By far one of the best nightshoots I’ve attended, the Buccaneer Aviation Group (TBAG), alongside Threshold Aero, truly know how to put on an exceptional event. From start to finish, the evening was thoughtfully organised, relaxed, and packed with opportunities to capture something special.
Arrival was scheduled between 3 and 4pm, giving everyone plenty of time to get settled. Once on site, we were escorted airside to park, which immediately set the tone—this wasn’t just another static shoot. After a concise but thorough safety briefing by our cars, we were cleared to make our way over to the two Buccaneers positioned outside the TBAG hangar. Seeing them up close in the late afternoon light was a moment in itself.
We kicked things off with some sunset shooting, making the most of the fading light while it was still just about possible to hand-hold a camera. As the sky began to warm with colour, an announcement came over the radio that one lucky person would be able to ride in the rear seat of a Buccaneer as it was towed to the hardstanding area for engine runs. An incredible opportunity—and made even better by the fact that the engine run was carried out by Red 7 Flight Lieutenant Ollie Suckling. Awesome doesn’t quite cover it.
From a purely photographic standpoint, the engine run was perhaps a little underwhelming. It was undeniably cool to photograph an RAF Buccaneer free from the backdrop of the TBAG hangars, but the overall spectacle didn’t quite match the anticipation. That said, there was a wing fold performed with the engines running, which caught most of us slightly off guard. As a result, very few managed to capture a clean shot with full light trails—a lesson in always being ready.
Once the engine run concluded, we headed back toward the hangars to await the Buccaneer’s return. During this quieter period, I took the opportunity to grab a few more images of the Navy Buccaneer, along with some detailed shots of the lone cockpit—often the kinds of images that end up being favourites later on.
When both Buccaneers were back in position, we moved into the most anticipated part of the evening: the wing folds. Each aircraft performed three sets of three wing folds, with photographers rotating positions each time to ensure everyone had the chance to shoot from multiple angles, including head-on. The coordination was excellent and really showed how much effort goes into making these events enjoyable for all involved.
As the night drew to a close, people gradually began to pack up and drift away. With a bit more space to work, I captured a final few shots of the Buccaneers parked side by side—simple, powerful images that felt like a fitting way to end the evening.
Overall, this was an incredibly successful Buccaneer nightshoot and a real credit to everyone involved in organising it. I’ll certainly be returning again next year, camera at the ready.
