Ron Gessel captures the aerial acrobatics of the Red Arrows in Holland

Photographer Ron Gessel had never been to an air show before, but his brother-in-law invited him to one and he decided to pack his camera and head off for the day. “I must say I was really impressed,” says Ron. “I was hoping to capture some great photos but I really had no idea what to expect. So I just started shooting.” His images capture the formations of the Red Arrows, the display team of the RAF, as they go about their death defying feats. Ron’s photos capture the trails left by the flares released by the planes that provides a contrast between the clean lines of the aircraft and the soft hues left in their wake. “The challenge was to get them close and give the photos a kind of emotion or feeling,” he says. “I used a Nikon D300 with a Nikkor 18-300mm lens.”

Ron Took almost 500 photos throughout the day before retouching a final selection. “I make a rough selection and then I wait for a day and make a final selection – Kill your darlings!” says the photographer. The Amsterdam-based photographer trained as a graphic designer before turning to photography and has shot campaigns for the likes of Carhartt and Rabobank. Later this year there will be an exhibition of his work at Hilversum City Hall.