Every year I go down to the Chicago Air & Water Show, in hopes of one upping my current favorite airplane shot, usually from the previous year! This year I went down for three of the four days. Most people think the Chicago Air & Water Show is just Saturday and Sunday, but, if you are like most photographers you know, just like the photographers, the pilots have to practice. I usually go down on the practice day, this year I went to both practice days, Thursday and Friday. Having seen the Blue Angles earlier this year, in Pensacola, I knew my quest for a better photo would be a challenge. The first three shots are from Pensacola.
The next photos are all from the three days I attended the Chicago Air and Water Show!
In addition to the Navy Blue Angles, there was another team from Great Britain, who were very cool. Since I had a mishap with my 70-200mm, I was working with my older camera with a much shorter and less powerful 55-250 lens, this is also why some photos appear a little darker, I had to adjust everything on the camera and was not used to the camera having not shot with it in months. If you look back at my photos from previous air shows, even the photos from Pensacola, you will see the difference. None the less, I love air shows and chasing for that next awesome shot. The photos below are from the RAF Red Arrows. My photos don't really give them justice, they were amazing. I still prefer the Navy Blue Angels, but, I might be just a little biased!
Also at the Chicago Air & Water Show was a F22 Raptor. These next two photos are where I really wish I had my 70-200mm lens with me, it is a much faster lens and the ability to pull the plan in with the extra focal length would have really made this pop. Thank God there is always next year! I believe these were taken on Sunday, but, the days all seemed to run together. Vapor Trails are cool!
For a different perspective on the Chicago Air & Water Show, on Friday, I went to 360Chicago on the 94th Floor of the John Hancock Building. WOW, this is where a faster lens would have really helped. When I get my lens back from being repaired, I will be going back up to 360Chicago! The next couple of photos were taken from 360Chicago.
Shooting with a few fellow photographers and making friends with them can only help me in the future with like minded people to bounce things off of, if that makes sense. The last couple of years I have met many excellent photographers at the Air & Water Show. All of which have Instagram pages. For the record, my Instagram handle is mwnphotography1026. Pete is is someone I have shot with now for the last three years, his Instagram handle is pja.photo. Lynda_myszkowski, is another great follow. On Thursday I met Robert Gauthier and I shot with him on Thursday and Friday at 360Chicago as well as Sunday, his Instagram handle is rg_from_texas, incredible photographer! On Thursday, it seemed as if the show was over so everyone made the decision to leave, big mistake, but, had I not left and driven up Fullerton, I would never have gotten this fun shot. I realize it is not totally in focus, but, you have to remember I was working with a camera I had not played with since November when I purchased my new 6DMKII.
Maybe just a little irony, what do you think?
One of the really cool things about the Chicago Air & Water Show is to try and time a shot coming around the building and or between buildings. This is another spot where the faster 70-200mm Zoom lens would help out tremendously! Sorry the shot below is so dark, I did not adjust this photo at all.
My favorite photos from the whole 4 days of the Air & Water show, ironically, were taken the first day. Again, I know I am sounding like a broken record here, but, a much longer and faster zoom lens would have surely helped in the next few photos, that being said, I am still pretty proud I was able to get these shots, working with what i had to work with. The shots have been lightened up just a little for ease of viewing the vapor trails!
So, what do you think, do these make the grade? The weekend was completed with much fanfare and lots and lots of walking. I met and shot with some fantastic photographers! Having taken the Monday after the 2019 Chicago Air & Water Show off, and having shot around and with so many excellent photographers, I needed some me time, just for me to shoot by myself! Monday morning, I woke up with my wife, and drove here to work. I shot back to the Lincoln Park Zoo were, thanks to a great friend I park, and hustled down to Fullerton Beach, just north of North Avenue Beach where I spent most of the weekend. Since I wasn't really looking to shoot long distances, I brought both cameras with me, my Canon 60D with a Canon 10-18mm lens, and my Canon 6DMKII with a
17-40mm L lens. I had to be back at home by 9:00 for an appointment, so all I was really going for was the sunrise. The sunrise was well worth it, in my opinion, what do you think? The first two were both taken from my Canon 60D.
But, the real money shot is the one below, taken from my 6DMKII. I was able to catch a bird coming through, just at the right time!
Thank you for reading my blog. I know this is a long post, but, so many photographs to share and so little time to write about them. As always, all photographs are the sole possession of me, Michael W. Noonan and mwnphotography. If you like what you see and wish to purchase anything, everything is for sale. I can be reached, as always at mwnphotography@gmail.com or via phone at 847.636.9130. Thanks again!
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