Shooting Airshows

Hi all,


I was wondering if anyone had some good tips for shooting airshows (the flying type, not the stationary type!) given how fast everything moves.


I took these photos at the RedBull AirRace in November last year (these are unprocessed other than to convert to JPEG):


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3184/...0688c86651.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3026/...3da663a599.jpg


I do wish I was able to have shot the second one with a longer lens, but I didn't have one on me at the time.


Both images were taken with EOS400D and 300mm f/4L IS. The first image was 1/500s @ f/5.6 and the second was 1/1000 @ f/8

Crop the second picture. There's no need (IMO) for so much blue background on the sides. Maybe even crop it like a portrait which will give more feel of the movement upward.

Cropped it a bit:


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3127/...033ec7d7fb.jpg





You're right, does like quite a bit better without all the blue [:)]

It looks like the f18 is cold and is wearing a scarf. Great shot! Good detail still even after cropping it. My advice is to set your shutter speed to allow a little blur in the props. If I recall from my flying days they are around 800-1000 RPMs during approach, and 2300-2700 RPMS during higher speed flight. Aviation is tough though because there is usually a limited place where you can stand, and the planes are kept far away. A lot of people like the 100-400L for this, usually there is plenty of light for it.


Tom

Taken with a Canon 40D and 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6 L IS, IS Mode 2 (Pan). Shutter 1/100 and Ap f/6.6. I sure wish the sun had been behind me but I think the shot still works. I took several lenses but favored the 100-400 all day. I had the 70-200 2.8 also in my bag but the focal length was just not sufficient most of the day. This was my first real shoot with the 100-400 and I had a lot of smiles during post processing!


http://gallery.mac.com/sirpopealot/1...G_8762/web.jpg

Nice one!





I wanted to go to the F-22 demo here at the reno air races, but we were too busy to make it this year. :(

Here's one from "Wings Over Marietta" in Georgia.


http://www.itheone.net/IMG_7059.jpg





Canon 40D w/ 70-200 f/4L NON IS @ 188mm ISO 160 f/6.3 1/1000s

Great photos! And you must been close to that Thunderbird!


For Air Shows you really the longest lens in your bag. [:)] I would recommend even renting a 300 or 400mm if you don't have one. It's really worth it for. Last air show I was at I just brought a 70-200 and a 17-40 (for statics) and while I got some great photos, I really needed a longer reach. For shooting propeller driven aircraft and helicopters I think it is really important to see that the blades are moving so I would recommend keeping the shutter speed at 1/250 or less.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/...22a40e544d.jpg

Here's a few more:


http://www.itheone.net/IMG_6706-small.jpg


40D w/ 70-200 f/4L @ 188mm ISO100 f/7.1 1/1000s





http://www.itheone.net/IMG_7079-small.jpg


40D w/ 70-200 f/4L @ 104mm ISO160 f/6.3 1/800s





http://www.itheone.net/IMG_7083-small.jpg


40D w/ 70-200 f/4L @ 70mm ISO160 f/6.3 1/2000s

Nice work everyone!


I will add a few more shot with the Canon 40D and the 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L:


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Nice shots everyone!


Here are a few i took from the Amberly Air Show, which is the last of its type to include the F-111, as we are getting Super Hornets to replace them.


Taken with a 40D, 70-200 f4 IS + 1.4x II Extender


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looking through these pictures (which are very nice by the way), I realized how much I miss seeing the F-14 at airshows, that was always my favorite. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't even feel the F-22 can replace it.

Tim... I absolutely agree. I miss both the F-14 and the F-4. Both had so much raw power and were rather large planes. They were awesome o witness. I found a static display pic of an F-14 back from 2001, not a quality pic but I had to post it anyway...


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Originally Posted by Tim

looking through these pictures (which are very nice by the way), I realized how much I miss seeing the F-14 at airshows, that was always my favorite. Does anyone else feel this way? I don't even feel the F-22 can replace it.
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The F14 wasthe air superiority fighter. Primarily due to that big awg-9 radar and the GIB. It wasn't as fast or manueverable as th F-15, but it had aim-64 phoenix missles that were fire and forget capable. You couldn't get close enough to it to test its variable geometry wings in a dogfight. It is what I always looked for at airshows. I would dig up some photos but they all pre-date my ability to take a decent photo.


I like the f-18s too, not the same though.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3247/...02701e85d8.jpg





Tom

Actually, the F-22 and the F-14 are my two favorite fighters, though unfortunately of all the fighters I've seen (F-16, F-15, A-10, F/A18, and many older ones), I haven't seen either of them in person yet :(.

The F-22 looks like a sports car for the air, when you see it, you'll know what it is. As for the Tomcat, you'll probably hear it before it gets anywhere near you unless its haulin tail.


Back to the topic of the thread, when I was at a local airshow, I just used the spray and pray method and hoped something turned out. I came back with some fairly good results. I know what to do for next time, but that was my first airshow with a DSLR and I had no idea what to expect.


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3065/...bea24a9d48.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3222/...26d3c74ae0.jpg

although the tomcat's got the best sound in the world, you won't be hearing it, they can't fly anymore at shows.


That bottom picture of the F-18 is fantastic! I can seethe speed. well done!

I have been out of the loop for a while on this I guess. Has the F-14 been retired by the Navy? I know the F-18s have been slowly taking over, but the interceptor role seemed like a misfit for them. I guess the squadron's of Bear bombers and the Mig 25s aren't too much of a threat anymore.


Tom

Here's a few shots of my 40D with 100-400L at the 2008 Thunder over the Empire.This is a killer combo for airshows and will miss it dearly since I've sold both and now have a 5D2.


A few of these were shot with a CPL.





http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3151/...179dda773f.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2401/...826c54348f.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2281/...36dcd00c29.jpg


http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3206/...59c3751c85.jpg


http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2399/...d738a5c014.jpg

Yes, its been completely out of service for about three years now. The main reason was reliability. they have old technology and crashed too much, even at airshows.

Warbirds airshow...Old School...You don't see many of these anymore. Ibelieveit's an F-86 Sabre Jet Shot with a Digital Rebel EF 75-300 F/4-5.6 IS setting 1/3200 @f/9 ISO 400.


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What is that little open hatch there in the fuselage?

If I remember right, that's an air brake, where it disrupts the flow of air over the side of the plane. If you will, that flap slows one half of the plane down while the other wants to keep going at it's previous speed so it helps the plane turn a bit better, and if both deploy, it aids in stopping or slowing the plane.

It's called a speed brake. Mostmilitaryaircraft have them however the can be located in various places, even out on the trailing edge of the wing tips.

OK, since I got this thread off-topic, I'll nudge it back with these shots. It was really overcast and I may have pumped the saturation a little too much in PP (suggestions welcome).


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A question for y'all: In the Raptor shot, there's a visible rainbow effect if you look close. I've never seen that coming off an airplane before, but I suppose it could be caused by moisture condensing in the pressure wave as the aircraft passed by. But it also could be an unwanted side effect caused by the 2x extender/70-200 combination (I borrowed a friend's 2x so I'm not too familiar with it).


Finally, a comment on the Blue Angels fly-by shot: This was pure luck--they were going so fast that I only had time for one shot, and truth be told, I lost them completely in the time it took the mirror to go up and down. Curiosity forced a quick chimp, andbing!there they were, lined up in front of me. If you look closely, you can see the two pilots in the closer aircraft looking away from the camera as they watch the #1 plane, and the two in the farther planes looking toward the camera as they watch the leader. Only the #1 pilot is looking forward.