Standing all day on a hill waiting for a low flying aircraft to come by is perhaps not everyone’s choice for a day out. For me it is both relaxing and at times exhilarating during the few seconds it takes for an aircraft, travelling at seven miles a minute (420 knots or 778 km/h), to pass. It’s the anticipation of an aircraft appearing at any moment and the desire for stunning image, that keeps you going.
Low level photography is hit and miss, it requires a great deal of perseverance and patience. Some days you may get a dozen or more fly-by’s, other days you could get nothing at all. Trying to second guess where the low level flying operations will be is extremely difficult, luck plays a major part in getting some good low flying action.

When to go
There appears to be very little pattern to the daily movements. Fridays can be slow in the afternoons, but not always. Expect to see low flying anytime between 09:00 and 17:00, however there are always exceptions, the unmarked Tornado GR.4 (left) was shot at 18:14 one glorious summer evening in August 2006, another Tornado flew up a adjoining valley 30 minutes later.

I pick my days to go to the hills carefully, looking for good weather before I make the decision go. With a limited amount of time available in the year, I try to ensure I get a dry and bright day, for a good set of images. As the weather is often unpredictable I have been caught out with poor weather on numerous occasions. Standing on a bleak hill in the rain or in low cloud is not much fun. Cold weather is never a problem if you wear the right clothing. Strong winds make it very difficult to handle telephoto lenses and may even prevent aircraft from taking to the air.
Right: The cloud descended to cover the hilltops but not too low to prevent this Hawk from RAF Valley from flying its low level sortie.

Where to go on the day
Numerous valleys in north Wales, the Lake District and in Scotland are used for low flying and are suitable for low level photography. Where I go is dependent on the weather and the line the aircraft tend to fly a particular location. Light and the angle the aircraft presents to the camera, go together to make the image.
To get the best results you need to get above the action and as close as possible. Tight valleys, or choke points, with steep sides are essential, if you are to get shots from above or the side with the ground in the background, thus emphasising low level flying action. Positioning yourself on long straight valleys will produce aircraft side-on shots, the inside of a bend will produce top shots and the outside of a turn will produce bottom shots.

Getting the best possible angles and light on the subject can really make an image stand out.
Above left: This 208(R) Squadron Hawk was captured in the early morning light (09:11) in April 2007 and stands out nicely against the misty background. Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L (x1.6) f7.1 1/500 at ISO 200.
Above right: This image from August 2004 of Harrier GR.7 (ZG857) from the former Fast Jet & Weapons OEU was the first in a sequence and has been cropped quite a bit. The angle of the aircraft is very attractive and the gentle light from behind enhances the aircraft's contours. The image was selected for the RAF Calendar. 
 

How high you climb affects the angles the aircraft presents to the camera, the position of the sun is another major influence on where to go. With bright sun behind you a crisp bright image is guaranteed. As the sun moves across the sky during the day, then swapping valley sides can be worth while. Shooting toward the sun naturally produces silhouettes and flare with a corresponding loss of detail, which is usually undesirable. The time of the year and the line of the sun should also be taken into account. During the winter months when the sun is lower, shadows can move up the valley sides during the afternoon.
On overcast days the reasons for avoiding south facing hillsides are negated. Defused light reduces the depth of shadows and highlights so that shooting into the sun is easier, particularly as you tend to shoot down to the aircraft flying below you. The final decision on which hill to climb is sometimes made on arrival, when local conditions can be properly assessed. With all these variables there is plenty of scope for good and not so good decisions to be made, which is half the challenge.

Above left: In north to south running valleys it is not always possible or desirable to swap sides at mid-day. Shooting into the sun for part of the day is the consequence in sticking to one side of the valley. This Tornado GR.4A of 13 Squadron was taken mid-morning in September 2004. Reducing exposure by up to one f-stop to avoid blown out highlights is essential if detail is not to be lost from the aircraft's upper surfaces.
Above right: Jaguar T.4 of 6 Squadron just before their disbandment in May 2007. The weather was overcast and so I was able to capture this shot from a south facing hill in Wales during the mid-afternoon. The damp weather has caused attractive vortices to be formed from the wing tips. Canon EF 300mm f2.8 L (x1.6) f4 1/640 ISO 200.
 

