Karl Drage - The Photographer

About

Living under the runway 12 approach for Alconbury, the regular departure track for Upper Heyford, and in an area witnessing literally tens of low level flights a day, it’s no surprise that Karl became totally smitten with the hobby. Karl joined the Air Training Corps when aged 13 and was fortunate enough to get air experience flights in Chipmunks, a Nimrod and a Hercules, plus powered glider flying in the Grob Vigilant.

It was only in September 2004 that Karl bought his first Digital SLR camera, a Canon EOS 300D and it was this that rekindled his interest in all things aviation. Previous to this he’d had around 5 years away from aviation. During 2005 he was privileged enough to get flights with 28(AC)Sqn in one of their Merlin HC.3s, flown by no less than the 2005 display pilot, Sqn Ldr Mark Beardmore, and a flight in an Army Air Corps Gazelle, flown by Chris Simms, whose weekend tasking involves flying the Alouette II with the Army Air Corps Historic Flight. In February 2007 Karl got his first opportunity to try out air-to-air photography when he was fortunate enough to get a flight on a USAF KC-135R flying a Red Flag tanker mission out of Nellis AFB. Since then he's also added a USAF KC-10A to the list, and he also experienced a UH-60L Blackhawk flight with the Alaska Army National Guard over their stunning local terrain.

Karl is always on the lookout for that different, special shot, and it's this passion that has taken him to eleven different countries so far, and he hopes to add to that tally in the coming years. While airshows offer nice photographic opportunities when the sun's shining, it's operational shooting which is Karl's great passion.

His photographic work has graced the pages of aviation magazines such as Air Forces Monthly, Aircraft Illustrated, Combat Aircraft and Aviation News, as well as Shortwave Magazine and Slovakian men’s lifestyle magazine ‘Brejk’. Perhaps his biggest scoop to date was when approached by the Daily Telegraph for permission to use his shot of the ‘Typhoon incident’ at the practice day for the Royal International Air Tattoo, in 2005. His first cover shot came in 2006 when Flight International ran with one of his Airbus A380 shots.

In 2007, Karl developed a strong relationship with 6 Sqn RAF, the Flying Canopeners, and was invited by the then OC6, Wg Cdr John Sullivan, to attend all of the significant moments in the (temporary) winding up of the Squadron and the subsequent retirement of the Jaguar aircraft from service with the RAF. Karl was heavily involved with the compilation of the book which was produced by Wg Cdr Sullivan to mark these events, Big Cat Diary .

Karl was involved with Cottesmore Aviation Group until September 2007 when he decided it was time to move on. He'd been one of the founder members. Karl retains his staff member position on the highly popular and recently revamped UK Airshow Review website.

Today Karl uses a pair of Canon EOS bodies, one the 40D and the other the 20D. He uses them in conjunction with Sigma 120-300mm f2.8, Canon 400mm f5.6L, 24-105mm and 10-22mm lenses.