Angels In Motion: Frozen in Flight
Photography with Jeff Bentz
by Jeff Bentz
Imagine standing on a large grassy area at the Marina Green in San Francisco. It’ s about 3:00pm on a beautiful and sunny Friday. Looking across the San Francisco Bay you see the iconic Golden Gate Bridge off to your left, and the notorious Alcatraz Island to your right. The people around you are scanning the sky with suspenseful anticipation. You hear a low hum in the distance, still not seeing anything, you can’ t tell where the hum is coming from. Then suddenly, VROOM! a Navy jet rips past you moving diagonally from left to right, at 500 + mph. The thundering sound of that first jet screaming past you rocks your whole body. The sound is intense. You can feel it in your head, chest, and stomach. The sound of the sheer power sends chills down your spine and gives you goosebumps from head to toe. Your eyes follow the jet as it quickly passes over Alcatraz and disappears into the distance. Then out of nowhere, without warning, the roaring sound of another jet flies over, this time coming from behind, scaring the heck out of you. You literally don’ t know that it’ s there until the roaring engines are right on top of you.
This is the anticipation and excitement you experience at the start of the U. S. Navy’ s Blue Angels air show during Fleet Week. Every October, the San Francisco skies become the stage for one of the most electrifying displays of aerial maneuvers and precision flying in the world. Adding to the visual experience of course, is the gorgeous backdrop of the San Francisco Bay.
T-33. All the aircraft are awesome to watch and even more fun to photograph. However, the crown jewel of the show is the Blue Angels and it’ s not just a show, it’ s an experience. So, make sure your camera has a fully charged battery and lots of room on your memory card, because the Blue Angels perform for an hour starting at 3PM. That’ s a lot of pictures in burst mode!
After the initial flyovers that I described at the top, the crowd, now energized, prepares for all the precision maneuvers that are flown individually and as a team. The aerial maneuvers performed by the six pilots of the F / A-18 Super Hornets are carefully coordinated to challenge the boundaries of physics and human reflexes, showcasing the exceptional proficiency of the pilots and their aircraft. Incredibly, during some of these maneuvers the planes are merely 18 inches apart while flying at speeds up to 700mph.
Photographing the event is a combination of sport and art with a lot of adrenaline. It challenges your timing and instincts, as you wait, anticipate, then pan and shoot. It is undeniably fun.
In 2025, San Francisco celebrates Fleet Week from October 5-13. The Air Show performance happens on October 10-12.
Grab your camera, a long lens, and get ready to have some fun!
Here is how the day begins. On Friday“ The Parade of Ships” kicks things off at 11AM. The parade starts outside San Francisco Bay and passes underneath the Golden Gate Bridge. Leading the parade of ships is the SFFD’ s Fire Boat, spraying towering streams of water into the air. Other ships following in the parade are the USS Tripoli( amphibious assault ship), the USS Somerset( amphibious transport dock), USCGC Bertholf( national security coast guard cutter) and a few other U. S. Navy and Coast Guard ships. All passing under the Golden Gate Bridge into the San Francisco Bay on their way to their designated dock. All these ships have free tours available and are open to the public. After the parade of ships has concluded, around 12PM, the airshow begins.
It starts with the incredible Navy SEALs Leap Frog Parachute Team descending from 12,000 feet. As they descend a smoke trail is deployed from their boots to better see them in the sky. A classic moment is when one of the skydivers unfurls a huge American flag and lets it fly beneath him while the music on the Marina Green plays the National Anthem. This can make for a very compelling photo.
Next up are a variety of aircraft including a United Boeing 777, the U. S. Air Force F-22 Demo Team, and the Patriots Jet Team. Other performers include the U. S. Marine Corps F-35B Demo, the Blue Angels " Fat Albert ", and the Greg Colyer Ace Maker
Jeff Bentz is a travel and landscape photographer in Gilroy, CA. Follow him on Instagram: @ jeff _ bentz _ photography View his portfolio: jeffbentzphotography. com
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