I had been trying to take a good panning shot for months and each time I was not satisfied with the result, until one grey day in December I took this photo at Volkel airbase in Brabant.
The beauty of a panning shot is that the object is sharp, while the background is blurred, thus reflecting the speed at which this F-16 is approaching for landing. On this day, the wind was quite strong so it is a top performance by the pilots every time to bring a million-dollar aircraft safely back to the ground. Partly due to very rigorous training, the pilots are very cool-headed under the most difficult conditions.
The J-003 is an F-16A (single-seater) of the Dutch Air Force. It is a relatively new aircraft: the oldest aircraft were delivered as early as 1979 and this one is from 1990. It is part of the 312 squadron based at Volkel. Most likely, we will not see this aircraft in Dutch airspace after September 2024.
'What do you do with all those photos you take'? Is a question I am regularly asked. 'Well, sometimes I print a few to enjoy myself', is then my standard reply. Lately, I have noticed that more and more people enjoy my photos and that is why.. Read more…