Best Aviation Photography

[firstaider]

Last year I tried my hand at aviation photography in a Piper Apache. (I wasn't driving!). I found a few snags:
1. The side windows are fairly high for sideways shots.
2. The front windscreen is also high and you don't see much of the ground unless the pilot dives.
3. The side windows do not open so the shots are through the "clear" material and do spoil pin sharp images.

I also tried photos from a hot air balloon. A very good base for photos so long as the light is from the right direction.

[Colin Southern]

Last year I tried my hand at aviation photography in a Piper Apache. (I wasn't driving!). I found a few snags:
1. The side windows are fairly high for sideways shots.
2. The front windscreen is also high and you don't see much of the ground unless the pilot dives.
3. The side windows do not open so the shots are through the "clear" material and do spoil pin sharp images.

I also tried photos from a hot air balloon. A very good base for photos so long as the light is from the right direction.

It kinda/sorta depends on the aircraft; a high wing like a Cessna 172 gives a better view of the ground, although the wing strut & spat get in the way a bit. With a low wing plane the easiest way is to just put the aircraft in a steep bank, but the downside is if we try to maintain height then you end up pulling a few "G", which isn't the most comfortable thing (although it's a better "lunch preservation technique" than diving )

Shooting through the plexiglass can be OK or it can be a nightmare; most have abrasive scratches and you can get some wicked flare if the sun is shining on them. Of course it always helps to clean the windows before flight if it's a photo op flight

The other option is to either open a door or window (or in fact even remove a door), but you start to 'raise the bar" in terms of equipment & planning. I always meant to try shooting through the little storm flap (about a 4 inch square mini-window that can be opened in flight), although with about 90 blades per second passing by a few inches away on the outside, you wouldn't want to poke a long lens too far through though

[Colin Southern]

If you guys don't stop talking about aviation I might have to "do a Schumacher" and come "out of retirement"!

[Ashwin]

One more to add

[Ricko]

Seeing this reminds me that I never did find out the name of that mountain



South East of Colin's home, if my memory serves me right!

[arith]

Can't see many roads.

[Ashwin]

Both photographs are excellant in Photography... But I liked 2nd one

[Colin Southern]

Seeing this reminds me that I never did find out the name of that mountain

Was it in the same area as the 2nd shot?

South East of Colin's home, if my memory serves me right!

I'm afraid that it doesn't leap out as being anywhere obvious to me, but then again, I haven't spent a lot of time flying the east coast.

[Ashwin]

another one

[arith]

Some people are just plain show offs. I don't understand why anybody wouldn't wait 1 second to clear the ground before climbing.

[Colin Southern]

Some people are just plain show offs. I don't understand why anybody wouldn't wait 1 second to clear the ground before climbing.

Here's a clip on what that's like (plus a lot more) from INSIDE the cockpit ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM9t_...rom=PL&index=2

[Ricko]

Was it in the same area as the 2nd shot?

Nope, the first shot was on the way home. Flying from Dubai to Birmingham airport.

I'm afraid that it doesn't leap out as being anywhere obvious to me, but then again, I haven't spent a lot of time flying the east coast.

The second shot is of Kaikoura. So looking on the map its more south of you than south east

[arith]

Here's a clip on what that's like (plus a lot more) from INSIDE the cockpit ...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uM9t_...rom=PL&index=2

Well I couldn't do that now because I'm like the bionic man but without the super powers. It did look like he was working a tad hard although I've been in a phantom and was amazed how the pilot managed to fly it with so much forces acting on them. The greatest G-force I've experienced was +5 in a stressed DeHavilland Chipmunk where I got tunnel vision but without a flying suit or special trousers and this was part of a medical assessment when I was aged about 14. Suppose it was just to show me what happens.

The most uncomfortable manoeuvre for me is banking 90 degrees and holding it; Ive done a loop and barrel roll over and over myself but not very good ones; the instructor got very angry about pear shaped loops but I did manage to pull one off and this was about the last time I flew in anything because my eyesight although good enough for private flying was getting worse and not good enough for the RAF.

Still; what's a second where you can climb safely a hundred feet or so before going vertical. Notice the pilot doesn't seem overtly stressed.

[Ashwin]

one more to add

[Colin Southern]

Nah - the Blue Angels do it better!

[Ashwin]

Nah - the Blue Angels do it better!

Hi Colin,

It is amazing, how they can perform so precisely in mid air...?

[Ashwin]

Another wonderful aviation photograph

[Ashwin]

one more to add

[Ashwin]

One more to add

[Ashwin]

Another example of spectacular aviation photography