Within the next few weeks, the fall colors will be at their peaks here
in Pennsylvania. Since this is my first autumn with the PPL, I am
looking for some photographic tips from those of you have shot pictures
or videos from the air in past years. For instance, what time of day is
best for photgraphing color? What is the best altitude AGL and why? Any
tips would be appreciated.
Thanks,
Arnold Sten

>Within the next few weeks, the fall colors will be at their peaks here
>in Pennsylvania. Since this is my first autumn with the PPL, I am
>looking for some photographic tips from those of you have shot pictures
>or videos from the air in past years. For instance, what time of day is
>best for photgraphing color? What is the best altitude AGL and why? Any
>tips would be appreciate.

Arnold,

The best time for capturing the colors of fall is late afternoon or very early
morning sunlight.
Altitude is discretionary but based on what you are shooting and how large the
area is of your subject, and what lens you are using.
There is so much to learn--can't be done in a post to Usenet. But feel free to
ask me specific questions and I will help.

www.Rosspilot.com






www.Rosspilot.com

Arnold Sten wrote:
> Within the next few weeks, the fall colors will be at their peaks here
> in Pennsylvania. Since this is my first autumn with the PPL, I am
> looking for some photographic tips from those of you have shot
> pictures or videos from the air in past years. For instance, what
> time of day is best for photgraphing color? What is the best altitude
> AGL and why? Any tips would be appreciated.

Definitely listen to Ross (and other av-photographers).

My own amateur tips:

1. Early morning is best. The air seems clearer and the angle of the light
will provide better color and shadow contrasts. Turbulence is also
generally much lower (making for easier composition and less shaking).
2. Try to stay between 750-1500' AGL. As Ross mentioned, it really depends
on the lens you're using, but any higher and you start to lose detail.
3. Use an open window (if possible). Be sure to secure the camera or keep
it well inside the plane or 14CFR91.15 comes into play. :)
4. Try to avoid using much telephoto. Unless you're in glassy air and
straight & level, composing your shot and keeping camera shake from ruining
the shot is more difficult the more you zoom.
5. Avoid resting the camera or your camera hand on the airframe. You're
more likely to pick up vibration (camera shake) if you do.

I use a digital camera and have found that setting the focus to "manual" and
focusing to infinity works best and greatly reduces shutter lag.

Good luck...and don't forget to post 'em!

--
John T
http://tknowlogy.com/TknoFlyer
http://www.pocketgear.com/products_search.asp?developerid=4415
____________________

In article >, "John T"
> wrote:

> 3. Use an open window (if possible). Be sure to secure the camera or
> keep
> it well inside the plane or 14CFR91.15 comes into play. :)

also watch out that the lens cap doesn't get sucked out the window.
(me? I've only lost two of them)

--
Bob Noel
Seen on Kerry's campaign airplane: "the real deal"
oh yeah baby.

I keep a piece of adhesive tape on my lenscap. When doing aerials, I tape the
lens at the infinity position. I've also found that a fast shutter speed is
better than a small iris (you don't really need the depth of field)

I'm not sure about film choice though. 100 ASA gives better grain, but you
have to use a slower shutter speed. 400 lets you use a faster shutter. I
haven't done tests (and I don't do it professionally) so I'm not sure which is
better. Thoughts? Ross?

Jose

--
(for Email, make the obvious changes in my address)

"Teacherjh" > wrote in message
...
> [...]
> I'm not sure about film choice though. 100 ASA gives better grain, but
> you
> have to use a slower shutter speed. 400 lets you use a faster shutter. I
> haven't done tests (and I don't do it professionally) so I'm not sure
> which is
> better.

For what it's worth, last winter I tried out a (new to me) film Kodak makes,
that they call "High Definition". I found that, true to their claims, it
had significantly less grain than the same speed film of different
manufacturer, or even one of Kodak's other types.

I only tried it because I can't find their "Royal Gold" type anymore; as
near as I can tell from their web site, they don't make it anymore.

Anyway, I used to shoot 200, as a decent compromise between grain and speed,
and now I always use the 400 Kodak HD film.

That said, if you are shooting through clear windows (the ones in my plane
are tinted, and cut the light a bit...and of course, require color
correcting the photos later), and are shooting a brightly lit subject, and
using 100 ASA film is an option, that will give you the best results. As
the light is reduced however, what you lose in grain by using a faster film,
you make up for by not having a blurry photo. :)

If I were shooting professionally, I'd probably invest in a gyrostabilized
mount, and shoot medium format. :) At the very least, I'd use one of
Canon's optical stabilizing lenses. As an amateur, I don't shoot enough
frames to make it worth switching film according to lighting, thus the
compromise film.

Of course, these days, I'm shooting more and more digital anyway. Even my
little 5 megapixel Olympus turns out pretty great pictures. Once I've got a
digital SLR, I probably won't go back to film.

Pete

>I'm not sure about film choice though. 100 ASA gives better grain, but you
>have to use a slower shutter speed. 400 lets you use a faster shutter. I
>haven't done tests (and I don't do it professionally) so I'm not sure which
>is
>better. Thoughts? Ross?


In bright sunlight for normal jobs, I use 160 VC. But for the leaf season and
when shooting at dawn or dusk or twilight, to pick up the colors the best, I
use Portra 400 UC (Ultra Color).


Do not shoot slower than 1/500th unless you are using a gyro stabilizer.
www.Rosspilot.com

Peter Duniho wrote:
>
> Anyway, I used to shoot 200, as a decent compromise between grain and speed,
> and now I always use the 400 Kodak HD film.

Thanks for the report. I gotta get me some of that.

George Patterson
If a man gets into a fight 3,000 miles away from home, he *had* to have
been looking for it.