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Aviation Photography
Snapping pictures of aircraft may seem
like an eminently simple task but in truth along with wildlife
photography and sports photography aviation photography is one of the
hardest tasks a photographer can undertake. Obviously the best place
for aviation photography is at the many air shows that are organised
across the world usually over the summer season for the enjoyment of
the public, however there are other opportunities to allow you expand
your photography skill base somewhat if you know where to look.
Obviously in aviation photography the subject will do whatever it is
going to do regardless of lighting conditions and where you can
position yourself so often a large part of the challenge is getting
into a good situation so the light is kind to you and you can capture
some perfectly framed photographs.
Like wildlife photography you must be
familiar with both your subjects and your camera equipment. Since
aviation photography covers such a wide range of aircraft and they
sometimes require different camera settings it is worthwhile getting
to grips with altering your camera settings on the fly as often you
may only have a few seconds to adjust your camera, pan with the
aircraft and take the photographs. Although you may get some use from
the automatic setting on your camera the best photographs will be
attained with manual settings, often automatic modes cannot keep up
with the fast panning speed you must use and will not have time to
focus correctly.
As previously mentioned the first port
of call for the aviation photographer is an air show. Not only will
you be able to photograph the aircraft in the air but you will be
able to photograph everything aviation related in the static parks as
well. It is important to plan to arrive early and leave late as
during the height of the day the static parks will be filled with
wandering people preventing you from getting high quality
photographs. In fact some of the best days for aviation photography
are not on the show days itself but on the press days either side of
the show, quite often photographers can purchase a cheap ticket to
allow entry on these days and you will get to witness the arrivals
and departures without the crowd standing in your way. If you are
photographing from outside the airfield be careful not to block up
any emergency exits or stand in silly places, fortunately in the UK
the police are supportive of aviation photographers and will not move
them along however other countries take a dim view of pointing a
camera at any aircraft or airfields, particularly if they are
military installations so you are advised to do your homework if you
are travelling elsewhere in the world. A DSLR with a very long lens
is pretty much your only choice as an aviation photographer for
photographing the aircraft in the sky. If you are just starting out
with this hobby then a good quality zoom lens will do you well until
you can invest in separate lenses. Don't be completely person phobic
when photographing at an airshow, people are as much a part of the
scenery and the day as anything else and photographs taken on the
show days will look false and lacking in energy.
Your panning technique will be the key
to good photographs as an aviation photographer, and you must also
get used to adjusting your focus as you pan if possible. It takes a
while to become familiar with exactly how you should pan to get the
best quality images in aviation photography, but with a relatively
small amount of practice you will see your photographs come on in
leaps and bounds and soon you will producing professional quality
pieces. Don't be afraid to keep your shutter depressed and take
multiple images, it is better to be able to go through ten images and
choose the best than miss time the instant you press the shutter
release and end up with a mediocre image. You should also attempt
some more artistic shots if possible and not be afraid to fill up
many memory cards with images. One good thing about aviation
photography is that often tripods aren't required due to the fast
speeds at which you will be panning so you simply need to bring your
camera and selection of lenses for the day.
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