In November, 3G Aviation Media will be conducting a workshop in concert with the Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force.  

Guest Instructor

Our Guest Instructor for this workshop is internationally renowned aviation photographer José “Fuji” Ramos.

“Fuji” has documented military aviation subjects all over the United States and is currently qualified for flight in all aircraft types operated by the US Navy.  During his photographic career, José has logged time in such high performance aircraft as the F-14B Tomcat, the F/A-18B/D Hornet, F/A-18F Super Hornet, S-3B Viking, the EA-6B Prowler, F-5F Tiger II, T-33 Shooting Star, Aermacchi MB.339, the Aero L-39 Albatross and a wide variety of warbirds.

                  As an instructor, José has been a keynote speaker for Nikon at the 2009 COMFOT Expo in Mexico City, Mexico, guest speaker at the 2012 symposium of the International Society for Aviation Photography, as well as a speaker on Military Aviation photography at the 2013 Photoshop World Expo in Orlando, Florida. He also represents Nikon Professional Services at events across the US on a freelance basis, providing one-on-one assistance and instruction to NPS members.

                  He describes his goal as a simple one: “to provide the best in aviation photography and journalism. With a keen eye on current events while remaining mindful of history, I strive to educate through my imagery.”

His work can be found at: http://www.ramosaviationphotos.com/

Agenda

Friday

The workshop begins Friday night with attendees gathering at the Hilton Garden Inn.  Introductions will begin at 7pm followed by the class “Shooting in the light you are given”.  Most of us know the times that we would prefer to photograph our subjects, but do we have techniques to fall back on when the light is not in our favor? The second class of the evening will be “Planning for Sunrise/Sunset shoots”.  This class will focus on the tools, techniques and logistics involved in making a sunrise or sunset shoot go smoothly.  The evening will conclude with a quick review of flightline safety and techniques for optimizing your gear bag for static shoots.  This will prepare attendees to be properly organized for the next day’s events, leaving some small group time following for gear check, cleaning and assembly. 

Saturday

Be prepared, this is going to be a LOOOONG day!  We will meet early (5:45AM) and depart for the Commemorative Air Force’s facility at Falcon Field, which is just 4 miles from our hotel.  Aircraft placement, blue hour and sunrise shooting opportunities with the CAF’s aircraft will take up the first few hours.  After a break for breakfast your learning experience continues with sessions on editing workflow and post processing techniques (working with your own images captured during the sunrise shoot).  Our instructors will share tips and techniques from common tools such as Lightroom and Photoshop as well as offer image critique and recommendations, which can be applied to later shoots during our weekend together.

Lunch will be provided on-site, followed by our afternoon sessions on working with Speedlights and models.  Time is set aside for gear prep and a quick evening snack prior to our sunset and nighttime photo shoots.  The evening’s photo opportunities will begin with a sunset shoot mixing the CAF’s aircraft with the talents of models and reenactors that the 3G team will be bringing in for you to work with.  As the shooting venue transitions to nighttime shooting, more speedlights will be unpacked and you will have a chance to practice the techniques our Guest Instructor taught earlier in the day.  Throughout the evening, all four instructors will be present to help each of the small groups with questions or to overcome challenges presented by the environment or equipment.  At the end of the evening we will pack our gear and depart the CAF’s facility to catch a late dinner.

Sunday

The group will again arrive before sunrise at the hangars to prepare for another sunrise photo shoot.  This will be a great opportunity to apply some of the tips & techniques you have learned through the sessions thus far and even try something new! 

After we conclude shooting, a light breakfast will be provided allowing time for image downloads, selections and editing.  We will reserve some time at the end of the morning for photographers to share their best shots from the workshop and gain insights on what they have learned.

The workshop will wrap up around 12pm on Sunday allowing attendees plenty of time to travel home and prepare for their next aviation photography adventure.

What to Bring

What do I bring?  It would be all too easy to just say “EVERYTHING! ”  However, we know that many of you will be travelling by airline and so baggage limits will be in the forefront of your mind.  At a minimum, you are expected to bring your own camera and tripod, but here are some guidelines for what gear to bring:

* Camera – Bring whatever you shoot with.  Our instructors have experience documenting aviation subjects with numerous makes and models from high-end DSLRs to consumer ILCs and even smartphones.  At the end of the day, use the best camera that you are comfortable operating, and if you want to use this workshop to branch out into other equipment styles, let us know.

* Lenses - Bring the right glass to capture wide-angle shots of multiple aircraft at sunrise or sunset, and close-up detail of aircraft.  If you have a favorite lens for portraiture, bring it as we will have models to pose with the aircraft on Saturday evening.

* Tripod – We will be shooting before and after sunrise/sunset so longer exposures will require the use of a sturdy tripod.   

* Speedlights – Our guest instructor’s topic for this class will cover the use of speedlights, so bring as many as you can!  Be sure to have your labeled or marked so they can be identified by flashlight when we are taking down the equipment in the dark.

* Light Stands – Even though baggage space is limited for those traveling by air, small light stands will help you precisely position your lights for a more dramatic image.

* Camera Bag – Bring a sturdy, compartmentalized bag to move your equipment around the flightline.  Our class will cover some good tips and techniques for remaining organized during a shoot, but success often begins with the right bag for your tools!

* Be prepared for weather… The good, bad and ugly!  We will be arriving at the hanger before sunrise and will be shooting out on the ramp until well after sunset.  We also cannot control mother nature (as mush as we would like to) so be prepared for some possible rain!

* Kneepads – You will be getting down low on the tarmac so stop by your local hardware store and pick up a pair of kneepads. Trust us, they are cheap and the comfort provided will make your experience A LOT more enjoyable!

* Laptop/Tablet – You will want to be able to download and edit your images right away so that you can critique them in order to improve on your technique in later photo sessions during the weekend.

What is included

* All photography photo sessions and lessons

* One-on-one photography instruction and critique

* Access to vintage WWII aircraft

* Lunch and a light dinner on Saturday and a light breakfast on Sunday

What is not included

* Transportation to, from and around Peachtree City, GA – The Dixie Wing of the Commemorative Air Force is just 27 miles from Hartsfield Jackson Atlanta International airport.

* Lodging – We will be staying at Hilton Garden Inn Atlanta located in Peachtree City, which is a very short drive from the CAF facility.  A block of rooms has been reserved at a discounted rate, but only a limited supply is available.  You can call the hotel to make a reservation at (678) 827-8400.  Use Group Code: DW3G to get the workshop room rate of $99/night which includes a complimentary breakfast.  If you live close to Peachtree City remember that Saturday and Sunday mornings will be early showtimes (approximately 0600 at the airfield), so plan accordingly!

Limited Photo Release

The 3G Aviation Media Team has negotiated a limited photograph release with the Commemorative Air Force.  This release allows photographers to use images taken during the workshop for their personal promotion and individual sale.  The release DOES NOT allow sales of the images to a third party for the promotion of a product or service. If you have any questions regarding the details of this release, please submit them via the contact form in the navigation bar.