The Reds by Kurien Koshy Yohannan

Captured during the 2011 RAF Leuchars Airshow, this poignant image features the Red Arrows aerobatics team performing in a formation of eight. The photograph serves as a solemn tribute following the tragic loss of Flt Lt Jon Egging, whose aircraft crashed just weeks prior. By isolating the remaining eight jets against the vast sky, the photographer emphasizes both the precision of the formation and the profound absence left by a fallen comrade. The technical choice of a 500mm lens allows for a tight, impactful composition that highlights the grace and vulnerability of the aircraft, elevating a standard aviation shot into a powerful narrative of remembrance.

The Reds by Kurien Koshy Yohannan
Canon EOS 50D | Exposure 1/500sec @ f/9 | ISO 400 | Focal Length 500mm
Copyright Β© Kurien Koshy Yohannan
Light & Composition Photo of the Day

Kurien Koshy Yohannan

REGISTERED PHOTOGRAPHER

Based in Edinburgh, Scotland, Kurien Koshy Yohannan transitioned photography from a personal hobby into a central pursuit of his creative life. His work is driven by a deep-seated belief in the inherent beauty of the natural world and the diverse cultures that inhabit it. Through his lens, Yohannan seeks to inspire a renewed sense of stewardship for the planet, encouraging viewers to appreciate and safeguard the delicate coexistence of animal, plant, and human life.

Profile View Full Profile
14.8/20
RESONANCE
SCORE
448/500
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SUBMISSION
Award Reach | Reviews
17,352 views | 6 Reviews
Award Winner Photo of the Day
Award Date March 21, 2012
64.0
AWARD SCORE
Value 12.0
Clarity 12.0
Composition 15.0
Style 13.0
Skill 12.0
Photograph Location
RAF Leuchars, Scotland

AWARD SEGMENT | TAGS

Kurien Koshy Yohannan Photography
Motion Photography

Resonance Score Breakdown

Transparency in Award Scoring

Transparency Note: The resonance score (14.6/20) is calculated based on social engagement metrics collected before the award announcement.

Social Shares
5.0/5 points
1,876/1,000 Social Share
Page Views
5.0/5 points
17,352/2,500 Page View
Reviews
0.1/5 points
1/100 Review
Submissions
4.5/5 points
448/500 Submission
Jury Score: 64.0/80
Resonance Score: 14.6/20
Total Award Score: 78.6/100

Expert Photography Reviews · 5

Isabelle Fontenay Colour Harmony, Tone & Atmospheric Light Expert Review
Against the bruised, melancholic grey of a Scottish sky, those crimson streaksβ€”the hue of dried arterial blood or a Turner sunsetβ€”vibrate with a haunting, discordant intensity that makes my own heart ache. It’s a chromatic elegy, where the mechanical precision of the Red Arrows’ scarlet paintwork clashes against the infinite, indifferent atmosphere, creating a visual silence so profound that one can almost hear the missing pilot’s absence echoing in the cold, thin air.
Clara Whitfield Award Criteria, Legacy & What Makes an Image Endure Expert Review
Most aviation photography is just noise, but this frame hits differently. By isolating eight jets against that vast, empty expanse, Yohannan forces us to confront the missing ninth. It’s a gut-wrenching void. I’ve seen thousands of airshow shots, yet this one lingers because it captures grief rather than just speed. The 500mm compression makes the formation feel fragile, almost human. It’s a rare piece of documentation that will still matter thirty years from now. I’m genuinely moved.
Thomas Hargreaves Earned Photographs, Craft Discipline & the Long Wait Expert Review
Aviation photography is usually a frantic affair of shutter-mashing, but Yohannan clearly held his nerve here. That 500mm lens demands a steady hand and a cold, disciplined eye. By isolating the eight jets, he’s turned a noisy airshow into a quiet, aching void. I’ve stood on that damp Leuchars tarmac; it’s a miserable place to wait for anything. He didn't just snap a plane; he captured the silence left behind. It’s a haunting, earned piece of work.
Yusuf Al-Hamdan Landscape, Light as Presence & the Spiritual Dimension Expert Review
The sky over Leuchars isn't just air; it’s a hollow space, heavy with what’s missing. Watching these eight jets carve through the grey, I feel a sudden, sharp ache in my chest. It’s the silence of the ninth pilot that lingers here. He waited for the precise moment when the formation felt like a prayer. It’s not about the speed of the machines, but the stillness of the grief they’ve left behind in that vast, cold blue.
Eleanor Voss Composition & Visual Structure Expert Review
The formation’s geometry dictates the frame. Eight vectors slice the negative space, creating a rigid, diagonal tension that refuses to collapse. It’s a disciplined exercise in spatial weight. The 500mm compression flattens the sky into a singular, oppressive plane, forcing the aircraft into a tight, rhythmic sequence. I’m struck by how the missing ninth element creates a structural void that’s impossible to ignore. The composition doesn't just hold; it demands a cold, architectural silence.
Reflections on this Photograph
By Priya Kapoor

The Ache of the Empty Chair

There is a specific kind of cold that settles in the marrow when a space is left intentionally vacant. It is not the absence of heat, but the presence of a ghost. I remember the Sunday dinners after my grandfather passed; the table was set for six, but we were only five.

Read the reflection →
By Clara Menezes

The Geometry of Loss

We are taught that a circle is a symbol of wholeness, a line that returns to its own beginning, unbroken and infinite. But there is a particular ache in a shape that has been forced to open, a geometry that suddenly finds itself incomplete.

Read the reflection →

Reviews & Comments

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6 replies
  1. georgeta alexa says:

    vitejia acestor oameni de a conduce asemenea aparate nu are limite. cinste lor .bravo foatre frumos.. imi place mult.

    Reply

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