Aug 14, 2017 | Aviation
Hurricane & Spitfire MkVb
captured by D5 / 24-70VR
I say sort of because there was so much that happened the first day, this is actually a quick note from the morning of the first day! The amazing folks at HAC were our hosts with the greatest ground crew making sure we and the aircraft were well taken care of. The planes were parked literally right on the taxi way. We were right there with them providing us great access and photographic opportunities!
Spitfire MkVb
captured by D5 / 300PF
The shooting was cool because the aircraft could be parked however I wanted on the famous Duxford Field. This WWII fighter base was the home of these two aircraft back in the day, a Hawker Hurricane and Spitfire MkVb. With killer backgrounds in all 360 degrees, it was a challenge at times just which to incorporate into the photo. We were fortunate at one point that the famous pilot, Charlie Brown, jumped into the Spit and took it for a flight. Upon his return he gave us a little “extra” hello to photograph. So with the great aircraft, ground crew, location and seriously fun participants, we were off to a smashing start to a killer two days!
Aug 8, 2017 | Aviation
Howard 500
captured by D5 / 24-70VR
Just like with big game, where to crop into an aircraft is a very common question. Just like big game, there is no guide where to crop on an aircraft. My usual response to the question, “Where to crop on big game” is so it doesn’t feel awkward or look like a dead animal nailed to a wall. That response doesn’t work for aircraft though. So what is the answer? I don’t know if there is a correct answer, this is just what I think about in my mind when cropping into an aircraft.
Howard 500
captured by D5 / 105f1.4
I look for the symmetry of the lines first of all. Unlike big game, an aircraft basically is the same shape, length, and design on the left side and it is on the right (yes there are some exceptions). This symmetry permits you to cut into one-half as long as you keep a symmetry in the remaining lines. Whether you show both sides like in the top frame or a section like in the bottom frame. Now cutting a plane exactly in the middle of the fuselage lengthwise never works, at least for me. The one big variable in this that you must take into consideration is the light. Highlights and shadows play a huge part in your success as they expose or hide details essential in making the symmetry work. Often when I crop into an aircraft I use side or backlight and very little front light. There are many, many possibilities but this is my personal starting point when I wonder where do you cut in.
Jul 19, 2017 | Aviation
Oshkosh is less than a week away and the question are pouring in what tips I might have. I regret we won’t be there this year but want to pass along a couple of speed tips. So I thought I’d cap the most common ways I like to put the action in my stills. Realizing most learn best from watching rather than reading, you can head to my Kelby Class on Aviation Photography for more in depth explanations. But just because you see planes here, these techniques apply to ALL moving subjects! Start with understanding that shooting unrestricted is essential! The less you carry, the more mobile you are, the more mobile and limber you are, the sharper the photos and better composed they are (here is a complete listing of the gear that’s with me, most in the vehicle just in case). With that in mind, here are some tips that you can apply to any action photography and airshows.
Put yourself in relationship to the action in a position where it performs around you. At airshows, aircraft often make a “photo” pass which is often done in what’s called a “banana pass.” If you can picture a banana with your being inside the curve of the banana, that’s basically a banana pass. When you’re on the INSIDE of that curve, the aircraft or athlete or motorcycle will will be MOVING into your frame which gives a feel of not only speed but also intimacy. Keep in mind that being on the inside of the curve, the subject will be going faster in relationship to your position so your panning has to be spot on.
Taking your shutter speed down below your comfort zone is key! Shooting in Shutter Priority to be in control of shutter speed and then the blur puts action into your still. In some cases the shutter speed is arbitrary based on how you feel. In some cases it could be a very specific shutter speed to blur props of aircraft or blades on a helicopter, in this case 1/20 to blur the blades of this Cobra. Keep in mind that your panning blurs the background and the degree of that blur is a function of how fast you’re panning vs. your shutter speed. Now if your background is all blue, bald sky, there is not a slow enough shutter speed to show motion. You need something in the background to scream movement.
When you’ve got the light, forget everything else! Ya, there are lots of rules, ideas, suggestions and sexy action that can grab your attention but when you’ve got light, ditch them all for that light. I love this example of just that because many tend to not photograph the bellies of aircraft. This belly shot is of a Hawker Sea Fury Race 232 which ended up in the victory circle in the 2012 Reno Air Races. On the afternoon this shot was taken, it wasn’t this fact that is was a winner that had me trained on 232 but rather the way the light played on its red color against the great blue / white background. The angle of the light makes all the rivits pop and creates a shadow that just makes it seem like it’s going faster. You can’t go wrong with great light!
