Aerial Photography - DPChallenge Forums

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

02/10/2005 03:14:02 PM · #1

This weekend I will be up in a Cessna 172s doing some aerial photographs of my place of work. I have never done this before. Do any of you have any tips on :-

1) shutter speed to use?
2) Vibration, how to avoid?
3) How low (I think we can go down to 500feet)?
4) Shall I shoot in raw or jpeg? (Do I go for the max amount of images I have two 1gb cf cards.)

I have a Canon 20d with the following lenses 10-22,18-55,75-300

I would appreciate any advice.

Thanks

thatcloudthere

Canon EOS-1D

02/10/2005 03:15:51 PM · #2

I look forward to some responses as well...My friend is a helicopter pilot and said he will likely be able to give me a free ride someday. Great photo ops, and I'll be saving $400/hour!

Message edited by author 2005-02-10 15:16:13.

Spork99

Canon EOS M6 Mk II

Canon EF-M 22mm STM Lens

02/10/2005 03:45:38 PM · #3

See if you can rent a gyro stabilizer

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/10/2005 03:55:10 PM · #4

The key to shooting from a fixed-wing aircraft is to have the pilot throttle back and glide while you are shooting; really minimizes vibration. Also, put the camera in manual focus mode and focus at infinity. And, of course, be sure that the door can be removed or the window opened so you aren't shooting through plexiglas.

Robt.

Mick

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

02/10/2005 04:04:08 PM · #5

Strap yourself underneath the wing, fly really low, and use a wide angle lens and fast shutter speed.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/10/2005 04:07:24 PM · #6

Originally posted by bear_music:

These most useful suggestions turn out to be somewhat problematic when you're flying in a Boeing 737 ...

thatcloudthere

Canon EOS-1D

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

02/10/2005 04:07:24 PM · #7

Originally posted by micknewton:

Strap yourself underneath the wing, fly really low, and use a wide angle lens and fast shutter speed.

As long as your not on assignment to shoot a cactus patch...

SteveJ

Canon EOS-7D

Canon EF-S 18-135mm f/3.5-5.6 IS

02/10/2005 04:10:54 PM · #8

Have a chat with the pilot and discuss the sort of shots you hope to get. Is the Cessna a high wing or low wing aeroplane??

If it is high wing then you can shot at almost any time, if its low wing, you are better sitting in the back seats and getting him to bank in a wide turn over your target.

This is how we get our crop circle photos, luckily the pilot is a good friend and will keep circling the formations while we shoot. If you have two passengers, he should bank one way first, then in opposite direction for passenger on the other side.

In a gentle turn there is minimal vibration and you can shoot thru the glass without any problems.

Good Luck and post some results!

Steve

gwphoto

Canon EOS-1D Mark II

02/10/2005 04:16:52 PM · #9

I have done several shoots from a 172. shoot at at least 250th if possible. Do NOT reat your arms or the camera on any part of the plane to cut down on vibration. The window should stay open up against the wing as long as there is enouogh speed. The success will depend on how good the pilot is as sliding the plane. He will need to be able to move the wing and strut out of your way, snd slide past where you want to shoot. A 172 is a great plane to shoot from, as it is slow enough to allow you time to compose your shot. Try to keep the lens out of the wind. Enjoy..

GoldBerry

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

Canon EF 50mm f/1.4 USM

02/10/2005 04:56:34 PM · #10

I know people who've crashed cessnas and some who died. Make sure you're wearing full-body bubblewrap to increase your odds of bouncing as opposed to just splattering :-)

Mick

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS USM

02/10/2005 05:08:38 PM · #11

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

I know people who've crashed cessnas and some who died. Make sure you're wearing full-body bubblewrap to increase your odds of bouncing as opposed to just splattering :-)

Good one!

Don't forget to wrap the camera. You want to be sure the camera bounces too.

GeneralE

Canon PowerShot S3 IS

Canon 12x IS USM (S3 IS built-in Lens) -- 36-432mm (35mm EQ)

02/10/2005 05:38:25 PM · #12

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

I know people who've crashed cessnas and some who died. Make sure you're wearing full-body bubblewrap to increase your odds of bouncing as opposed to just splattering :-)

Works for the Mars Rovers ...

