Photographing the Blue Angels with the Sony A9

I had the opportunity to photograph the Blue Angels at the Miramar air show this weekend when Sony flew me and several journalists to San Diego to work with the Sony A9 and the 400mm f/2.8 lens.
I also had the privilege of learning from 2 of the finest aviation photographers working today - Frank Crebas and Larry Grace. They gave me some wonderful tips on how to shoot aviation in broad sunlight.
The Sony A9 is simply outstanding. With its stacked CMOS sensor it is capable of shooting raw files at 20 frames a second with no blackout in the viewfinder. More importantly it can adjust the autofocus up to 60 times a second. It is one of the fastest and most powerful mirrorless cameras I have used to date.
Check out my other videos:
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• Sony 400mm f/2.8 GM lens • WORLD CUP lens of the ...
• Why Sony is absolutely killing it • Why Sony is absolutely...
• Why you will love the Sony A7 III • Why you will LOVE the ...
• Sony RX100 V Video Settings • SONY RX100 V :: BEST S...
Music is from Epidemic Sound. If you need music for your videos, Epidemic is simply the best in the business. Check them out here: goo.gl/v5wWKr
On my channel you will find videos about photography, cinematography, post processing tutorials for Capture One, Lightroom and Photoshop, photo assignments that YOU can participate in, the Artist Series and of course me vlogging about my personal life. The Artist Series is an ongoing set of videos I produce as documentaries on living photographers. I am extremely passionate about photography and video and my goal in making these videos is to share my passion and enthusiasm with you! Don’t forget to subscribe and make sure to hit the like button and share this video if you enjoyed it!
* Sony paid for my travel to make this video. There was no further financial compensation and the opinions in this video are my own.
Ted Forbes
The Art of Photography
2830 S. Hulen, Studio 133
Fort Worth, TX 76109
US of A

[@paulinefollett3099]

I loved this video. It was so exciting to see these aircraft at work. Very impressed with the Sony A9.

[@debbydhill]

This was great! Thank you for sharing these talented men and women with us.

[@davisparkhurst6637]

Awesome glad you got to have this fun experience

[@MrPhotog4u]

Fun in the sun cool thanks for sharing

[@shang-hsienyang1284]

Such incredible photos

[@sonny5068]

This is such an awesome video!! Much love from Canada!

[@flightscapeaviationphoto]

Really Cool video ... and I am a Canon guy :-) I do quite a bit of Airshow shooting, Blue Angels 3 time in the past 3 years and they are amazing. Larry Grace is a big name in Aviation Photography and though I've never met him in person he seems like such a great guy (we are friends on social media - FB and IG). He shot the cover of the JUL/AUG issue of "World Airshow News", The cover was a stunniing AIR-TO-AIR shot of the RCAF CF-18 Hornet (sim to the F/A-18 Hornet used by the Blue Angels) for NORAD's 60the birthday. It was a big deal for me as it was the first print magazine that I had ever had my aviation photos published in (It was for an article the editors did on the 2018 Wings Over Myrtle Beach Airshow) . Great to see someone doing a video on Aviation Photography and getting to see a legend shooter in the same video. Great video sir - Thanks

[@juliansmith2325]

WOW!!! FUN-TASTIC VIDEO!!!

[@xX504kidXx]

i’ve been reading ken rockwell reviews for ages never knowing what he looked like.

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Never had a bad shoot at an airshow. Alway fun. Took me back in time. Thanks.

[@Nanou197373]

awesome Ted! Thanks for sharing

[@christiankirkenes5922]

fantastic video, thank you for sharing!!!

[@nightcoder5k]

Beautiful work, super cool video. It's so clear, I almost feel I'm there live.

[@KrunoslavStifter]

Great video. Great production.

[@virusj216]

I love it. Wow.

[@stew8584]

Love the camaraderie , as it should be, and great video Mr Forbes.

[@audioupgrades]

I enjoyed the video. it felt spontaneous and captured the great mood of the day.

[@thenullco]

Stunning edit, Ted. 👌🏼

[@theartofphotography]

Thanks!

[@gregfarley5737]

Fantastic

[@smoejith9283]

Awesome stuff!!! Would love to go to one of those and shoot!!

[@pierrebouchard4289]

Ted and Ken ... Gentlemen and scholars ... Thank you for the great video

[@JasonVong]

Love it!

[@theartofphotography]

Hey man - great to see you guys again!

[@LEXPIX]

Very cool. Looks fun. I like that gimbal Ken had.