Go for the ass! Any subject that is going away from you in the frame sets the mind to thinking movement. While this seems obvious, ass shots in themselves can be tricky. There is the matter of proper social protocol (not my speciality) along with attractiveness. There are a couple of aspects of subject positioning that goes along with this. Lower and centered in the frame is the place to start and then based on other elements in the frame can be moved about accordingly. When shooting the ass of an aircraft, the blurred prop is required to speak of movement. The slower the shutter speed, the more blurred the prop and the more blurred the prop, you change the position of the aircraft in the frame.
This one is real simple. When you have a great background, think of smaller subject size in a slightly awkward placement in the frame. Yeap, that’s all it takes for the mind to see the placement and move the subject through the frame against that background. I like simple!
Let the path set the movement. A track, street, sidewalk or trail of smoke communicates movement when you place the subject on that path. This again is another real simple one to employ but to take it to the next level, put the subject on the path again in a slightly awkward place.
Low angle with a wide angle is a great way of communicating motion! Here is a classic example considering the only thing moving in the frame are the props. The rule of thumb is to leave enough room in the frame in front of the subject for the mind to give the subject motion. You can enhance this mental path by getting down low with a wide angle. This technique is great when in reality, you’re crammed up in a crowd and can’t get physically where you want to. In the case of aviation, think of slow shutter speed and not keeping the horizon plum. Here, it’s slightly slanted up hill and the sun is included (lens closed down all the way for a sunburst) to finish the feel.
Follow your subject in the viewfinder for its entire path! You just never know what surprises you might find in the viewfinder that if your eye is not up against it, you’ll miss. In this case these Stearman finished a loop right overhead so a normal view of an aircraft from the ground, looking at the top of the aircraft, was all you see in the viewfinder. A unique perspective to any common subject begins the journey of having a unique photograph!
Cramming action into a vertical creates lots of mental movement in a still! The tension of the subject looking like it’s going to run into the side of the frame can work with the rest of the elements are in sync. Other elements? Ya, light, blur, color, placement in the frame vertically, all those elements that together bring movement to the subject. Keep in mind that as soon as you turn the camera to vertical, your panning gets more difficult and composition more challenging. At the same time, the rewards for success goes up as well.
Never ignore the common! This Huey is no warbird or screaming jet yet I would be really bummed if it weren’t in my files. When you can make the uncommon out of the common, your photograph always wins! In this case, since it’s an airplane and it’s up in the sky, the mind knows it’s flying and that in itself says motion. Use proper handholding and panning, look for the light and think motion with a big dash of fun and you will be successful! have a great weekend shooting!
Jul 7, 2017 | Aviation
A common question I get is how I create my “arse” shots? While they’ve been shot forever, I seemed to have hit on a combination of elements that combined in the viewfinder grabs folks imagination. The key ingredient is the light. Next is the background and finally is the foreground. Or in other words, I treat the arse shot just like I do a landscape photograph. It’s in my mind the same elements crammed into the same viewfinder but with a slightly different story. The one huge difference between the landscape and the arse photograph is the arse shot has got to have perfect symmetry and that’s really the only trick to success.
The symmetry is really easy once you know the “secret.” I have the grid turned on in my D5, D500 & D750 and that’s really all it takes. The center line of the grid is where you place the vertical stabilizer (tail), the center of the fuselage and tail wheel (if present). Then the wing tips are places on the same vertical line on the side of the grid to level the aircraft. I level the aircraft, not the ground. With that done, the symmetry is done and the arse shot ready to be taken. Personally, I love shooting the arse shot with the 24-70VR setting up so the plane fills the frame at 24mm and then zoom it to 70mm to take the sectionals of the arse. Now if only there were a”grid” in the camera for great light, it would be a snap!
Jun 27, 2017 | Aviation
I’m absolutely thrilled and honored to have a 6 page spread in the current Amateur Photographer! And what great timing with our upcoming UK Duxord Aviation World War II Photographic Experience event comin up. Highlights some of what you’ll photograph, learn and experience! Thanks, Amateur Photographer!
Jun 6, 2017 | Aviation
So, can you use a shallow depth of field with a big subject? That’s a really good question because it comes down to defining, “What’s the subject” which for many is hard to say. Yet this is the essential question we must ask every time we go click! Once we can define in our own mind what the subject is, we can define it in the viewfinder and from there determine what is the best f/stop, depth of field we want. And at that moment decide if we can go shallow with big.
Here are two examples from this past weekend at Neighbors Day at Felts Field, Spokane where I thought going shallow with big was the only right answer. I wanted the Laird to POP from that background so I shot at f1.4 (shooting with the 105f1.4). The DC-3, with all that type, shooting wide open was easy because the mind can still read all of the type but it first focuses on the American Flag where I focused the lens. So ya, once you know the subject, you can define it and easy show it going shallow if it’s big!
