Author: Steven Lewis

Got Published!

bunch of bent wings

I just wanted to share with you guys that I got published in this month’s issue of ISnAP, Magazine of the International Society of Aviation Photography. Hopefully the first of many more to come. I have to thank my new friends as well as fellow aviation photographer Larry Grace for making this happen, Thank You Larry! Here’s a link so you guys can see my work as well as the rest of the issue. Mine is “Planes of Fame Airshow 2017”

http://issuu.com/isaporg/docs/isnap_june2017

Enjoy and see ya next post,

Steven

Better late than never!

Show 1, Post 3: My images from TICO

I’m glad to have finally made it down to Titusville to attend the show. Here’s brief pictorial review of the 2017 “TICO Warbird Airshow” at the Space Coast Regional Airport.

Click on thumbnails to view larger images!

TICO17_1

 

 

 

TICO17_2

 

 

 

TICO17_3

 

 

TICO17_4

 

Gear used: Canon 7D MKII
Canon 70D
Canon 70-200mm F/2.8 USM
Canon 200-400mm F/4 IS USM

 

The Story behind an Image, Part Two

For the past 13 years, I have had a love affair with photography. I love images that comes with a story. Over the years, I have shot a few images that has a story. Here is part two of a series I call “The Story Behind an Image”.

Part 2: The Bus Stop

Summer of 2008, I was working for a major automotive company in southeast Michigan and the Economic crisis was well under way. The crisis had slowed sell the sale of cars and it was time to save money to get through the rough times ahead and that meant layoffs. The weeks working up to the layoff was some of the worst times I had ever worked anywhere. The level of worry and anxiety seem to be unbearable at times. How many would be let go? Who is safe? Where would go to find work? How long would my money last?

On July 31, 2008, I got the news that I was to be laid off indefinitely. I took some comfort in the fact that the worry and anxiety of it all was over and now it was a matter of figuring out what’s my next step. As an out of work automotive clay sculptor, I knew it was going to be difficult to find work during this time. If cars were not selling, there is no reason to develop new products. And when you’re not developing new product, there is no reason to hire new sculptors. At the time, I did not have a car and relied on public transportation to get back and forth to work, amazingly it worked out well given I lived in Downtown Detroit.

The following days my lay off, I had applied to as many available positions I could find. While not getting feedback from any company I applied to, I was starting to lose hope. Until one day as I was waiting at the bus stop that use to carry me to work. I received a call from what was to become my new job in sunny California. That bus stop is in the image below. On the right side of the image, there is thin sliver of light running down the building. Where that sliver of light hits the ground, there is a light pole which marks the location of my bus stop. The amazing part of the image is that I shot it in April of 2006, over two years before I got the phone call which lead to my next adventure in life. I knew it was a great image but had no idea of the personal importance it had to me and to my future.

the bus stop

Be sure to check out

The Story Behind an Image, Part three >

2017 Planes of Fame Airshow

 

Show 2, Post 2: Holy Photographers, Batman!

The Planes of Fame airshow draws two things, warbirds and photographers. Since I been coming out to Chino, it seems there are more and more people shooting the show. Canon, Nikon, Sony, DSLR’s, point and shoot and a bunch of iPhones along with iPads, out and about shooting away. It’s a wonderful show for any type of photographer to hone their eye as well as skills shooting aircraft. From WWII reenactors to pilots and crew, and you got to love the all-day photo passes! You’re in a target rich environment,  so shoot away!

 

One of this year’s personal challenges was to shoot the with Canon 5DSR which is more for landscape photography and studio work. With a max frame rate of 5fps and the buffer speed, shooting the fast pace of an airshow is asking a lot from the 5DSR. But with 50.6 megapixels, along with the clarity of my 500mm F/4.5, the potential for some breathtaking images are high. I again shot slow, Sunday’s weather was perfect for some cloud blurring. I pretty much shot everything in shutter priority from 1/160th to 1/200th second. I wanted to show a sense of motion and not an aircraft frozen in the sky.

 

My other personal challenge was to photograph people of the show, reenactors, veterans, pilots as well as other photographer. It is something I shy away from and feel I’m not good at. Plus, I’m really picky when it comes to images of people. I dislike images of people looking straight into the camera, the candid snap shot with no thought or care of the scene. So, I got out of my comfort zone and started seeing other things more interesting than the warbirds buzzing around the circuit. In fact, I’m more excited about my images with people than the one without.

I think of all the images I shot that weekend, this one is my favorite. It is not as sharp as I like it but I feel it still works. The big and proud reenactor, the happiness of the little boy and the Dad (I guess) giving the “thumbs up”.

IMG_0965

Until next post,

Steven

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