Aerial Photography

[billhercus]

Been tasked with taking photos of safe channel to the local Findhorn Bay here which is a little tricky for boats.

Photos from a light single piston aircraft, camera is EOS 300D and possible lenses will be 28-135 IS or 17-40L f4.

Egress is possibly about 1/3 rd of a mile to photograph. Some of it will be under water at low tide.

Any tips? Other than obvious (I think) fast shutter speed (aircraft vibration). Best time of day? Vertical or slant? Polarizer? etc.

All help gratefully received. :?: :?: :?:

[Canuck]

Been tasked with taking photos of safe channel to the local Findhorn Bay here which is a little tricky for boats.

Photos from a light single piston aircraft, camera is EOS 300D and possible lenses will be 28-135 IS or 17-40L f4.

Egress is possibly about 1/3 rd of a mile to photograph. Some of it will be under water at low tide.

Any tips? Other than obvious (I think) fast shutter speed (aircraft vibration). Best time of day? Vertical or slant? Polarizer? etc.

All help gratefully received. :?: :?: :?:

A few ideas...
I'd go for the 28-135, as it has the most range. You might be wishing after the fact you had the reach. This is a hard one to guess. I have shot pics of commercial airliners with the 120-300and 24-70 and it really can be done either way. However we have special spots we go for that and it is all mapped out. Don't forget to stop the lens down to say F8-F10, maybe F11/12 if light permits. I shot my last batch of airliner pics at 400 ISO and the time before 200 ISO. Best time of day...just so long as you have ample light and I have been using a UV filter the last few times. I don't think you will need a CPL. Vertical/slant, that's your call. either works. It might help of u posted a pic of the local area that you will be shooting from the ground. Hope this is incredibly worthwile info...:lol:

[Longwatcher]

I would need more information to help more (like planned altitude, speed of aircraft, width of channel and bay, and most importantly what are the shots being used for (I am guessing for people to see where to go/not go)

Some generic things:
Vertical is almost always better then oblique or slant (obligue is used for any off-nadir (vertical) shot, slant is normally means forward or backwards to perpendicular from aircraft) The reason is less chance of sun causing problems (unless at or near noon at the equator), closest to ground so get best resolution, easier on image stabilization, and easiest to mensurate objects in the image.

However, sometimes for visualization purposes oblique is much better (Like when showing pilots how it will look when they go in to blow something up)

If you are trying to show underwater obstacles (presuming the water is not very murky) the best time of day will be around 10-11am or 1-2pm at about 40 degrees north (if you are farther north then go closer to noon, above 60 degrees north, noon should work). Most people might think noon would always be best, but then you lose the shadows which add features and make it easier to see things.

As to lens, depends on field of view needed versus altitude, but the IS of the 28-135 may actually help in this case, even with faster shutters as it will compensate for some of the aircraft motion.

Avoid resting the lens on the body of the plane unless you have really good shocks. Your arms will make better shocks then a lot of other stuff. If there is a window in the bottom of the plane then use some shock asorbing material. If holding it out the window, try to keep your arms off the plane.

If possible make multiple passes from slightly different angles, that way you will get at least one good set of shots.

Hopefully that will help a bit.

[billhercus]

Thanks guys, particularly Longwatcher. I shall now brief the pilot and sound as if I know what I'm talking about :D

[perfectpixel]

[quote="billhercus"]

Photos from a light single piston aircraft, camera is EOS 300D and possible lenses will be 28-135 IS or 17-40L f4.....[quote]

when you are brifing the pilot, make sure he'll take more than one piston along. sounds a bit dodgy :)

[billhercus]

My dear chap, "Single piston" is an aviation term denoting the absence of more than one engine of the reciprocating variety on a heavier than air craft.

You will be fascinated to know that "Single jet" means the absence of more than .... oh work it out for yourself!! :wink:

Just in case you have to photograph from the air....