By Nick Chismar
For nearly 33 years, the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s WWII Weekend has attracted visitors from around the world with three days of warbirds, reenactors, and endless experiences. While the event has always been an incredible opportunity for photographers over the years, there are a few other ways to experience and capture the event from a different perspective. Thanks to a group of volunteers, professional and amateur photographers have a chance to see and do it all with the WWII Weekend Photo Experience.
This special opportunity allows photographers to take part in both the sunset and sunrise photo walks and night photo shoots while also gaining access to the photo pit with an included three-day pass for the airshow for a non-refundable fee. Each of these individual opportunities would make for an incredible experience, but now all of them can be had together.
The Photo Pit is a new part of WWII Weekend, with its first year last summer. Located on the other side of the airport, the pit sits above runway 13 on the inside of the airport fence, giving photographers an unobstructed view of the performances. Not only is the location a bit closer to the show itself, but it also allows photographers to shoot with the sun to their back, unlike the event side where the aircraft are often cast in a shadow for most of the day. Participants will also be able to enjoy bagged lunches and water as well as port-a-potties, a hand washing station, and convenient parking.
The Night Photo Shoot has now become a staple for many photographers. Three iconic warbirds are brought forward and expertly lit by Lerro Photography while a wet taxiway allows for some reflective images. Past aircraft have included the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s replica D3A Val, CAF Airbase Georgia’s FG-1D Corsair, and the Delaware Aviation Museum’s B-25 Panchito. Each aircraft will perform engine run-ups, allowing photographers approximately 10 minutes to capture some incredible images.
The Sunset and Sunrise Photo Walks have also been a longtime favorite of many. Consisting of a tour of the ramp, the walks allow for unique images of aircraft and reenactors without the hustle and bustle of the airshow. The sunset walk takes place on Friday evening and the sunrise walk on Saturday morning with a Sunday rain date.
All these together make for a unique opportunity to photograph and experience WWII Weekend in a new way. Whether you are a professional photographer or an amateur enthusiast, the WWII Weekend Photo Experience is something you may not want to miss.
This offer is only available for a limited time. Anyone interested should send an email titled “WW2WE Photo Experience” to David Brown at moab149@gmail.com
For more info about the Mid-Atlantic Air Museum’s WWII Weekend, click HERE. *note the site is still under construction