Apache AH.1 (ZJ190) of Army Air Corps 662 Squadron, 3 Regiment in June 2006
Reducing the camera's shutter speed for propellers and rotors is used to increase blur and show movement, 
but this increases the risk of a soft or blurred image. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L (x1.6) f11 1/125.
 

The best shots from the best spots:
Most of the images in this report were taken in the hills of Wales (LFA 7) and Cumbria (LFA 17).
 

RAF Lakenheath based F-15E Strike Eagle it was first of a pair in June 2005

Left to right: Bae Systems Hawk 100 demonstrator (ZJ951) in its new paint scheme applied specially for the SBAC show at Farnborough to which it was flying in July 2006.
Typhoon F.2 (ZJ914 DE) of 11(F) Squadron using call sign 'Typhoon 27' in May 2008.  Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/800 at f9 ISO 200 with -2/3 exposure compensation and x1.4 extender.
Tornado GR.4A (ZA402) is used as a systems test aircraft and was operated by Bae Systems out of Warton in September 2006.
Harrier GR.9 (ZD406/35) in joint 800/801 Naval Air Squadron markings just before sunset at the end of November 2007. In March 2007 the Naval Strike Wing (NSW) was formed comprising elements of 800 and 801 Squadrons. 

Going Knife edge
Left to right: Two-seat Jaguar T.4 (XX841) when operating with QinetiQ at Boscombe Down.
Hawk T.1 of 4 FTS from RAF Valley.
First of a pair of Harrier GR.9's (ZG530/84) in 800/801 NAS colours from the new Naval Strike Wing in March 2007.

Tornado GR.4A of 13 Squadron RAF Marham, carrying inert practice bomblets in two CBLS (Carrier, Bomb, Light Stores) pods.
Canon EF 100-400mm L (400mm) f5.6 -1/2 exposure compensation 1/350 ISO 200.

Side on shots showing squadron markings for use as an historical record.

Jaguar GR.3 (XZ394/FG) with 41 Squadron when based at RAF Coltishall in June 2005.

Left to right: One of two Hawk T.1's (XX219) specially painted for the 2004 display season, it was inscribed ‘1974-2004 30 years’. As there is an increased risk of a bird strike when flying at low level, it was been decided not to fly specially painted Hawks at low level until the display season have finished. It was photographed flying low through the Lake District in December 2004.
Hawk T.1 (XX307) in the new paint scheme for the 2007 display season. August 2007.
Alpha Jet E (E10 314-UL) from the French Air Force's (Armée de l'Aire) Ecole de L'Aviation de Chasse 00.314 based at Tours during an exchange with 208(R) Squadron in May 2008. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/800 at f9 ISO 200 with -2/3 exposure compensation and x1.4 extender.
Hawk 132 (ZK121) is with BAe Systems at Warton being tested prior to delivery to the Indian Air Force in May 2008. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/800 at f9 ISO 200 with -2/3 exposure compensation and x1.4 extender.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4 (ZA551/AX) in full 9 Squadron markings before Tornado fleet numbering had taken hold in June 2006.
Harrier T.10 (ZH664/112) of 20(R) Squadron from RAF Wittering in October 2005.
Dominie T.1 (XS737/K) of 55(R) Squadron which is part of 3 FTS based at Cranwell which approached quite high, as Dominies operate so slowly (210 knots or two miles a minute), I was able to scramble up the hill a little and was able to catch it as it passed in front of the high peak in front, December 2005. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/500 at f5.6 ISO 200 with -2/3 exposure compensation.
F-15E Strike Eagle (00-3002/LN) of the 48th Fighter Wing, 494^th Fighter Squadron out for the second time today in February 2008. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/640 at f8 ISO 200 with -1/3 exposure compensation.

Harrier GR.7A of 800 NAS from RAF Cottesmore and just back from Afghanistan, captured in Wales in April 2006.
Canon EF 300mm f2.8L (x1.6) f7.1 1/500 ISO 200

Tornado F.3 (ZE755 YL) with QinetiQ and operating from Boscombe Down in March 2007. 
The WSO in the back-seat has spotted me!

