Backgrounds, backgrounds, background, I’m always looking at them backgrounds. Controlling the background is essential in wildlife photography so not only the subjects pops, but you can tell a story. The main tool we have for controlling the background in wildlife photography is focal length. Typically going long permits you to make small physical movements at the camera to either include or exclude elements. I apply this same basic technique to my aviation photography for the same reasons.
What you see in the top image is the finished version. While I had complete control, within reason, where I parked the B-17G “Thunderbird,” there was no place I could place it where there were no hangars. I don’t know who decided to paint all hangars boring tan, but I would like to have a talk with them because I’m tired of always dealing with them. I would have loved to shot Thunderbird straight down the nose but the junk in the background was just too much so I went to the side. To eliminate that junk further, I moved from the 24mm location to the 70mm location. But going longer and moving back, I take in less background. I don’t get the drama I’d like in Thunderbird but that drama would be lost in the background.
Most aviation photographers don’t fuse with the hangars, they leave them in and that’s just fine. I have meet just one editor in the aviation world who does not like that background junk removed. Since I use layers, if submitting to that editor, I leave the background junk in the frame. To the rest and in my portfolio, say bye-bye to that stuff. Now if the hangar in the background has character or tells a story, I leave it. In this case, they are just generic GA hangars. I do all I can at the point of capture to deal with the background because that is the best solution. After that, I will turn to PS to remove other photographers, buildings, whatever I feel detracts from the subject. Controlling the background is everything!