[@rejeannantel1185]

Amazing video Ted. It felt like I was there because of the film-making quality and the great editing. I'm not a video guy but I feel that I just got to go out there and film such great events. Loved It Ted. Many thanks for sharing!

[@SilatShooter]

Great Video! Thanks! The A9 is my favorite camera to shoot. Wish I could try the new 400.

[@gabesphoto]

Please invite me next time in Miramar. I live just at the end of the runway. I am a prior search and rescue aircrew with HS-12 a Navy veteran. Love this...!!! My first photo shoot was with an AE-1 Canon and a 50mm 1.8 . Great show man, just love it...!!!

[@GearGlassesGadgets]

Nice! Love that 400 😀

[@pwolfamv]

Great video! Had the privilege of hanging out with Larry Grace the previous weekend in Sacramento for the show there. Great guy, wealth of information. Happy to see one of my favorite youtube content creators/photographers doing some of my favorite type of photography!

[@theartofphotography]

That's awesome - I really like Larry - great guy…

[@ValerieHollifield]

Great video Ted!

[@FotoHysteria]

Great music too!

[@driftingintoretirement]

Great video, awesome content.

[@stuartbaines2843]

Nice to see the old Harrier still flying 🇬🇧 still the best VSTOL :)

[@F15IDriver]

Great video

[@eoindelaney3549]

Terrific stuff Ted,thanks for including Ken Rockwell, I'm a big fan.

[@Camrographer]

How do pros handle high motion photography? Hand-holding/mono-pod/Gimble.

[@Jazonjazz]

Its really a stunning video..good shots good vlog more power to your channel sir..

[@ruffprophetproductions]

if you ever come to Dc i'd love to just chat about photography man i've been a fan for a long time and its always a good time talking with OGs who know their stuff

[@6gwilliams]

Thanks that A9 is super and no rolling shutter.

[@yairtammam]

Great video 👍

[@nikosart8229]

☺👍

[@davidfoster2613]

Does anyone know the song in the backround.

[@davidthompson9674]

Super Cool Video!!!

[@michioza]

Which web site can you see pictures taken by you?

[@LangstonBall]

Oh jeez, i really should have gone to that! Though i dont think i would have been able to get that close!

[@w0lfyovi294]

Awesome video, the gear is cool though I could never afford any of it, I love the music man.

[@TrumpetsFTW123]

We used to get the blue angels in Hillsboro every year, but it’s been years since then :( I just watch the air show from my roof now since we’re directly under the flight path for the airport.

[@Chalito5]

I dig the music. Great video Ted!

[@theartofphotography]

Thanks Stephen!

[@Elgsdyr]

Yeah, that's a great song. Who's the band/artist?

[@Elgsdyr]

Nvm. Shazam found out for me. It's Sebastian Forslund - "Physical".

[@edruttledge342]

Some great flying. Awesome photos (especially the stills). Good weather/sky. Our tax dollars at work. Its all good!

[@KenMyers]

I just wish there was a cheap long lens for Sony like you can get for other systems. No inexpensive 150-600mm or 200-500mm that focuses fast enough for BIF.

[@JavierMedinaImagery]

Brilliant Ted, I really want to try that 100-400mm G Master lens one day.

[@artpertures860]

Great surprise to see Ren Rockwell appearance 👌

[@leecason9468]

I photographed the blue Angels a few years ago with a nikon d5200 and a 70-300mm. I lost the raw files somewhere though. So sad.

[@guyjordan8201]

Yep... now I need an air show too.

[@eddiegonzales13]

I know this comment and question is coming almost 3 years later but was your B Roll shot handheld? It all looks great. Stills and video. Thanks for making the video! Fellow Texan here.

[@dantevincenzo1144]

Great video as always. Would've loved to see more shots and when you talked about the high framerate in video an example would've helped to underline the issue. The music was a little too loud for my tasting. I watch these when I'm on a train and use in-ear headphones. Had to lower the volume any time you played footage sequences. Otherwise, just keep doing what you do!

[@KimboyLajara]

Ooohhh. Awesome .🇵🇭

[@Climate_Hoax]

the music put my headache into overdrive but the decision you made to go 100-400mm was a game changer at this event that a lot of even experienced shooters may not have made w/a 400mm available. W/o the 100-400 you would have missed the video that REALLY made this great to watch. I sat here wondering if I would have passed on using the 400 and I honestly think I would have gone with it if for no other reason than to check it out but it CLEARLY would have been the wrong decision and I think that's a really great teaching point for some. Choose the right gear for the job. I thought the video (I forget which body it was) was spectacular. Good job and GREAT decision making.

