We had a wonderful day on Sunday July 6th in Swansea, at Wales’ Swansea Air Show. There were hours of air show fun, but it was the Red Arrows that everyone came for! If you follow me on social media, you would have seen all the images from all the aircraft on show that day, however for this blog, I thought I would do some re-edits and show you my favourite images from the day of The Red Arrows.
The Red Arrows, officially known as the Royal Air Force Aerobatic Team, are the aerobatic display team of the Royal Air Force. Formed in late 1964 by consolidating various unofficial RAF display teams, their iconic red jets and precision flying have made them a prominent fixture in British popular culture and a globally recognized symbol of British excellence. They initially flew Folland Gnat trainers and transitioned to the BAE Hawk T1, which they continue to use, in 1979.
The primary roles of the Red Arrows extend beyond thrilling air displays. They serve as ambassadors for the United Kingdom, both domestically and internationally, showcasing the skill, agility, and precision of the Royal Air Force. Their displays also support British industry, particularly in aviation, and assist in defence diplomacy by strengthening international relationships. Furthermore, the Red Arrows play a vital role in recruitment for the UK Armed Forces, inspiring future generations of pilots and service personnel. Each pilot is a seasoned frontline RAF pilot with extensive operational experience, undergoing rigorous selection to join the prestigious team.
Here are some of my images from the day. I actually took around 800 images as I was shooting in low continuous burst mode for most of the show. They are edited from the original jpeg files.
The trouble with air shows, is that you can end up taking a lot of photos! This year though, I was quite conservative with the shutter button. Most importantly though, it was a great family day out, and that is all that matters!
Of course, it also gave me a chance to use the Z6ii with the Tamron 150-500mm lens. Will I be keeping the lens? I’ll share thoughts on that in the future, as I really am torn. I do not use it much, but when I do, it always impresses me!
I’ll catch you next blog!
One Camera One Lens Photography 
Hey Mark,
That’s a really nice series, no doubt about it. As for your doubts—only you can truly answer those. But something did catch my eye: out of the twenty shots you’ve shared here, half were taken at 150mm. I’m guessing you’ve got plenty more, and I don’t know how high the 150mm (or thereabouts) percentage runs in your full collection. Plus, there are a few more at 200 and even 300mm. In other words, you’re really only using a slice of your lens’s range—maybe that’s telling you something?
What I mean is, one option could be to go for a shorter lens—maybe something that still lets you use an adapter for those rare emergencies—and ideally something with a wider aperture, like a 50–200mm or 50–300mm f/4 or even f/2.8. – And with a converter, you’re still reaching 400mm or even 600mm if you really need it.
The idea is, if you hardly ever shoot at the long end, you might actually get more out of a mid-range zoom with top-notch quality. Just sharing some thoughts here, trying to think along with you.
But whatever you decide, if there’s still any doubt, just hold on to it for now. Nothing worse than selling and regretting it afterwards.
Have a great weekend with the family, Mark!
All the best,
Marc
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Well spotted on the apertures Marc. I only really use 500mm with birds, which I rarely do or moon shots.
I know it’s handy to have. The trouble with a shorter lens, and then a converter, is that the Nikon Z 1.6x converters (for example) are hundreds of pounds. And the F/2.8 lenses are thousands of pounds at longer reaches. Although, to be honest, with a long reach, I’m not too worried about apertures as I usually shoot them at F/6-F/9 and other than the moon, never use them in the dark.
My thoughts have been on an S series 24-120 F/4 which is expensive, so I would trade in the Z24-70MM and the 150-500mm… However, when I look at the results of the Tamron, I always love them!
It’s an ongoing saga… I’m happy with my lens lineup, I just have niggles because of the weight of the Tamron. Taking how often I use it, perhaps I should just keep it for those occasions… Damn!!! Lol
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