Your Flying World 2021
Your Flying World 2021 Contest Winners
Grand Prize: Richard King
Title: P-51, Arizona Sunset
I had been shooting landscapes with film using a Hasselblad V system until digital for black and white had overcome the main problems (b&w my passion). Satisfied with the conversions to b&w, I had re-equipped with Nikon digital equipment about 4 weeks before this shoot.
I started photographing aircraft when I was twelve years old. Living and growing up in SE London, a neighbor asked my parents if I would be interested in going to a Battle of Britain airshow at the old Biggin Hill Battle of Britain Station. I borrowed my father’s 35mm fixed lens camera and that was it!
This shot was taken on my first air-to-air mission. It was flown out of Falcon Field in Mesa, AZ flying around Red Mountain at sunset. Not only had I managed to master the difficulties of shooting at a slow shutter speed in order to get the prop circle but also the fact that if the photographers’ platform aircraft dipped, the momentum of the camera made the camera ’shoot’ up, but I had starting to make the compositions I wanted. This image of P-51 ’Cripes A’ Mighty’ was one of my favorite results.’
Nikon D3X, Nikkor 70.0mm-200.0mm f/2.8, Sony Digital film
Exposure – Focal Length 120mm, 1/60 sec, f/5.0, ISO 100 Shutter priority
Second Prize: Terrance Alexander
Title: Thunder and Lightning
'Thunder Over Michigan airshow is held every summer at the Willow Run airport, providing tremendous photographic opportunities for vintage and state of the art aircraft. As usual, August 8th turned out to be one of the hottest days of the summer; the cloudy sky and high humidity was great for capturing contrails off the aircraft in flight. This was the first time I had viewed the USAF F-35A Lightning II stealth fighter in operation. I knew it would be fast and camera control would be critical. Since the F-35 demonstration occurred mid-morning, I was ready after experiencing some shots on other aircraft performing fly-bys.
The image was captured handheld using a Canon EOS R5 with the Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS II USM lens set at 400mm. I used manual camera settings of 1/2500sec and f/7.1 to capture the aircraft at high speed and used ISO 400 to obtain proper exposure. The F-35A emerged from a cloud bank out of a steep turn, passing left to right an estimated 1,800 feet in front of the airshow crowd. The continuous autofocus mode of the R5 camera allowed me to establish focus as it emerged from the clouds and hold it for several shots as as the F-35A passed. The roar of the Lightning II as it passed the crowds was akin to thunder from the clouds; hence the title ’Thunder and Lightning’.
I was pleased by the contrails present along the wings and fuselage, and the darkened clouds directly behind and beneath the jet exhaust providing a nice contrast to the relatively grey flat sky. It really gives a feeling for the speed of the F-35A as it passed. The image was processed using DxO Pure Raw for noise reduction followed by Lightroom Classic for a small crop and to make minor adjustments to exposure, highlights/shadows, clarity and contrast.'
Third Prize: Sean Hoover
Title: Twin Tail Toaster
’This Shorts SD3-60 Sherpa, owned and operated by the U.S. Forest Service, based at the USFS Smoke Jumper base in McCall Idaho. My son is a pilot for the USFS and this is his airplane. We wanted a photo of his airplane, but not the usual snapshot. We also wanted to create a unique image that would help tell the story of this aircraft, and also the history of the smokejumper base in McCall Idaho. We decided to do a light painted image on the ramp in McCall and made certain to include the iconic base building in the photo.’
