Aviation Photography by Philip Stevens available for any assignment. 1000's of images (mostly action). Features on Air shows, Low Level, Air to Air and Base Visits. Bias towards military aircraft and photographic ideas/inspiration. Images for sale as prints or under commercial license.

   

Low level photography from the hills

 click to go to Home page  click to send an email to Target Aviation Photography  Click for commercial information  Click to go to the Portfolios page  Click to Search Target Aviation Photography Website  Click to enter find out more about Philip Stevens   

Best Aviation site
 

 On-Target ......  Philip Stevens, an aviation photographer for over 30 years

Flying with Special Operations Forces Flying in a DH.82A Tiger Moth Flying with the Army Air Corp On the flight deck of USS Theodore Roosevelt
Ready, willing and available for any assignment .......    

If you would like some air to air photographs I would by happy to offer my services free of charge. 

Got an idea then just ask....using either or both of the following email addresses  

Please use these email addresses to make contact

  My Published Work   (See my annual portfolio of published material)

 
Air Forces Review eMagazine

Philip Stevens is an Editor of Air Forces Review e-Magazine  

writing regular aviation photography features; for this very popular Aviation e-Magazine, 
 

  Some of my magazine front covers

My article and images including front cover on the Italian Air Force Gliding Centre (Centro di Volo a Vela) for Sailplane and Gliding magazine June/July 2011. Front cover (Major Filippo Zuffada is in the front seat), click to enlarge image 102_8912w7p Aeronautika July 2011, Front cover, 5,400 words and 14 images for article 'Letenje na malim visinama - Vještina koja je važna, ali brzo nestaje (Fly Low Level - An Essential but Perishable Skill)' Front Cover: F-15E Strike Eagle (98-0131) , click to enlarge image 092_3462w6 Front cover and 3 more low level images for feature in General Aviation Magazine December 2007, 'What the hell was that? How to avoid fast jets'  Click to enlarge image 071_4152p
UK Air Power 2011, Front cover, 5,400 words and 15 images for article 'Fly Low Level - An Essential but Perishable Skill' Front Cover image for UK Air Power 2011, Tornado GR.4 (ZD810 '102') it has 'Spirit of Speyside' nose art and was in XV Squadron marking flying low through mid-Wales in October 2008, click to enlarge image 082_2111w5  Air Forces Monthly February 2008 Front Cover of 13 Squadron Tornado GR.4 Original image used for Front Cover of Air Forces Monthly February 2008 of 13 Squadron Tornado GR.4, click to enlarge image 071_4192w4 Front cover: F-15E Strike Eagle (96-0205 'LN') in October 2011 Front Cover: F-15E Strike Eagle in mid-Wales during October 2010, click to enlarge image 082_2091w5+

 A number of aviation and photography magazines have recently published my work, notably; 

Aeronautika,  Aircraft Illustrated,  Air Combat,  Air Forces Monthly,  Air International,  Airports of the World,  Aranysas,  Aviation History,  Aviation News,  Aviation and Time,  Aviation World, Club Wings,  Combat Aircraft,  Control & Automation,  Flieger Revue,  Flight International,  Flying in Ireland,  General Aviation,  Loop,  Lotnictwo, The Moth,  Pilot,  Ptisi & Diastima,  RAF Magazine,  Rivista Aeronautica,  Royal Air Force Yearbook,  Royal Air Force Annual Review,  Sailplane & Gliding,   UK Air Power,  Digital Photographer,  EOS Magazine,  Outdoor Photography and even in Maxim!

 Aviation Photography - The aims of this website

Firstly, the Target Aviation Photography site aims to promote my main interest in life (apart from my family) aviation photography. Totally focussed on aviation photography if I am not planning an assignment or for an event, whether it be in the UK, Europe or North America, then I am taking time off to go to Wales or Cumbria for low level flying photography. Aviation Photography for me includes, vintage and veteran civil aircraft, warbirds (see Duxford/Imperial War Museum) and modern military aircraft which add a bit more excitement to aviation photography when they are flying. I am lucky to be able to fly with the RAF and other air forces for air to air images, which takes my aviation photography a stage further. Military base visits give me a chance to talk to pilots and to get in close. Aviation photography is so much better when the shots are taken of aircraft in their natural surroundings away from the public and barriers.

Secondly, the Target Aviation Photography website aims to bring ideas and inspiration to other aviation photographers. I hope that does not sound too pompous! I am just fed up of the same old side-on shots. Such aspects as; action, angles, backgrounds, time of day and weather should all be included in the creative thought processes.

 About Me

Follow me as 'TweetTargeta' on Twitter
   

Is it? It is! Is it really that big? Yes it is my new lens, January 2012.I was born in Toronto, Canada in 1956. My father served with the RAF in the 50's, but after moving to Canada for some years we returned to England to settle in the Midlands. From the mid 1960's I lived in Elmdon Lane, beside Elmdon Airport or as it is now known, Birmingham International Airport. I witnessed the first jet to land there in 1967, a KLM Douglas DC-9. I took up spotting from the age of nine or ten and photography followed a few years later. My first serious camera was a second hand Pratica 35mm SLR. I remember taking landing shots with my only lens, a standard 50mm, at RAF Valley in the early 70's whilst sitting amongst the landing lights, the jets were full frame! I bought my first telephoto lens in 1973 a 300mm f5.6 Sigma for just £22, my telephoto lenses have been replaced many times since, with more expensive models. I have favoured Canon equipment for the last 25 years or more.

Travelling widely I am searching for the most interesting and exciting aircraft images. I specialise in military aircraft and civil aircraft, as long as the type first flew before 1960. Why 1960 you ask, well prior to the 60's aircraft were hand crafted and had character, they were not the mass produced 'tins' of the modern day. I must admit these days it is getting harder to find quality civil aircraft when turning up by chance at a small French airfield for example. My favourite civil airfield is Cerny-La Ferte Alais just outside Paris, which is the home of l'Amicale Jean-Baptiste Salis (AJBS), with it's wonderful collection of veteran (warbirds!) aircraft. They host the
Meeting Aerienne at the end of May/early June each year.

My favourite museums are the Italian Air Force Museum (Museo Storico) at Vigna di Valle, Rome and the Belgium Air Force Museum (Musée Royal de l'Armée et d'Histoire Militaire) in Brussels. I must have visited Vigna di Valle at least 20 times over the years, the lakeside vista, the incredible unique exhibits are just a wonder. One of my favourite aviation shows used to be at Woburn Abbey, England where the DH Moth Club held their annual Moth fly-in which is now held at Belvoir Castle.

I have taken colour prints, processed my own film and black and white prints in a dark room constructed in my bathroom. I have 1000's of slides from a period when I did not have the time to process my film and prints. Since 2003 I have only used digital cameras, processing the digital images has given me once again, full creative control over my pictures. My two children and long-suffering wife struggle to understand my obsession for aviation photography but are supportive to a degree.

Mostly self taught, I attended Sutton Coldfield College to study photography achieveing an 'A' grade at GCSE level. I went on to get distinctions at 'City and Guilds' level exams for the following subjects; Movement and Action, Portraiture, Natural History, Black and White, and Photo-journalism.

Whilst I have images regularly published in books, magazines and on websites, I feel that nowhere near enough of my work has seen light of day.

This website is my opportunity to present my images to the world, I hope you enjoy them.

Philip Stevens

Please note: All images (unless otherwise stated) remain the copyright (c) of Philip Stevens, 
and should not be used in any medium without my written permission.