This past Saturday, May 1, 2020, the Navy’s Bluebirds and the Air Force’s Thunderbirds soared over Baltimore and the DC metro area skies in honor of the thousands of doctors, nurses, first responders, and essential workers serving on the front line day-in and day-out during this crisis.

LESSON: At times experience and luck can be the key factors in determining whether your photos will work or not. 

The organizers of the event even published a flight path and estimated flight times. However, I knew from having covered events like this one in the past, things happen and flight path deviations can occur. So, I went out knowing there was a 50/50 chance these photos would work or not.

However, in a situation like this one where there are so many factors outside of your control as a photographer, you have to think hard before hand on what choices to make. And once you’ve done this, then you must stick to your guns. These referred specifically not only to my chosen location but also what gear would I take with me.

For a location, I chose one of my favorite monuments in the DC Metro Area: the Air Force Memorial monument. As far as photographic gear choices, that was a bit more complicated. I knew I needed a big telephoto to get a detail of them in the sky. I knew I needed a medium range telephoto just in case they happened to fly closer to my location. And I never leave the house without a good wide angle. So, I need bringing 2 DSLRs and my mirrorless #nikonZ7 with me as well as an array of lenses ranging from my 14mm all the way up to 500 mm and a 1.4 TC.