Settings to shoot a plane with a trial of fire?

[RiverFire]

Comming up will be an event in brisbane that happens once every year. Heaps of fire works and then a F1-11 fly's over the city and drops heaps of fuel and then lights it up with a big trail behind the plane. Really rocks.

Problem: This only happs for 1ce a year.

I'm shooting with an A70 and was wonderng what would be the best Shutter speed and apt to use in manual to take this shot?

I was thinking of having a longer than usual shutter speed so i can get a big drag of fire.

But i have only 1 shot to get this so was interested in what you experienced people would think a good combination would be? That way i should get a decent shot.

There will also be fire works, i have time to play with a few different combinations so thats not my biggest problem but advice for them would be usefull.

I will be using a tri-pod, its one of those small ones 10-15 cms tall, but will keep the camera dead still.

[Littlenose]

I have the Ixus400, so can't advise you directly, but make sure you try some test shots on other subjects first.

I see you problem as being the light intensity difference between the F-111 ardvaark and the flame. Although I'm assuming that it's being shot at night?

Oh, and make sure you post the results, i'd love to see your results.

Mikey

[stopbath]

These photos will be at night time (going by the pictures on the web already of past years.) The exposure is up to you and what you like, plus the conditions of the sky and city when you take the shot.

Shoot at the approximate time that the plane will be doing it's run so that your night sky will be similar.

Set the camera on Manual, and try a range of times from 2 to 5 seconds (will the plane take more than that? Try longer too.)

Try to take a bunch of test shots the night before from the same vantage point you will be going for. Do a range of times, and aperatures. Find the shots that please you the best.

Use those as your guide. Good luck.

Here is a link for a great shot (http://f-111.net/images/brg.jpg) of the plane trail.

[RiverFire]

Thats a great shot! But i was thinking of where to take the picture now. THat had to be the top of a building and i don't know anyone who works in one around there.

I was only thinking of a 3 second delay, but that makes me thing about a 7-10 now. What ap would u use for a shot liek that, f2 might make all the lights to blury but f8 would mabey be to dark. Will have to go find a spot and test.

[RiverFire]

U know what sucks, when the best photo chance of the year is overlayed with 3 other things! I knocked back work, but i have a 21st and a wedding reception to go to on the same night.

And i don't really know where i could get my photo from, don't know to many vantage points.

The one posted above must of been from an apartment. I was thinking if i go down the other end of where that was shot and the plane would fly away from me rather than into. Might work, will have to go test out places.