Two aerobatic pilots worked with a team of photographers to create a series of once in a lifetime photographs during the rare, full eclipse in Sulphur Springs, Texas.
Photos of the longest and most visible eclipse in the U.S. in 100-years have flooded the internet but Red Bull may have captured photos to eclipse all others.
Taken in Sulphur Springs, Texas, aerobatic pilots Kevin Coleman and Pete McLeod flew in tandem a mere four feet apart, 1,500 feet in the sky, while renowned photographers Mason Mashon and Dustin Snipes photographed them from the ground.
“Normally, this would be a manageable maneuver. But when you have to fly a few feet wing to wing, navigate the darkness from the eclipse, a flight angle that needs to be perfectly in line with the sun, and only four minutes to take the shot while moving at 180 mph, it makes it incredibly challenging,” said Coleman about the project. “It’s a game of inches – two inches off and we lose the image.”
Capturing the planes amidst the solar eclipse required months of preparation, sorting out details of locations, flight paths, distances, and the means of illuminating a plane in near total darkness. Reflective vinyls were installed on the plane to ensure the wings were visible from the ground.
“This is one of the hardest photos that I’ve ever tried to capture,” said Mashon. “There are known settings to capture an eclipse, but when you need to figure out the height of the planes above ground level to frame and scale them perfectly with the eclipse, during totality, it’s a totally different game.”
“Unlike the high adrenaline and aerobatics I’m used to, this project is all about exact precision and planning”, said McLeod. “It’s all about teamwork to make this happen so it’s been incredible to be a part of.”
To see all the photos taken and read more on what it took to prepare for the challenge, click here
Source: Red Bull | Photo: Dustin Snipes and Mason Mashon