02/10/2005 11:30:46 PM · #13

"have done several shoots from a 172. shoot at at least 250th if possible. Do NOT reat your arms or the camera on any part of the plane to cut down on vibration. The window should stay open up against the wing as long as there is enouogh speed. The success will depend on how good the pilot is as sliding the plane. He will need to be able to move the wing and strut out of your way, snd slide past where you want to shoot. A 172 is a great plane to shoot from, as it is slow enough to allow you time to compose your shot. Try to keep the lens out of the wind. Enjoy.."

Some sound advice thank you. I have just got up and the sky is clear at the moment so it may be today.
As for bubble wrap.....!

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

02/22/2005 12:51:40 PM · #14

Here are a few of the results. Your comments were spot on
Three examples of some aerial photographs that I took last Sunday. I went up in a Cessna 172S. I guess the �S� stood for small. It was almost like trying to take photographs from a Porsche 911 doing 100 mph down a motorway with your head stuck out of the window and in freezing conditions . It was very cold but I enjoyed it.

I almost had a disaster. As I could no longer feel my fingers I accidentally set the camera to underexpose by 2 stops. Luckily I had it set to jpeg/RAW so I was able to recover the 8 shots I underexposed.

There were a lot more but I thought these may be the most interesting

Portmeirion where The Prisoner was filmed

//server2.uploadit.org/files/caeclyd-portmeirion.jpg

//server2.uploadit.org/files/caeclyd-aerialdam2.jpg

//server3.uploadit.org/files/caeclyd-aerialdam.jpg

Message edited by author 2005-02-22 14:46:42.

sabphoto

Samsung Galaxy S8/S8+

02/22/2005 12:58:14 PM · #15

great job, first shot's angle is a little disturbing to me but the other two are excellent. Good job.

Imagineer

Canon EOS-5D Mark II

02/22/2005 01:00:31 PM · #16

If you're interested, type Yan Arthus Bertrand into Google. Stunning.

Then buy a hot air balloon and away you go.

alanfreed

Nikon D6

Nikon AF-S NIKKOR 24-70mm f/2.8G ED

02/22/2005 01:11:12 PM · #17

The photos look great... but please do us a favor and just post thumb-nails in the forums... that'll help people on slow connections a bit... and when I'm looking at the site on my old laptop, it really screws things up horizontally on the site... :)

02/22/2005 02:48:36 PM · #18

Ok point taken. The images have been replaced by links.

I am not after the "Athena" look I just wanted to record/have a look down on the area where I live :-)

Natator

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/22/2005 05:46:30 PM · #19

What sort of zoom would be best I wonder.

Obviously depends if you want a photo of the whole area or a nice close up of that chick sunbathing on the beach ;)

However, what would be a good all round zoom?

I am hopeing to do a balloon trip sometime for aerial shots. That should be a lot easier I imagine as there will be no vibration and it will be simple to change lenses whenever I want (yeah, possible in a cessna but a little more stuffing around).

Bear_Music

Samsung Galaxy S21, S21+, S21 Ultra

Sony 24-70mm F4 Vario-Tessar T* FE OSS

02/22/2005 05:47:59 PM · #20

Yeah, but you can't make a balloon go where you want it to...

Robt.

LEONJR

Fujifilm FinePix S3 Pro

02/22/2005 05:48:00 PM · #21

I know it has gotta be spooky up there i would be scared let me ask though do you have to use a higher iso when shooting from in the sky for a faster shutter speed or do you use a lower one since its bright and you want a clear high quality image? thanks

Natator

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

02/22/2005 06:33:11 PM · #22

Originally posted by bear_music:

Yeah, but you can't make a balloon go where you want it to...

Oh yes you can .....

You just have to make sure you puncture it in the right place so it shoots off in the right direction. ;)

MusicAngel

Canon EOS-300D Rebel

02/22/2005 06:44:02 PM · #23

Originally posted by GoldBerry:

I know people who've crashed cessnas and some who died. Make sure you're wearing full-body bubblewrap to increase your odds of bouncing as opposed to just splattering :-)

yeah i'd bet a lot of those were due to pilots mistakes. i learned to fly in a 172. if you get airsick or motion sick at all...just dont have your eye to the viewfinder for too long...makes the strongest of stomachs a bit queasy after awhile

lentil