Sony A7Rii, Sigma 14mm, f stop 8.0, ISO 200
Prizes
$500 cash prize
- One (1) Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Digital Camera
- One (1) Sony E PZ 16’50 mm F3.5’5.6 OSS
- One (1) Bose Frames Tenor Audio Sunglasses
- One (1) David Clark DC ONE-X headset
- One (1) Icom America A25N Handheld Radio
- One (1) Gura Gear 45 Kiboko v2.0 22L backpack
- One (1) Gura Gear 45 Et Cetera 2L case
- One (1) one-year Plane & Pilot VIP Membership
- Placement as Plane & Pilot Facebook Cover Photo
- Publication in a special multi-spread feature in an issue of Plane & Pilot
- Publication in the Plane & Pilot online Winners’ gallery
$250 cash prize
- One (1) Gura Gear 45 Kiboko v2.0 22L backpack
- One (1) Gura Gear 45 Et Cetera 2L case
- One (1) one-year Plane & Pilot VIP Membership
- Publication in a special multi-spread feature in an issue of Plane & Pilot
- Publication in the Plane & Pilot online Winners’ gallery
$100 cash prize
- One (1) Gura Gear 45 Kiboko v2.0 22L backpack
- One (1) Gura Gear 45 Et Cetera 2L case
- One (1) one-year Plane & Pilot VIP Membership
- Publication in a special multi-spread feature in an issue of Plane & Pilot
- Publication in the Plane & Pilot online Winners’ gallery
Past Contests
Explore past winners, finalists and prizes from our previous contests.
Frequently asked questions and official rules
We’ve compiled a list of frequently asked questions. If your question isn’t answered here, please send us an email at contests@planeandpilotmag.com with the following details:
- The name of the contest (Your Flying World 2021 Photo Contest)
- Your username
- The image ID # (if applicable)
- The exact nature of your problem
Who may enter?
Contest is open to individuals over the age of 18 and are residents of the U.S.
How do I enter?
Click “Submit Your Images.” You’ll need to be logged in to your Plane & Pilot account to enter. If you don’t have an account, click here to register for your free account.
You may also log in using your Facebook account through the Connect With Facebook option.
Are there any special considerations in taking my photographs?
We will not accept the following photographs/submissions:
1. Photographs of mishaps or pilots otherwise coming to grief.
2. Images showing irresponsible or questionably legal flying practices.
3. Submissions taken while the PIC should be piloting instead of photographing.
4. Air-to-air photography submissions. Photos from the ground of planes or of the landscape from the air are fine, but air-to-air shots of other planes are not eligible.
Please photograph safely.
In what format should I submit my photos?
Each photograph must be submitted in .JPG format and cannot exceed 4 MB in size. Also, make sure your photo is in the sRGB color space, or else your image may look discolored.
How many photos may I enter?
You may enter as many photos as you like. Pricing is one (1) photo for a $20 entry fee, or two (2) photos for a discounted fee of $25. You can purchase either of these packages as many times as you like.
Is my credit card information secure?
Absolutely! The payment form is hosted on our secure payment processor’s site and your credit card information (including your physical address) is submitted directly to the applicable credit card company through 256-bit encrypted pages. The header graphic is the only non-secure item on the payment page and only your email and the success/failure message of the transaction are submitted back to our site.
I want to enter your contest but I’m confused about how entering works. It’s asking me to pay before uploading my image(s). Is this right?
In order to enter our photo contests, you first pay for your submission package. Once you do this, you will be redirected to submit your entry. You can submit your entry any time before the contest deadline.
Can I pass the word on this competition to my friends, classmates, Facebook/Twitter followers, etc.?
Yes, please! The link to the contest portal is www.planeandpilotmag.com/photo-contests/your-flying-world
Do I have to print or mail in my photos?
No. Please upload entries using the online entry form. Mailed submissions will not be accepted.
Can I process my photos using Photoshop or another image-processing program?
Entries must be a single image as captured by the camera, with adjustments limited to standard photo processing such as color and exposure adjustments and basic retouching such as spot removal or noise reduction.
Images must not be ’composite images’ that combine subjects or elements from different scenes’ replacing a background or sky, for example.
Exceptions include the use of HDR exposure stacking, focus stacking or similar techniques used for a single composition where the camera was not moved. As part of the judging process, our judges at their discretion may request the original RAW file or JPEG capture for review.
Can I watermark my photos?
While we prefer you do not use watermarks on your submitted images because they can muddle the judging process, we understand that you want to protect your work. You may use a small watermark in the corner of your image, but we ask that you refrain from using a substantial watermark that covers a large portion of your photograph.
When will the winners be notified?
By April 30, 2022
What are the prizes?
See the contest landing page or the official rules for a complete list of contest prizes.
