Air to Air with a K-5

These images were taken during a Flying Taster Day organised with work last month. I used a K-5 with a Pentax 18-250mm for versatility more than anything else and it is my first attempt at air-to-air photography and I thoroughly enjoyed it



IMG 1 by RM BRIGHT, on Flickr



IMG 5 by RM BRIGHT, on Flickr



IMG 16 by RM BRIGHT, on Flickr



IMG 22 by RM BRIGHT, on Flickr

The rest are on my flickr page and they were taken through a window from the rear of the aircraft that I was in.

Good ones Rob, you had good light, god positioning and nice backgrounds, photos are nicely sharp with good prop blur, well done (I'm a bit envy about air-air as well ).

Thanks for sharing, not often you see images like this taken by people with kit we can buy and access as photography enthusiast's.

Thanks Piotro, I was aware that I had to get these right first time as I couldn't ask the pilots to go round again if I got it wrong!

Thanks for your comment, the K-5 & 18-250mm combination performed very well.

That looks fun

Great pics Rob .. very jealous.


There is a chap on TP forums who does this sort of stuff but he's in the Royal Air Force and has some superb pictures of jets.

Great stuff. Where did you fly from? I see you're based in Essex, and there's lots of mud around. Rochester perhaps? Southend?

Thanks Mike. Even without the photography it was an amazing experience

Thanks Chris, the Job is affiliated to the Civil Service Flying Section who fly out of Rochester Airport so we flew over the Isle of Sheppey and the Thames Estuary.

I've noticed you're interested in planes - if you're out to the west of London sometime and you fancy doing a bit more, let me know. I'm based at White Waltham, and there's often loads of stuff going on. Lots of interesting aeroplanes, aeros in the overhead at weekends if you're lucky. I'm flying a bit more this year so I'm down there a fair bit.

If others are interested in the idea too, feel free to drop me a PM, we can see if dates and times work out.

Very impressive captures! It seems like K5 and the 18-250mm zoom is a good combination even for such demanding tasks like your pictures here

Is that what they call the back-seat in a light aircraft nowadays

Lol, but yes

Hmmm - jealousy is difficult to avoid with these - what a great experience

My only experience in a light aircraft invovlved just the one and was before my time owning a decent camera

Not to take anything away from the OP's results, it has to be said, that the hard work in air-to-air photography is all done by the pilots

They're the ones presenting the photographer with a virtually stationary target, nice and close, while at the same time not causing a mid-air collision and killing all those involved

Thanks for all your comments

As Chris mentions above it wasn't until I had taken part in some formation flying had I realised how hard the 2 pilots were working to maintain their distance and speed all the time.

I guess that would make you appreciate the skill of Red Arrows pilots and the like - same kind of thing but very fast.

I am kind of jealous - every time it's a nice day and I see a lot of light aircraft around I wish I was in one for the views and photo opportunities, then I remember how terrified I'd be, up there, in something the size of a Reliant Robin.