Raptor to the Fire-Wall

They say timing is everything. While that's true, a little pre-planning goes a long way, too. This shot was taken at the 2007 NAS Pt. Mugu open house. I had borrowed Kevin's Canon 10D to get the feel of a digital SLR before committing to buy the 40D (thanks Kev). There was one act in the show that involved a Czech-built L-39 flying down the length of the runway as a wall of pyrotechics gets set off. The F-22 was parked on the active ramp area with the runway behind it and I thought it would be neat to have the airplane framed by fire. So when it came time for the routine, I positioned myself to catch what I hoped would be a dramatic shot. It worked, the camera worked and I got the shot I wanted. Plus I was sold on the digital SLR.