Left to right: Harrier GR.7A (ZD376/24A) of 800 NAS based at RAF Cottesmore in their first week of operations after reforming, 
F-15E Strike Eagle (91-0314/LN) with stunning light and detail. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L lens and x1.4 extender (x1.6).
Typhoon T.1 (ZJ814 QO-Z) of 3(F) Squadron in May 2008. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L lens. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/800 at f5.6 ISO 200 with -2/3 exposure compensation.
Typhoon F.2 (ZJ922 QO-C) of 3(F) Squadron using call-sign 'Typhoon 12' in May 2008. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/800 at f9 ISO 200 with -1/3 exposure compensation.

Left to right: Bae Systems Hawk 100 demonstrator (ZJ951) in July 2006. It was flying with a Hawk camera-ship down from Warton on its way to SBAC at Farnborough.
Hawk T.1 of 19(R) Squadron with the pilot's low level maps clearly visible on the dash', 
100 Squadron Hawk T.1. with the instructor in the back seat giving me a waive.

Tornado GR.4 (ZA400/011) still in 'Operation Telic' markings complete with 'sharks mouth' markings.

C-130K Hercules C.3 (XV202) of Lyneham Transport Wing low flying through Wales in August 2007.
Some valleys are one sided offering panoramic backdrops to the shots to give that air to air feel.

Don't miss the last shot!  The going away shot at the end can make it look like the photographer is in the second aircraft of a two-ship flying in an echelon formation.

May 2007, Jaguar T.4 with after-burners, you don't get this lucky too often!
Canon EF 300mm f2.8L (x1.6) at 1/640 f4 ISO 200

Left to right: Apache AH.1 (ZJ190) of Army Air Corps 662 Squadron 3 Regiment in Wales in June 2006. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L f11 at 1/125.
Tornado GR.4 (ZA459/F in special markings) of 15 Squadron RAF Lossiemouth.
Tornado F.3 (ZE342/DZ) when with 11 Squadron in 2005 and before its disbandment later in the year.
Hawk T.1W (XX181) of 208(R) Squadron in July 2008. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L 1/640 at f4 ISO 200 and cropped.

Left to right: Tornado GR.4A (ZG705) with wings swept back in 13 Squadron markings with its new fleet code '118' in August 2006.
Tornado GR.4 (ZD746/TH) in it's former SOAEU / FJ&W OEU markings but with a recently applied 'TH' code, suggesting it was flying with 15(R) Squadron from Lossiemouth in August 2006.
Tornado GR.4A (ZG729/M) of 13 Squadron low through mid-Wales in March 2007.

Flying low in pairs is common but capturing both in the same image is not quite so easy.

Left to right: Two Tucano's entering a valley in the Lake District and Hawks from RAF Valley and finally a pair of 492FS/48FW F-15E Strike Eagles from RAF Lakenheath.

Zoom out or shoot early to capture some breath taking scenery. Just how low do they appear to fly, an elevated position and a long lens will exaggerate the low level effect?

F-15E Strike Eagle of 48th FW / 494th FS from RAF Lakenheath, late morning in September 2004.

Left to right: 208(R) Squadron Hawk T.1 in December 2003.
1 Squadron Harrier GR.7 flying towards the sun in December 2003.
Tornado GR.4A (ZG729/M) of 13 Squadron in June 2007.

Warbirds at Low Level. On rare occasions its possible to capture shots that appear to go back in time

Left to right: The Battle of Britain Memorial Flight (BBMF) at the 60th Anniversary of the Dambuster Raid, Derwent Valley May 16, 2008. 
Avro Lancaster B1 (PA474) was painted in 2007 to represent one of the most famous of all Lancasters, 'Phantom of the Ruhr'. Canon EF 300mm f2.8L at 1/250 to 1/320.
Douglas C-47 Dakota (ZA947) 'Pegasus'.

The University Air Squadron and Civilians at low level. Not always the most challenging of aircraft to photograph

Left to right: Grob Tutor (G-BYXX) of the Liverpool UAS based at RAF Woodvale.
Northumbrian Police Authority BN-2B-20 Islander (G-NESU) known as the 'North East Air Support Unit'.
Bulldog T.1 (XX695/G-CBBT).
Bolkow Bo-105 (G-NAAA) operated by the Wales Air Ambulance having just recovered a person and taking him to a hospital in May 2008.

Good luck, it can be very rewarding.

Typical locations for low level flying