Red Bull Air Race Promo Shoot

[dslang]

Heyo,

Long time no post

Earlier in the summer of this year, Red Bull Canada asked me to shoot some promo shots for their Air Race event. They needed a shot of the plane flying in the foreground with the Toronto skyline in the background.

Helicopter Pilot - Jürg Fleischmann

Airplane Pilot - Sergio Pla

Helicopter Camera Operator - Bas Vandenbranden

This was the media heli we flew in.

 

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I was curious about how this shoot would turn out. I'd shot air-to-ground before and was comfortable with that, but never air-to-air. The amount of coordination needed was pretty intense. A heli can remain 'static' in the air but a plane can't - it has to keep moving. So imagine being in the air screaming directions into a crackling radio while the heli pilot tries to coordinate his flight with the plane's flight, all the while trying to line up the distances just right so that the city is in the background. Then you have to have the right lens on, your exposures perfect, your focus dead on, all of this while hanging (tethered) out the side of a helicopter with a blasting wind.

Luckily the first few runs went well.

then I put on the 70-200 VR I rented for this shoot. this lens is amazing - the focus is pixel perfect. considering the situation i was astounded (I was shooting through the windy small window at this time and everything was vibrating).

 

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then we went up again in the evening. intensely beautiful sight, and if it wasn't for high ISO on the d700 this shot would be impossible.

the next day the pilots asked if i wanted to go up with them again so I could get a different perspective on things -

 

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they flew insanely close at times. for example this is what they are comfortable flying at normally. often they were closer than this.

hard to believe that's a lake, not an ocean...

 

[dslang]

(probably one of the most surreal window views i've ever experienced)

many thanks to the incredible pilots for their immense skill and experience. they were amazing.

that's it, hope you've enjoyed the photo essay!

 

[adamadam]

pro!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[davsmiths]

This series is wonderful!
Love the processed colours and your composition.
Keep up the good work.

 

[Drudkh]

Finally, something non-F1.
Very impressive shots! :thumbsup:
Sick of seeing all the crappy F1 photos.

 

[lamergod]

GODDAMN PRO !!!LIKE THOSE I SEE AT AFP OR GETTY!!!:thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup::thumbsup:

 

[ricleo]

beautiful series, simply breathtaking.

 

[agentxq49]

Wow! Amazing!

 

[sukhoi37]

pro series, good work man !

 

[rgy1993]

love this!! such a unique perspective on things...

 

[JacePhoto]

nice. thanks for sharing...!

 

[orangedial]

Wonderful set of photos, refreshingly amazing! Did you apply toning to some of the photos?

 

[aprilmoon92]

Amazing

 

[Sleepyhello]

WOW! Beautiful & amazing photos!!!!!!!!!!

 

[Rubber_Duck]

WOW..!!!!!

VIP SHOTS.!!!!
:bigeyes:

 

[ornegu]

Nice work! would like to see more of your shots..

 

[cheeseme]

I was curious about how this shoot would turn out. I'd shot air-to-ground before and was comfortable with that, but never air-to-air. The amount of coordination needed was pretty intense. A heli can remain 'static' in the air but a plane can't - it has to keep moving. So imagine being in the air screaming directions into a crackling radio while the heli pilot tries to coordinate his flight with the plane's flight, all the while trying to line up the distances just right so that the city is in the background. Then you have to have the right lens on, your exposures perfect, your focus dead on, all of this while hanging (tethered) out the side of a helicopter with a blasting wind.

Luckily the first few runs went well.

Canada - Toronto - CN Tower!!! I really missed that place!:heart::heart::heart: