How did you get into aviation photography and when did it turn into a career?
It all began in 1979 when I was a young conscript in the former Leichtes Kampfgeschwader 41 (later Fighter-Bomber Wing 41) of the German Air Force.
In those days I had a cheap single-lens reflex camera which I used to take black and white images for the Wing’s monthly magazine of which I became editor.
Then in 1983 I became the Germany correspondent for the Israeli military magazine Defence Update International.
By now I was using professional Canon cameras and I was soon taking shots flying aboard Starfighters, Phantoms and Jaguars and later F-15, F-16, F-100, Tornado and Mirage 2000.
I have logged 225 flight hours in 17 different types of military jet aircraft including MiG-23 and MiG-29. I am proud to say that more than 75 of those hours have been aboard Eurofighter Typhoons!
What are the main challenges involved in getting a good shot?
Successful photography is all in the planning. Before every mission, I discuss with the crew every detail I want to achieve and what is required to get them.
I think about everything from the position of the sun, the formation of the jets before their movements and where and how they have to move. I already have the final picture in mind but the art is to get all of the aircraft positioned so that the image happens.
At the debrief when the pilots say “We never did that before” I know my shots will be spectacular.
How do you describe your style?
My style is simple — to try and catch images in the air like the striking box art paintings of the Airfix kits back in the 1970s!
What makes the Eurofighter Typhoon a good subject for your work?
The Eurofighter Typhoon is my number one jet for aerial photography. It is fast and highly manoeuvrable.
From the formation splitting, in a very short time, the whole flight is able to reform together ready for the next photo set-up.
Due to its raw power that also goes for formation loops, when I want to catch pictures in the vertical or while going over the top.
Where have your images been published?
My work has been published all around the world including in Japan, the UK and the US.
My proudest moment was covering the first visit of Israeli jet fighters to Germany in 2020 when I took a picture of the historical fly-by of a mixed formation of Israeli F-16s and German Eurofighters at the concentration camp memorial at Dachau.
The next day it was used on the front page of every Israeli newspaper as well as in many German newspapers.
Where has the work taken you?
While my work is based in Germany I mostly have covered the Luftwaffe all over Europe as well as the likes of Sheppard Air Force Base in Texas, Goose Bay in Canada, and Decimomannu in Sardinia.
