Two Versus Two

Two Versus Two

One of the aspects of warfare is secrecy. Photo journalists are absolutely not allowed to strap themselves in the backseat of a jet fighter over Iraq or Afghanistan. So, photos from the cockpit while getting into an aerial dogfight are not available. Thanks to Photoshop we're able to place the viewer in that backseat, and give him the sense of speed and the three-dimensional character of such a battle.

Here you are sitting in the second seat of an F-15 Eagle which is flying wing on an Eagle lead aircraft that is starting to engage two MiG-29s meeting this pair head-on at high speed and low level.

Background is Terragen with Photoshop Zoom Blur. Aircraft: Eagle (with LN on the tail) was photo, two MiGs are actually one Flightsim screenshot used two times. Cockpit shot was photo on the ground with the canopy open. I 'closed' the canopy, meaning that I hand-made the window-sill with mirrors and handle, they were not in the picture. Then I used portions of this cockpit shot to recreate reflections in the glass like the helmet, window-sill, canopy railing and mirror, adding some white and black glares to the glass. About 11 items were paisted together. Took me 4 hours to get the viewer that action sense. I hope it's convincing...

Gruss Alle.