[@theRedMxx]

Are the Blue Angels the same as the UKs Red Arrows?

[@theartofphotography]

Its the US Navy/Marine version

[@ggreyshade]

fantastic catch at 4:35!! i think you would benefit from a faster shutter speed when shooting some of the planes during the airshow. looks like some of the shots featured, the edges of the planes were a bit blurry

[@PunjabiBeardos]

which camera you used for vlogging this video ??

[@210caulfield]

FYI I went to Miramar yesterday (Friday Sept 27 2019) and was allowed to take my camera bag in.

[@ArsenijeRadenovic]

Look at all the freedom candy 9:05

[@Eric_Rossi]

You actually made photographing airplanes somewhat exciting lol

[@theartofphotography]

Better than wingshots on a commercial airline?

[@Eric_Rossi]

hmmmmm..on instagram no lol

[@MegaNardman]

Whoa, Whoa....don't break your arm patting yourself on the back! Wingshots are an art unto themselves :)

[@sammyfromsydney]

You're kidding right? My record is 11,000+ shots in a day at an airshow. If it does't interest you, you're going to get boring shots.

[@davidsworld5837]

what you mean - somewhat - . hehehe

[@stevenmqj8206]

I wish i can own a big white lens

[@tomaslissaker2237]

A whole video from Miramar and not a single Top Gun reference?! Or did I miss it?

[@fefobiz]

Everyone with arguably the same lenses shooting the same thing from the same perspective. Seems very fun.

[@theartofphotography]

Good thing you weren't there.

[@MiladJPanah]

The fist time ever, I'm watching a video about airplane photography. Usually it's one of the most boring subjects in the world.

[@CaptTerrific]

Nothing like $16k of kit to play with

[@heikki4919]

MURICA!

[@sammyfromsydney]

The video was ok, but for the love of all that is sacred, especially for the stills, don't waste so much of your frame on sky unless there is something interesting like a smoke pattern in it! You need to frame much much tighter. I think you'd have done better with the 400mm because it would have forced you to shoot in closer.

[@MattJonesGR9]

Us Brits gave the USA the Harrier but sadly lots of us didn't want the F35 from the USA :(

[@clundberg30]

They hand you an a9 with a 400mm f/2.8 and instead of getting amazing closeup formation and crossing shots, you go for smoke trails?...something everyone there with an iPhone can do! SMH

[@AdamHansen95]

Anyone else think the rock song sounds like Flyleaf?

[@daviddowling9830]

👀👀👀👀👀

[@candykanefpv98]

The air show is nothing special to me, they do this every year at the same time of year. I get a pretty good view of it every time.

[@ele4853]

Lots of bla bla bla and photos showing the capability of the A9/400mm f/2.8, none...

[@ochjoo77]

Sony invites a bunch of youtubers to play with a 1+ year old camera and a selection of already relaesed lenses? What were you not telling us? 😉

[@theartofphotography]

Well there were 2 KZbinrs and we did a trip to actually use some amazing stuff alongside 2 of the best aerial photographers in the world… The A9 might be 18 months old but tell me what camera tops it. Why is everything some kind of scam with you guys?

[@candykanefpv98]

The Art of Photography youyubers?

[@ochjoo77]

Didnt imply a scam, was just wondering with the rumored a7000 to be released soon ;) awesome shots btw. I recently shot the Blue Angel's myself, it was a ton of fun, but the A77 with the 500mm reflex is a tricky combo to chase planes ;) wished I had the no blackout viewfinder!

[@612morrison]

It's a pity you guys state side don't get to see on a regular basis the best air display team in the world and who called the Red Arrows the best in the world yes the second best the Blue Angles ....true fact the Blue Angles don't consider themselves number 1 sorry guys.

[@durango-CODEBUILDER]

I feel like no one ever says anything constructive on your videos. Ive gotta be honest I think the music was just a little corny and over the top for the videos subject. Sorry to be a jackass lol.

[@theartofphotography]

That’s funny. I feel the exact way about this comment.

[@durango-CODEBUILDER]

Sorry dude, I love your vids. You got me into photography and am now studying photography in university because of... well you! But I actually never see anything constructive said in your comment sections. Didnt mean to offend.

[@thegreatvanziniphotos5976]

Didn't really notice the background music. It was, well, in the background mostly.

[@DennisSwansonP1022]

Fantastic