You just never know. For all the computing power thrown at it, forecasting the weather is still… let’s say, an imperfect science. As the days rolled by during the week before the 2019 Spring Photo Call at Naval Air Facility (NAF) El Centro, the forecast for the day of the shoot got progressively worse. Frustration was growing among the ISAP group that had traveled to El Centro to participate in the photo call to shoot a Blue Angels practice session flown at the base and to have an opportunity to get up close to the afternoon action at the base while shooting next to the active runway. Possible photo subjects included United States Navy and Marine units training at the base with their T-45 Goshawks, VMAT-203 with their V-8B Harriers and any other aircraft operating at El Centro. A welcome addition to those using the base to take advantage of the typically ideal weather was the Royal Canadian Air Force 419 Squadron with their CT-155 Hawks. But the forecast was far from ideal. The probability of precipitation was pushing past 90% expecting significant rain for most of the afternoon. But I thought to myself, if I’ve learned anything from years of aviation photography it’s that you’ll only know the weather for any given shoot once the shoot is actually over. More than once I’ve seen an airshow suffer weak attendance due to a forecast of poor weather and find myself shooting the show with sunshine beaming between fluffy white clouds in a beautiful blue sky. So, the ISAP group crossed our fingers, prepped our gear and made sure we had some means of protecting our lenses, cameras and ourselves, if the forecast should prove to be correct. In the end the supercomputers were less than half right.
Our rainy-day preparations were put to the test a couple times during our visit, but for the most part the rain held off. We were even graced by a brief period of sunshine that timed itself perfectly for catching some great Blue Angels vapor shots during their practice. While there wasn’t too much activity on the runway for the rest of the afternoon apart from VMAT-203 flying with their Harriers, in the end the rain proved to actually help the shoot! Having the opportunity to get close to and shoot the Harrier, certainly one of the most unique military aircraft flying today, was only enhanced by the wet runway. As the aircraft’s vectored thrust was directed downward for short field takeoffs and landings, the heat and force of the thrust turned the water on the runway into a cloud of steam and vapor significantly enhancing the shoots we took. All in all, I think both the ISAP members as well as the other groups and independent photographers that participated in the NAF El Centro 2019 Spring Photo Call would all agree that when it comes to the weather forecast, be prepared, but don’t throw in the towel too soon. You’ll never know just what the weather might have in store for a photo shoot till it’s over. Many thanks go out to the NAF El Centro PAO, troops and the units training there during our shoot for the one of a kind opportunity to participate at the Photo Call and their exceptional hospitality while hosting the event.