Can I edit my submission after I’ve already submitted it?
If you’d like to make any changes to your entry, please email us and indicate:
1. The name of the contest (Your Flying World Photo Contest)
2. Your username
3. The image name
4. The changes you would like to be made to the submission
I accidentally submitted the same photo twice. How do I fix this?
Please email us with the name of your duplicate submission, and we will remove it for you so you can re-upload. In your email, please indicate:
1. The name of the contest (Wingtip Wonders Photo Contest)
2. Your username/email
3. The image name
When I try to enter online, I get an error message. What's going on?
If your attempts at entering online aren’t successful, our system might be struggling. Try waiting a few minutes, then clear your browser’s cache and cookies’ you might even try restarting your computer’ and go to the online entry page again.
Additionally, title your photos with alphanumeric characters only. Please don’t use apostrophes, ampersands or any other character symbol, as doing so may cause errors during uploading.
I've tried clearing my cache and cookies, and I even bought a new computer. The online entry form just isn't working for me.
Double-check that the size of your images meets our requirements. If all else fails, send us an email at contests@planeandpilotmag.com. In your email, please indicate:
1. The name of the contest (Your Flying World Photo Contest)
2. Your username
3. The image ID # (if applicable)
4. The exact nature of your problem
ELIGIBILITY:
Plane & Pilot’s 2021 Plane & Pilot Your Flying World Photo Contest (“Contest”) is open only to individuals who are over 18 years of age and who are residents of the U.S. Employees of Madavor Media, LLC, (“Sponsors”), and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, and advertising and promotion agencies, and their immediate family members (spouse, parent, child and sibling and their respective spouses, regardless of where they reside) and/or those living in same household of each, whether or not related, are not eligible to participate or win. Sponsors reserve the right to verify all eligibility requirements. Contest is subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws and regulations.
CONTEST PERIOD:
The Contest will begin on August 31, 2021 at 7:00 AM PDT, and end on December 7, 2021 at 11:59 PM PDT (the ’Contest Period’). After December 7, users can still submit photos from December 8 at 12:00 AM PDT until December 14, 2021 at 11:59 PM PDT (the “Extension Period”) at an increased price.
HOW TO ENTER:
Click the submit your images button above to submit. All entries must be received by December 14, 2021 at 11:59 p.m. PDT to be eligible. Each photograph must be submitted in .JPG and cannot exceed 4 MB in size. Entry fees during the Contest Period are $20 for one submission and $25 for two submissions. Entry fees during the Extension Period may increase.
Please note: Entries submitted online will be eligible for (i) the Grand Place Prize (as described below), (ii) Second Place Prize (as described below), (iii) Third Place Prize (as described below), and (iv) Finalist Prize (as described below).
Entry must be the original work of the entrant and entrant must be the sole owner of the copyright of such entry. Entry must be in keeping with the Sponsors’ image and may not be inappropriate or offensive, as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion, nor can it defame or invade publicity rights or privacy of any person, living or deceased, or otherwise infringe upon any person’s personal or property rights or any other third-party rights. The Sponsors reserve the right, in their sole discretion, to disqualify any entry they deem to be offensive, inappropriate, that is not in keeping with Sponsors’ image or that is otherwise not in compliance with the terms of these Official Rules. Entrant must have obtained express written consent to submit any entry that contains persons other than entrant or third-party elements not owned by entrant and, if requested to do so, produce such written consent from appropriate parties in a form and manner acceptable to the Sponsors.
By submitting an Entry, entrant acknowledges and agrees that Sponsors may obtain many Entries in connection with this Contest and/or other contests staged and/or promoted by the Sponsors, and that such Entries may be similar or identical in theme, idea, format or other respects to other Entries submitted in connection with this Contest and/or other contests sponsored by the Sponsors or submitted for other reasons or other materials developed by the Sponsors. Entrant waives any and all claims entrant may have had, may have, and/or may have in the future, that any Entry and/or other works accepted, reviewed and/or used by the entrant may be similar to his/her Entry, or that any compensation is due to entrant in connection with such Entry or other works used by Sponsors.
