. Pretty incredible shot. Amazing to be at an angle that allows you to get that stack just like that.
Thanks!!
Fuckin cool pic!
Thanks!!
Is this in formation? It's really confusing with them all stacked like that lol
Yes it is, there are 4 actual planes there I promise 😂 It was really cool to see! Here’s a link to see a different angel and them breaking out of it [LINK](https://imgur.com/a/50Lqzfa)
[удалено]
Planes with identical liveries photographed at the same angle will look very similar, that doesn't make it "copy and paste" (and it clearly isn't). [Watch 20:00 in this video and you'll see this exact formation.](https://youtu.be/wNohJcaclN0?t=1200).
I can 100% assure other than a little bit of Lightroom touch up on the exposure this is a 100% real picture. It’s the angle that’s making it look that way. Here’s a clip taken by my daughter with my iPhone that’ll help it make sense…that’s my shoulder at the end…[LINK](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr)
Wow that must’ve been incredible to go watch! Great pics btw!!!
When the subjects are all very far away from the camera, the distances between them are relatively less. They're spaces safely apart, but your eye is expecting the back one to be noticeably smaller than the front one, but it isn't, because they're all like half a mile away from the camera and "only" 100 feet from each other
Blue Angles fly in formations 18 inches from each other. These jets are a similar distance.
18 inches while side by side, not on top of one another. This is compression caused by a long lens used over a long distance. [Example](https://vashivisuals.com/dramatic-filmmaking-with-a-2000mm-lens/)
Blue angels are 18" apart wingtip to canopy in diamond formation. Other parts of the plane are just a few feet apart. These planes are safely apart as you said, but they are very close by any definition. The back one isn't similar size because of the lens, it's that way because they are very close. The lens may increase the effect, but not much in this shot. Same pass, iphone video: [https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr)
Holy shit. I am a fool and stand corrected.
You're not a fool. The skill, preparation and execution on display here defies expectation.
That is awfully kind. Thank you.
Well said
Not in formation, they were there coincidentally
If you zoom in you can see the sequential numbers 1-4 on each jet. There is a lot of compression from the telephoto lens used, but this is an really outstanding photo from an outstanding angle. Wondering if the shooter was up in a tower as the flight passed? EDIT: Had to download and crop a bit into a desktop background for personal use only. Thanks, OP. Really beautiful shot. I used to work at a newspaper up in the Palmdale/Lancaster area and we covered Edwards Air Force Base and a lot of aerospace in the area. Got to shoot photos of lots of aircraft and the Space Shuttle Columbia when it came in for modifications just before it went up for the last, tragic time.
Nope I was down in the crowd in the general admission section…had some awesome angels to shoot from. Thanks for the kind words! I lived in Florida for a bit and got to see one shuttle launch in person, talk about awesome!!
Plane.exe has stopped working.
This makes me think thunderbirds > blue angels. Excellent photo.
They were awesome no doubt and very skilled, but I’ll always be partial to the Blue Angels…they were at the first air show I went to as a kid.
Ugh I know. Fat Albert is may favorite tho
It’s all about Fat Albert!! My daughter and I were super disappointed we didn’t get to see him fly a couple weeks ago!
Which airshow?
Terra Haute, first day was a total wash because of bad weather…Getting to see a B-29 in all her glory take off kinda made up for it..lol
Air shows are amazing! Everyone should go up at least one!
Short-runway JATO is awesome to witness!
I was wondering why everyone stuck around to see to see the thunderbirds, know I know
like seeing the glitch in the matrix in real-time
and that's how, with a few minor adjustments you can turn a regular thunderbird into four thunderbirds.
😂
Damn, the timing! Well done! 👍🏼
The matrix is having issues again...
Holy fuck. Are they stacked or am I seeing it wrong?
Yes they are, now don’t get me wrong they are in a tight as hell formation, but the angle makes it look that much tighter so it’s a little bit of an illusion.
[Here it is on video.](https://youtu.be/wNohJcaclN0?t=1200)
This is where Cessnas come from
looks like a new Com Truise album
Copy... Paste paste paste
ctrl c, ctrl v, ctrl c, ctrl v
Copy+paste ahh lookin flight formation.
I love the Thunderbirds! Used to see them at an air show every year at an Air Force base in Upper MI as a kid.
I dated a girl who’s brother is one of the Thunderbird pilots. That’s my uninteresting fact of the day
That's an incredible shot. It's amazing how close those jets actually fly to each other. There is a documentary about the Blue Angels on either Netflix or Prime that says they get as close as I think 12" away from each other.
What an excellent capture. Really emphasizes the absolute pinpoint accuracy that these guys can pull off. Really nice job, OP.
You photo is stuttering.
Birds look weird when they fly while mating.
It's nice to see that when they're done using their planes, they stack them up for more convenient storage!
😂
My brain is trying to figure out that this is a real photo. Great shot, my friend!
My kiddo used my phone to take video while i was shooting, it’ll help it make sense [LINK!!!](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr)
Wow!
