Airshow Warm up - techniques?

[biggerry]

Someone mentioned something about using photos to discuss a topic, so here goes...

airshow photography, not something I am not really a big fan of to be honest (reminds me too much of the plane spotters), I have been to teh Avalon show a few times (more work related then photography) and out to Temora, but both times used my old skool 100-300mm, which I love, however now have an upgraded lens 300mm f4 and a loaned 1.4 TC, I got some nice stuff at temora and avalon was ok too - so what experience do you have with taking pictures of fast moving objects? what techniques do you use? I suspect birds and cars would be in the same category.

I have found the conditions are quite crucial for plane photography, cool clear days are the best with some minor cloud cover (2-3 oktas for you aviation buffs) to soften the light works very well. Position is also particularly important, having an awkard angle to th eaircraft means a shot is doomed from the start, classic 3/4 angles or front angles or rear 3/4 angles are always winners in my mind.

This all leads to the next part, has anyone done any photography at williamtown? tips to share about the location?

Anyway as a warm up for teh weekend last sunday was perfect conditions during the golden hours (thats gentlemens hours of around 11am) and a few my regular tin planes rolled past my roof.

how nioce is teh light in this one? these are the conditions I want on saturday, however with the afternoon sun and possibly no clouds I dunno...


check, all engines ok

[Killakoala]

You shot these from your house????

Agreed though, the light is near perfect.

I prefer to shoot my aviation pics with the subject on the ground. That way you can get up close and personal.

[biggerry]

You shot these from your house????

Yep, backyard, I am basically two suburbs from the plane station

[aim54x]

Thanks for the tips, your backyard does look like a really good place to practice!

[gstark]

Ok,

Great light in these, Gerry.

While Gerry is able to give the planes a safety check as they pass over his backyard, one should not that he doesn't run a recording studio.

One trap to be wary of relates to your camera's metering system. As you're shooting towards the sky, if your glass isn't quite long enough, you will be observing that the aforementioned sky will form a party of the larger part within your image, and this can, may, and probably will try to corrupt how your camera reads the available light, to wit, it will think that you are photographing the sky, rather than a plane. Guess what that might do to your exposure?

Take exposure readings from subjects in open shade, and compare those with the auto readings that your camera is suggesting. Be prepared to dial in an extra stop or two, or three, to compensate for this.

Better yet, If lighting conditions are stable, go manual, and it's one less thing to worry about.

[surenj]

Nice shots Gerry. These are some ugly beasts....

airshow photography, not something I am not really a big fan of to be honest

Same here.

If lighting conditions are stable, go manual

One more vote for this.

[barry]

Advice for Williamstown? Get there early, they are expecting big crowds. Carpark opens 7-7.30. Gates open at 8.

[Matt. K]

Gerry
Nice use of fill flash with those planes.

[surenj]

Gerry
Nice use of fill flash with those planes.

High speed sync at it's best....

[zafra52]

Great photographs!

[biggerry]

Thanks for the tips, your backyard does look like a really good place to practice!

I reckon yours would be premo for the afternoon shots...

While Gerry is able to give the planes a safety check as they pass over his backyard, one should not that he doesn't run a recording studio.

correcto, not only is it the sound (which I don't mind) but everytime a big one rolls over the TV reception gets shakey...

Take exposure readings from subjects in open shade, and compare those with the auto readings that your camera is suggesting. Be prepared to dial in an extra stop or two, or three, to compensate for this.

Better yet, If lighting conditions are stable, go manual, and it's one less thing to worry about.

yeah, thats correct, it is very tricky, I always go manual for this stuff, then all you have to worry about is the different lighting conditions in the different parts of the sky - this can get more tricky when half the sky is white cloud and other parts blue...

Nice shots Gerry. These are some ugly beasts....

aww.. they ain't that bad, better than them helichoppers....

Advice for Williamstown? Get there early, they are expecting big crowds. Carpark opens 7-7.30. Gates open at 8.

traffic was all good - I have had worse coming to work in sydney, I reckon them newcastle peeps were paranoid, however, hats off to them for a well organised traffic solution, they even had mobile traffic cameras setup especially for teh event!

Gerry
Nice use of fill flash with those planes.

mother nature at her best!

Great photographs!

ta, I was pretty happy with these.

[surenj]

I reckon them newcastle peeps were paranoid

Yep! You have no idea what these fellas consider bad traffic! It's all relative I guess.

[ozimax]

Nice shots Gerry, but I reckon you need to take these from above the planes, sitting in a hot air balloon.

[radar]

Pretty late with this

But Moose Peterson has some pretty good aviation photography, even a new stock site. Have a look at:
http://www.warbirdimages.com/

and his blog has plenty of you search:
http://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=17174

The Canadian Snowbirds would be the equivalent of the Australian Roulettes.

André

[surenj]

Thanks for these Andre.

[biggerry]

Pretty late with this

But Moose Peterson has some pretty good aviation photography, even a new stock site. Have a look at:
http://www.warbirdimages.com/

and his blog has plenty of you search:
http://www.moosepeterson.com/blog/?p=17174

The Canadian Snowbirds would be the equivalent of the Australian Roulettes.

André

nice find Andre, definitely some good oil on his site!