Aviation | Moose Peterson's Website

Simple Click – Simple Color

Aug 9, 2010 | Aviation

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK3266.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

I had to have some color on the site today :)

What if with Gray Skies you Shoot Sideways?

Aug 9, 2010 | Aviation

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1325.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

OK, now we’re thinking photography, looking at the problem at hand and trying to work out a solution so we can make lemonade. It would be killer if I could be McNally on the runway and in the back of a truck keeping pace with the planes so I could flash-fill them with 20 SB-900s. Besides McNally having better things to do with his time then this, the FAA kinda frowns on flash-fill from moving vehicles on an active runway. So what else can we do?

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1368.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

We know that shooting up against a gray sky sucks, but what about sideways, what does that do for us?

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1447.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

If, if you have the sun to your back and if, if there is just a hint, the faintest hint of that direction of light on the subject, then we have a slight prayer of not totally being screwed. Because when we have these things working for us, then we have the slightest of highlights on our subject. At the same time, the shadow is now minimized in the frame, it’s the smallest footprint we can get which is totally different when shooting straight up against the gray sky.

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1452.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

Then, if you can take a couple of quick clicks prior to the action to find the slightest density change in the gray sky, that will give you the slightest of visual depth and in this case, anything is better than nothing. And when you have gray skies, in my book you’ve got nothing so go for the long pass or bunt are your only options.

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1271.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

Then of course there is always this option. That’s fill the frame with as much of the subject you can to eliminate as much gray as possible. The A-1 Skyraider is such a cool plane, I wish I didn’t have to resort to this option to make something from nothing. But that’s what we often have to do in photography.

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

As with Birds, It Is With Planes

Aug 9, 2010 | Aviation

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1486.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

If there is one rule in wildlife photography, especially when it comes to birds in flight, is DON’T photograph against gray skies. Besides being an exposure nightmare (the range between the gray sky and under the bird too large for one click), it simply looks like shit! Well, swap out the bird and put in a B-17 you’ve waited all year to photograph and guess what, it still looks like crap! Damn!

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1508.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

Did I know it would look bad when I went click? You bet but I did it anyways for two reasons. First, it’s to break the jynx. That’s nothing other than something in my own head and that’s to at least photograph something for the first time so I won’t get skunked in the future. The other reason was to determine what the shutter speed I would need to blur the props when I have a real photo opp with the B-17. I think 1/90 to 1/125 will do just fine.

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1516.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

Now you might be looking at these photos and saying to yourself, “They don’t look that bad” or as someone emailed in asking why don’t I just stripe in a blue sky with clouds and not worry about the gray skies? Well here’s the deal, I know and that’s all that really matters. I know that better is out there so why settle. I know that with all the digital darkroom tools out there and that most are mastering them now, the only difference will come from the great capture. So that’s why I don’t settle, why I don’t swap out backgrounds and why I push my craft. I mean here is a classic WWII scene, P-51s escorting a B-17, even if I swapped out the gray sky for blue, the Mustangs would still be out of focus because they are traveling perpendicular to the direction I’m panning. I just don’t see why one should put in time to fix a crappy capture. So whether it’s birds or planes, gray skies just suck!

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital film

PS…why can you see into the bellies of these planes if the exposure range is as I suggest? Because I used the Fill Slider in ACR…a marvelous tool when you learn how to use it!

The Details are Everything

Aug 5, 2010 | Aviation

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1700.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

What’s the difference between this photo and the one below?

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1701.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

If you said the center red light reflection, you are correct. That’s the difference between back to back clicks and when you’re selecting images to finish and share, look for those minor details. They make a difference!

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 handheld on Lexar UDMA digital film

Seaplane Base

Aug 5, 2010 | Aviation

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1767.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

My aviation mentor and best bud Richard said let’s head over to the seaplane base for sunset. There was no sunset but there was some great photography to be had. I spend lots of time in float planes so this was like going home for me.

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1741.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

Yeah, it was dark and that was the cool part. It was also a challenge as things are still moving and you’ve got no shutter speed to stop them. You already want a shutter speed of 1/125 or slower to blur the prop but at ISO 100 in the low light, I was down to 1/10 – 1/30 in these exposures. To get the mood of the low light, -2 exp comp was dialed in and even with that, my shutter speeds were this low.

[swf]http://www.moosepeterson.com/swf_imgs/DAPOSHK1758.swf, 585, 473 [/swf]

Had no tripod, everything had to be done handheld. My keeper rate fell to only 67% in these conditions but I was still very happy with the end results. They almost have that Pirates of the Caribbean ride feel to them with the trees, lights and subdued colors. The running lights bring things to life and grab the eye. They would turn the landing lights off not to long after coming into the cove so it was a challenge to get the elements arranged in the frame fast enough to captured the lights. But when you did, it was a schweet shot!

Photos captured by D3x, 200-400VR2 on Lexar UDMA digital flim