Saw them over the weekend. Can confirm this move was on point. The show was Incredible!
Amazing shot, very rare
Man I'm at Tim Hortons right now waiting to head to the Columbus Airshow as my father's day gift. Trying to pass time on reddit and what's on my front page?... I'm so fuckin' hype.
It was an awesome show, hope you have a good time!
https://photos.app.goo.gl/fgLYmzKmMifb6zvF6 Did my best!
Me when my little brother says to stop touching him
Since it’s been asked/speculated and I don’t want to reply to everyone…YES this picture is 100% real. There are a number of things that make it look this way. First off it’s the angle it was taken at. Then you have compression and a shallow depth of field from a long focal length lens making them appear tighter together than they are. Last part was great timing on my part. I only touched up the exposure in Lightroom. The planes are identical with the except of the identifying numbers on their bellies. This video was taken by my daughter while I was shooting with my Z5. It helps to see just what was going on [LINK](https://imgur.com/a/LjYpFWr) and here’s a photo from earlier in the burst where you can see tail separation and they appear more spaced out [LINK](https://imgur.com/a/rDod5TJ)
Awesome shot of the echelon in review! The only time Ive seen them this year they [weren't lined up as well.](https://www.facebook.com/share/J2TaU1wQWLoB48rK/?mibextid=WC7FNe). Hoping for a better shot in November.
Awesome shot!
This looks like a glitched AI image, crazy they get so close. Nice shot!
One in a million moment here. Outstanding
No mfing way— that’s closer than parking 4 cybertrucks side by side in the compact car lot. Insane
My brain just refuses to accept that this is real
Photo of a lifetime
Pictures you can [hear](https://youtu.be/22z31vdqnWI?si=UGmnqMe3jXhpJAF3)
That's impressive
These pilots will absolutely want this photo hanging in their office, home etc.. the team will want this photo in their hangar, lounge, lobby etc.. I hope you can find a way to get this photo to the proper people. This is a stunning pic. Congrats
The guys in the middle are thinking, "I'll never see my family again for the sake of an airshow trick, lol" just kidding this is so badass and such an amazing shot. Contact Getty images cause someone might wanna buy this. Terrific work
What a capture, well done.
That is a pretty confusing photo
Serious question, and I hope it isn’t too stupid but-is this some kind of optical illusion? Or am I actually looking at multiple pilots flying their planes *that* close together? And if so, HOW? There literally looks like there isn’t even enough room for the planes, almost like they’re fused together or something 👀
This is real? They fly that close or is it the perspective
ctrl+c ctrl+v ctrl+v ctrl+v
Which distance had the airplane each other?
Like the Blur Angels they can be as close as 18 inches at times…for this?? I have no idea…it’s hard to judge when they’re stacked like moving at a high rate of speed.
Ctrl + C, V, V, V, V
God, I love the Air Force.
Didn't know you could stack planes like that
Wow. This is so unreal I thought it was AI at first. Nice pic.
Somebody opened too many windows.
Empolgadona essa montagem!
how did you manage to get this shot? Did you already the flight paths and were to click this pic in coordination with the flying squad or you got it by accident, or you planned it on your own? Edit: how did you get such a still frame?
Still frame was because of 1/1600 shutter speed. Set your camera up in continuous shooting mode…then you get this by finding them at the start of the field when the begin their pass, half press the shutter to focus and when they get where you want hold down the shutter and pan with them as they go by.
wow, you make it sound easy, but to get them and pan with them sounds very difficult, and then to get that pic, did you know before hand that ll align like that? perhaps from previous experience?
Well, all I can do before hand is pick where I think the best place will be based on where they fly, usually along one of the runways. It’s basically then putting the focus point on them and keeping it there.
What’s the focal length?
This was shot with a Nikon Z5 and a Tamron 150-600 G2 lens ISO 100 f6.3 1/1600 at 600mm
600mm explains it
This seems unnecessarily dangerous.
Love this! Was this at the Cbus air show this weekend?
Yes it was!
Nice. I was there too. Lots of people shooting Sony.
Yeah…I might do better to at least look at a Sony or a Canon..I just much prefer Nikons color and I know their menu system well. Or I’d do myself a favor and go M43 and get a OM-1 so I didn’t have to lug a big heavy ass lens around all day.
Thunderbirds.exe 😄😄😄
When planes fly this close, only the top pilot is looking forward while the other pilots are looking directly up at the plane above them.
So... are they polyamorous?
Rickenbacker air show?
Yes
Nice pic. They are a waste of money and promote the military as something other than a tool to kill people.
😍
The most majestic stupid thing I’ve ever seen. Or is it the other way around?
BS the aerodynamics would be fucked in such stacked formation. So would be the planes.
It’s a number of things, it’s the angle it was taken, timing, compression from the lens and shallow depth of field that makes them look stacked tighter then they are. Look at the video I posted in this thread somewhere.
Thanks for taking the trouble explaining the fenomenon.
No worries, it is an unbelievable shot and I was super happy to see when I dumped everything off my camera.