This one is aimed mainly at the photographers amongst us.
Can anyone recall a specific moment in their spotting career where they have missed a photo of gem of a movement whether it be by pure carelessness or just bad luck.
At Seoul Gimpo in 2010 we were stood in the freezing cold on a rubbish tip overlooking the runway which was elevated so you could only see the top half of the aircraft and they were too far away for good photos. It was great for the majority of spotters who were writing numbers down but for the three photographers it was a waste of time. After 30 minutes of frustration we asked the “tour guide” if he could take us back to the terminal so we could try to find a spot at Seoul Incheon. So the three of us got on the coach ready to depart. Not five seconds later an Air Busan B737-800 landed on a closer runway (I didn’t know that runway existed !) and taxied past in it’s full glory. I nearly broke my back lunging off the coach !
I got outside and it taxied away – the other 50 people in the group were in fits of laughter. I was NOT amused and it was the only opportunity I had to take a picture of that ! Still have sleepless nights now over it 🙂
By: Cking - 4th March 2012 at 19:01
I also put my 35mm(remember that) SLR with it’s 100-300 zoom lens back into my camera bag just as the two Mig 29’s taxied out for THAT display at Fairford 😮 “Oh I won’t waste my film on these two. I’ll save it for something more exciting”
Do you remember “Saving” film?
Rgds Cking
By: Mr Marnier - 3rd March 2012 at 19:41
Not strictly from a photo-graphical point of view, but I didn’t make it to RIAT 2010 and missed the F22 display team which was pretty gutting! (more so once I saw that display on youtube later – epic).
By: Culpano - 24th February 2012 at 16:06
Hee hee !
By: Moggy C - 24th February 2012 at 15:24
I had a chum who was a professional (non-aviation) photographer.
He had a job to do in one of the Farnborough halls for a client, so I went along as a tripod carrier – basically just a freebie visit to the show on a Press Day.
He was very keen to try out a very large telephoto lens he’d just bought on the business for his 35mm film Hasselblad (It was a good few years back).
Once the job was out of the way a few pints were downed at lunch, and eventually we sat on the grass down towards the spectator area from where he half-heartedly banged off a couple of shots. Inevitably we both fell asleep in the warm summer sun until the commentator announced the arrival of some GINORMOUS Russian freight aircraft – you guys will probably know which one.
Like the true Pro he was, Lofty was immediately on his feet and sprinting for the flightline fence, Hasselblad and huge lens to the fore.
I saw him raise the camera, and very shortly put it down again. His shoulders dropped and he trudged back to where we were sitting.
“What’s up?” I asked “Len’s not working?”
“No” he sighed, “it’s working just fine. But from the fence all I got were pictures of rivet heads”
Moggy
By: Bmused55 - 24th February 2012 at 14:26
My mate has to be the unluckiest spotter in the world. For a start anywhere he goes the weather is usually awful.
That wouldn’t be Lance would it? AKA Grey Area :diablo:
By: hampden98 - 24th February 2012 at 12:39
YES I CAN AND THANKS FOR REMINDING ME!
Concorde Flypast with red Arrows. Waited by Westminster bridge.
Waited, waited,waited, here they come!
Whirr click. Camera Batts Died!!!
By: Culpano - 24th February 2012 at 12:18
My mate has to be the unluckiest spotter in the world. For a start anywhere he goes the weather is usually awful. He saw my Madrid pics and told me he was booking a flight in the summer (2010) to take photos of the Aerolineas Argentinas 747-400 and the Cubana IL-96.
He phoned me from the mound and asked me to check when the Cubana was due out – I told him it was delayed 15 mins. Then it was delayed again and again and again. An hour later he phoned me for latest update then I heard him scream “oh no” – he’d just seen it being towed away – it had gone tech !
He left the mound in disgust and got a taxi to the 33L approach for the Aerolineas. 5 mins after he got there they changed runways so they were departing way over his head !
He gave up spotting after that and now takes pictures of buildings instead 😮
By: cockerhoop - 24th February 2012 at 09:18
ok i know not something one would be happy to photo
but i did an airport run for my wife’s friends one sunny summer morning in 1980s, Barrow to Ringway, if it had been the following day i would have been there as the airtours 737 disaster happened
By: Cking - 23rd February 2012 at 20:03
I had the charger for my camera pack up on me when I was on holiday. On my first day back into work, there was THE AN-22 parked up on the cargo stands! The day was photographically perfect. Bright sun light, high fluffy white clouds and the sun was behind me……..Behind me and my digital camera with the flat batteries. The AN-22 left the next day…….The day I had taken off to look after my children. Guess how many times the AN-22 has been in to Manchester since…..go on….guess.
Rgds Cking (The one with no AN-22 pictures)
P.S. I WAS going to put the pictures on this website, so you all suffered too!!
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February 23, 2012 at 5:32 pm