GRAND PLACE PRIZE JUDGING:
One (1) potential Grand Place Prize winner, one (1) potential Second Place winner, one (1) potential Third Place winner, and up to twenty-five (25) potential Finalists will be determined from among all eligible entries received by a panel of qualified judges, based equally on the following criteria: Adherence to Theme, Composition and Creativity/Originality (“Judging Criteria”). The entrants who submitted the entry receiving the highest scores, as determined by the Sponsors in their sole discretion, will be the potential winners and finalists respectively.
In the event of a tie for any prize, an additional “tie-breaking” judge will determine the applicable winner or finalists from among those tied using the Criteria. The Sponsors reserve the right to not award any prize if, in their sole discretion, an insufficient number of eligible and qualified entries are received. Decisions of the Sponsors and judges are final and binding.
WINNER NOTIFICATION:
Potential winners will be notified by telephone, mail and/or e-mail by April 30, 2022 and will be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility and Liability and, unless prohibited, a Publicity Release, a W-9 Form and any additional documents that may be required by prize provider within fourteen (14) days of date of issuance. If any potential winner is an eligible minor in his or her jurisdiction of residence, prize may, at the Sponsors’ discretion, be awarded in the name of the parent or legal guardian, and such parent or legal guardian will be required to fulfill all requirements imposed on winners set forth herein. Noncompliance with this time period or with these Official Rules, or the return of any prize notification as undeliverable, may result in disqualification and, at the Sponsors’ discretion, the prize will be awarded to an applicable runner-up.
PRIZES:
Grand Place Prize: $500 (U$D) cash prize;
One (1) Sony Alpha a6400 Mirrorless Digital Camera (ARV $898.00); One (1) Sony E PZ 16’ 50 mm F3.5’ 5.6 OSS (ARV $298); One (1) Bose Frames Tenor Audio Sunglasses (ARV $249); One (1) David Clark DC ONE-X headset (ARV $895); One (1) Icom America A25N Handheld Radio (ARV $549.99); One (1) Gura Gear 45 Kiboko v2.0 22L backpack (ARV $329.95); One (1) Gura Gear 45 Et Cetera 2L case (ARV $29.95); One (1) One-year Plane & Pilot VIP Membership (ARV $95.88); Placement as Plane & Pilot’s Facebook Cover Photo (ARV priceless); publication in a special multi-spread feature in an issue of Plane & Pilot (ARV priceless); Publication in the Plane & Pilot online Winners’ gallery.
Total First Place ARV: Approximately $3,845.77
Second Place Prize: $250 (U$D) cash prize;
One (1) Gura Gear 45 Kiboko v2.0 22L backpack (ARV $329.95); One (1) Gura Gear 45 Et Cetera 2L case (ARV $29.95); One (1) One-year Plane & Pilot VIP Membership (ARV $95.88); publication in a special multi-spread feature in an issue of Plane & Pilot (ARV priceless); Publication in the Plane & Pilot online Winners’ gallery.
Total Second Place ARV: approximately $705.78
Third Place Prize: $100 (U$D) cash prize;
One (1) Gura Gear 45 Kiboko v2.0 22L backpack (ARV $329.95); One (1) Gura Gear 45 Et Cetera 2L case (ARV $29.95); One (1) One-year Plane & Pilot VIP Membership (ARV $95.88); publication in a special multi-spread feature in an issue of Plane & Pilot (ARV priceless); Publication in the Plane & Pilot online Winners’ gallery.
Total Third Place ARV: Approximately $555.78
Current total ARV of all prizes: $5,107.33
If, for any reason, the Sponsors do not feature any of the winning entries in Plane & Pilot Magazine, no compensation or substitution will be provided; however, the remainder of prize package will be awarded and the Sponsors will have no further obligation to winners. All prize details are at the sole discretion of the Sponsors. No substitution, cash equivalent or transfer of prizes permitted by winners. Sponsors reserve the right to substitute a prize (or portion thereof) of comparable or greater value, in their sole discretion. All federal, state and local taxes as well as any costs and expenses associated with prize acceptance and use not specified herein as being awarded are the sole responsibility of each winner. Prizes are awarded “as is” with no warranty or guarantee, either expressed or implied by the Sponsors. Limit one (1) prize per household.
