Back to all articles Photographer's Day Off. A General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon in flight at the Royal International Air Tattoo

Just for the Love of It

Photographer’s Day Off

A photographer’s day off might sound like time to put the camera away – but for John Fox, it usually means something quite different. One of the very first things John ever pointed a camera at was an aeroplane at Leicester Airfield, just a couple of miles from where he grew up. That little camera (you can still spot it on the About page) wasn’t built for aviation, but that didn’t matter. Waiting for the film to return was part of the excitement. The magic was in the surprise.

 

AgustaWestland AW101 Merlin Helicopter at RIAT 2025. Image by John Fox.
Sikorsky UH-60 Black Hawk Helicopter displaying at RIAT 2025. Image by John Fox.
Photographer's Day Off. AugustaWestland AW159 Wildcat Helicopter at RIAT 2025
Photographer's Day Off. Boeing CH-47 Chinook Helicopter at RIAT 2025. Image by John Fox.

Back to the Beginning – With Better Gear

Recently, John met a member of the Royal International Air Tattoo media team through a wedding. They offered him tickets to the show at RAF Fairford in Gloucestershire – and of course, he accepted.

This visit brought back memories. Days out at airshows with his parents. The sound of engines overhead. But this time, he came prepared. Armed with some of the latest kit and a Canon 100-500L lens hired from The Flash Centre in Birmingham, he had everything needed to capture flight in full detail. This wasn’t a wedding – but the love for the lens stayed the same.

From helicopters and prop planes to fast jets, each subject needed a different approach. Settings were adjusted constantly. For John, this didn’t feel like work. It felt like play – a chance to chase the perfect shot just for the fun of it.

 

Photographer's Day Off. Avro Lancaster with a Spitfire and Hurricane at RIAT 2025 the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight
Photographer's Day Off. Airbus A400M Atlas at RIAT 2025
Photographer's Day Off. Extra EA-300 Royal Jordanian display team at RIAT 2025.
Photographer's Day Off. The Frecce Tricolori Italian Air Force's Display Team at RIAT 2025.
Photographer's Day Off. Red Arrows in diamond 9 formation at RIAT. Image by John Fox.

Just for the Love of It

There’s a real joy in photographing something for no other reason than passion. John took over 1,000 frames and a quick edit pulled out 60 early favourites. Now comes the hard part – choosing which one will go on the studio wall.

What started as a photographer’s day off turned into a reminder of where it all began – and why it still matters.

 

General Dynamics F-16 Fighting Falcon at RIAT 2025. Image by John Fox.
Photographer's Day Off. Eurofighter Typhoon flying at RIAT2025
Photographer's Day Off. Boeing F/A-18E/F Super Hornet flying at RIAT 2025.
Photographer's Day Off. F16 Fighting Falcon at the RIAT 2025 with fluff.

Your Photographer

Get in touch for your photography requirements by clicking here – I have photographed several pilots weddings over the years !