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**AAFO_WSagar** · 11-24-2007, 11:30 PM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Originally posted by BuckyD

Looking thru the viewfinder hole all the time, you miss most of the action and continuity (& fan camaraderie!!!).

Amen!

**wolfee** · 11-25-2007, 01:49 AM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Looking thru the viewfinder hole all the time, you miss most of the action and continuity

My rule of thumb always was.

"if you saw it through the view finder, you missed the shot".

Heh, I missed ALOT of shots

**Roger Cain** · 11-26-2007, 07:43 PM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Bucky,

The picture of the Sea Fury and Super Corsair nose to nose, was me on the ladder, back when I was considered for media. Now my pictures are like that one you posted, from the stands..........Roger

**BuckyD** · 11-26-2007, 08:36 PM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Originally posted by "Race" Driver

Hey Bucky
My first year in '67 was in the back of a 50 GMC pickup waking up early morning to something loud in the air and I was soaking wet and freezing in a sleepingbag and wondering how or who was going to write my excused letter for school....I was a freshman in high school at the time....didn't have a camera and walked around in awe of what was around me.....still do to this day!.......just sitting here tonite sipping some of Sherm's Fighter Pilot Red wine and remembering how it was in the day............. Thanks for this thread....got to go thru some old photos and dust them off...

Craig

Wow - 1967 was your first Reno!!! (1975 for me). Thanks for sharing this cool thumbnail background on your air race fan initiation years. I can relate to the days when throwing down a sleepin' bag saved you money for other expenses, etc. and how much fun it was camping out with friends at night revisiting the day's racing highlights and guessing race odds for the morrow. Say - how is that Ftr. Pilot Red vino, anyway? I'm holding onto two signed bottles (#1409 & #2903) for a very special occasion (almost broke them open a couple times...<g>, wondering). Look forward to seeing some of those oldie-but-goldie shots when you dig them out! THX! DBD

**BuckyD** · 11-26-2007, 08:42 PM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Originally posted by Roger Cain

Bucky,

The picture of the Sea Fury and Super Corsair nose to nose, was me on the ladder, back when I was considered for media. Now my pictures are like that one you posted, from the stands..........Roger

Hi Roger!!! Thanks for posting w/your ID note. I've made note of it for the original photograph. Had the pleasure of meeting up with you at Chino '07 Airshow, and getting to see my old air race/airshow pals- Lee Scales & Mike Wyatt hanging out with you there.

You sure have taken lots of great aviation event photos over the years! They really do a great job of cataloging these shows whenever I go through all your posted galleries on the web. Keep up the wonderful photography!

DBD

**Roger Cain** · 11-26-2007, 11:07 PM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Thanks Bucky,

We'll be seeing you again at Chino in 08, were planning for it already........

**BuckyD** · 12-19-2007, 09:54 PM

Re: Being - JOHNNY-ON-THE-'SHOT'!!!

Some more- 'Johnnies-On-The-Shot':

1. Sun. 9/15/85 - Unidentified Reno/Stead ramp shooter is 'right-there' to capture the immortal Art Scholl taxiing-in his DHC-1 Super Chipmonk w/his copilot pooch- Aileron prominently riding high on Art's shoulder, after completing another sensational aerobatic performance to thrill the Reno Air Race fans. (I shot this from the grandstands, and still wish I could see this photog's portrait of the legendary aerobatic master & his dog!).

2. Mon. 9/16/85 - 'Back-in-the-day', as they say, Reno NCAR's post-races- 'Departure Mondays' were really ALOT looser - w/alot more action & photo ops to be had.

The 'Farewell Buzz Job' of the Stead Field ramp was a traditional routine practice performed by most Unlimited pilots leaving for home, and by many T-6-ers & others too.

Sometimes the opportunity to scurry-out alongside the main runway for a good takeoff shot (& then quickly 'skeedaddle back-in'), was an irresistable lure for some photogs-like this unidentified dude seen capturing Dennis Sanders' departure in Sea Fury Race #924 (N924G). John Dilley in P51 Race #19 Lou IV is number two for takeoff. ('Oops'- guess I'm in the loop on this one too, huh?).

3. Same date as the previous pic - 'some guy' wearing a Warlock T-shirt seen working the active to snag a photo of Cristen EAGLE N21CE taking-off ('Hmmm'.... he looks kinda familiar.)

4. Tue. 9/15/92 - 'Working Press' air race photogs (L-R): Jim Dunn, Yukio Nagai & Bob Kennedy (w/an obscurred Gerry Liang down from Jimmy) working the Stead ramp & taxiway next to Race 77 RARE BEAR. Arrival & Qualifying days are best for getting those 'purist' shots without too much distracting 'clutter' or hassle.

5. Reno 2006 - 'Keeping it Simple': Veteran Unlimited crew chief Larry Rengstorf gets race pilot pal- C. J. Stephens' full attention for a great- 'A Man & His Machine' portrait, using his trusty & much-used 'point-and-shoot' camera. (I've watched Larry smoothly cruise the entire length of the ramp & pit areas at all the races - harvesting a huge bounty of people & plane pictures in a short time, and I'd bet his personal photo collection documenting these events over many years must be totally awesome!). Alot can be said for losing camera gear weight in favor of ease of mobility!

6. Sat. 9/16/00 - Various unid'd photogs take a series of Sport Class-Thunder Mustang crew portraits w/ Race #69 & Race #351, formally-posed, using excellent late aftn. low-angle Reno sunlight. Using more than one aircraft for the composition often dictates shooting from a distance, and dealing w/extra photographic challenges.

7. Mon. 9/15/86 - Neal Nurmi shown 'at-work' shooting 'up-close' for a wide-angle Alan Preston Air Race Team pilot group portrait of (L-R) Ray Cote, Alan Preston, Skip Holm & Bruce Lockwood, posed with their multi-class racers & trophy awards. (It's also worth-noting that all four gentlemen have raced #4 DAGO RED!)

8. Fri. 9/17/93 - 'Everyone's a PHOTOGRAPHER' at the Air Races!' A Reno PD motorcycle patrolman gets his own 'at-work' portrait on the Stead Field ramp during great late afternoon sun conditions.

9. Sun. 3/20/94 - I'm always intrigued watching working photographers shooting each other's portraits during breaks at the various airshow & air racing venues over the years, and have to admit I enjoy joining in this fun exercise. (We can certainly appreciate the rare opportunity to switch roles to become- 'the photo subject' for a change!).

Here we see Neal Nurmi shooting photog veteran- Paul Neuman's portrait as a favor, using one of Paul's trademark large-format portrait cameras at the innaugural 1994 Phoenix 500 Air Races, out on the race course, awaiting the start of the Unlimited Gold final race.

10. Thur. 9/12/85 - Oh-oh! We've been- 'Captured-On-Film' for posterity in Neal's viewfinder!!! Well, that's what happens when you're not paying attention at the air races! (Hopefully, he got our- 'good side'!)

DBD

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