USE OF ENTRY:
By submitting an entry, entrant grants the Sponsors and their designees an irrevocable, royalty-free, nonexclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use the entry and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes in Sponsors’ online galleries, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law. In addition, each winner grants to the Sponsors and their designees an irrevocable, royalty-free, nonexclusive, worldwide perpetual license to use and distribute the entry (as submitted, or as cropped by the Sponsors), and his/her name, city and state of residence for credit purposes, in any and all media now or hereafter known, including without limitation in Plane & Pilot and any Madavor Media magazines for purposes of promotion of this Contest except as otherwise stated herein, without further compensation, notification or permission, unless prohibited by law.
USE OF PERSONAL INFORMATION:
Your personal information collected in connection with this Contest will be used in accordance with Madavor Media’s Privacy Policy (available at http://www.outdoorphotographer.com/privacy-policy) including, without limitation, for marketing and promotional purposes.
MISCELLANEOUS: Released Parties (as defined below) are not responsible for late, lost, garbled, damaged, incomplete, delayed, undelivered, or misdirected entries or photographs or for computer, technical, printing, typographical, human or other errors relating to or in connection with the Contest, including, without limitation, inability to access any website associated with the Contest, errors which may occur in the administration of the Contest, the processing or judging of entries, the announcement of the prizes or in any Contest-related materials. If for any reason the Contest (or any portion thereof) is not capable of running as planned, including infection by tampering, unauthorized intervention, fraud, technical failures, or any other causes that corrupt or affect the administration, security, fairness, integrity, or proper conduct of this Contest, Sponsors reserve the right, at their sole discretion, to cancel, terminate, modify or suspend the Contest and, if terminated, at its discretion, determine winners from among all non-suspect, eligible entries received up to time of such action using judging procedure described above. By participating, entrant agrees (i) to be bound by the terms of these Official Rules and the decisions of the Sponsors and judges, which are final and binding in all respects, and (ii) to hold the Sponsors and their respective parents, affiliates, subsidiaries, prize suppliers and advertising and promotion agencies, and the respective directors, officers, employees and agents of the foregoing (collectively, the “Released Parties”), harmless against any and all claims and liability arising, in whole or in part, directly or indirectly, out of or in connection with participation in this Contest, acceptance and use of any prize or Released Parties’ use of any of the rights granted herein. Sponsors may disqualify (and void all associated entries) anyone from participating in the Contest or winning a prize if, in its sole discretion, it determines that such person is attempting to undermine the legitimate operation of the Contest by cheating, deception or other unfair practices, or intending to annoy, abuse, threaten or harass any other entrant or Sponsors’ representatives or who is otherwise not in compliance with the terms of these rules. ANY ATTEMPT TO DELIBERATELY UNDERMINE THE LEGITIMATE OPERATION OF THE CONTEST MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND SHOULD SUCH AN ATTEMPT BE MADE, THE SPONSORS RESERVE THE RIGHT TO SEEK DAMAGES AND OTHER REMEDIES (INCLUDING ATTORNEYS’ FEES) FROM ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL TO THE FULLEST EXTENT OF THE LAW, INCLUDING CRIMINAL PROSECUTION.
WINNERS’ LIST: For the list of winners (available after April 30, 2022), send a separate, stamped, self-addressed envelope to: PNP 2021 Your Flying World Photo Contest Winners’ List, Attn: Marketing Department, 35 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 101, Braintree, MA 02184, to be received by September 30th, 2021.
SPONSORS:
Madavor Media, 35 Braintree Hill Office Park, Suite 101, Braintree, MA 02184
Gura Gear, 9219 Katy Fwy Ste 179, Houston, Texas, 77024
David Clark Company, 360 Franklin Street, Worcester, MA 01604
Icom America Inc., 12421 Willows Road NE, Kirkland, WA 98034
Have questions? Get in touch!
For questions about our contests, email contests@planeandpilotmag.com.