Tips to shoot Blue Angels

[Litster]

Folks, Blue Angels are in town this week and I will be able to shoot them right around their flight path. I have shot them with an XT and 70-200mm f2.8 IS 4 years ago. This time I will be shooting them with 5D Mark II and the same 70-200mm f2.8 IS lens. It is going to be sunny.

Does anyone have any tips to share? Any suggestion? The most I worry is exposure because of the bright sky. Thanks!

[DDCSD]

Use manual. Airshows are tough because they are usually done mid-day with nasty overhead sun.

What do you mean by "around their flight path"?

I actually just shot them last week when they were in town. Haven't had a chance to go through the photos yet though.

[Litster]

Thanks Derek. I should be able to look up and see them flying right above me, or very close by.

[Karl Johnston]

Try to use a f5.6-f8 aperture to get that lens at it's sharper. Don't shoot wide open,unless you have to, as the lens can be notorious for CA at 2.8 :)

If you can and you have time..try to rent or buy a kenko 1.4x Teleconverter. It's very, very good and I prefer it to canon's 1.4x. It's also a bit cheaper, too, at about 50-80$ or so. It's supposed to block less light than canon's, as I was told by a pro pelican photographer up here, once.

[DC Fan]

No secrets here. Long lens and frame tight. Sky conditions will decide image quality. This was a grey day and the performers were backlit. Set the camera in program AE and let the framing take care of everything else.

http://www.kevinlillard.com/racing/20090607aa0035.jpg

Focal Length: 190.0mm
Exposure Time: 0.0016 s (1/640)
Aperture: f/9.0
ISO equiv: 200
White Balance: Auto
Metering Mode: Matrix
Exposure: program (Auto)

[golfecho]

CPL filter for sure . . .

[PhotosGuy]

Use manual. Airshows are tough because they are usually done mid-day with nasty overhead sun. I would, too. Why?
Post #47 (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showpost.php?p=5191658&postcount=47)
Click the "Thread: (thread title)" link at the top-right if you'd like more info on the subject.

And don't forget this: Airshow guys - prop freeze? (http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=229542)

[Nistelrooydude]

Seafair sucks by the way. They fly right over my house and scare my dog. That's all the advice I have to offer.

[DDCSD]

CPL filter for sure . . .

Really? What for? (I honestly have no idea, not trying to be rude).


I wouldn't think a CPL would do much (if any) good considering that they're flying by you at such a speed that you'd never be able to adjust it to get any effect. I guess it may be helpful for static shots, if it will do anything.

[DDCSD]

Thanks Derek. I should be able to look up and see them flying right above me, or very close by.


The reason I ask is that if they will be right in front of, the aircraft coming from the left will be the one that will be closest to you. I got kinda screwed in that I couldn't track the one coming from the left, only the one coming from the right and the one time I actually got the timing right, I got a blurry F-18 covering a fairly sharp one.

(Please ignore all of my sensor boogies and such, I just wanted to get these up for this thread, no PP other than cropping and resizing)

1:
http://derekcecil.smugmug.com/photos/607334319_8FT3f-O.jpg





Also, try to concentrate on getting good wider shots when they're away from you, and good single or formation shots when they're close. Don't worry about single jet shots when they're small in the viewfinder. I've got a lot of tossers because I kept snapping when they jets were just too far away. Oh, and put the camera down for a few seconds and enjoy the show!


Here's a wider composition that I really liked. I did get a few more, but I wished I had gotten even more.

(150mm on my MkIIn, very slight crop)
2:
http://derekcecil.smugmug.com/photos/607328565_ZHiKQ-O.jpg


Here's a few of my other shots.
3:
http://derekcecil.smugmug.com/photos/607334383_GoZwY-O.jpg

4:
http://derekcecil.smugmug.com/photos/607328594_tapQX-O.jpg


5:
http://derekcecil.smugmug.com/photos/607334358_oArQB-O.jpg

6:
http://derekcecil.smugmug.com/photos/607328614_i3UPL-O.jpg

[DRBair]

I just shot them a week ago, with my 70-200 f2.8. I used an ISO setting of 320 and had it set on Av, due to a large number of clouds in the sky. I had blue sky shots and shots with clouds in the background. I did start out shooting with an ISO of 500, but found I didn't need it. My shots are on my website.

[DDCSD]

I just shot them a week ago, with my 70-200 f2.8. I used an ISO setting of 320 and had it set on Av, due to a large number of clouds in the sky. I had blue sky shots and shots with clouds in the background. I did start out shooting with an ISO of 500, but found I didn't need it. My shots are on my website.

Saturday session?

You must have been right in front of me! :lol:

[DRBair]

Derek:
No, I took a different route and took the shots from the roof of a building downtown.

[golfecho]

Really? What for? (I honestly have no idea, not trying to be rude).


I wouldn't think a CPL would do much (if any) good considering that they're flying by you at such a speed that you'd never be able to adjust it to get any effect. I guess it may be helpful for static shots, if it will do anything.

I would set the filter for the section of sky you anticipate they will be flying in when you want to shoot. Then just forget about it and concentrate on the flying/shooting.

[JHunter]

If you're still planning on shooting tomorrow, I'd suggest not using a CPL. I was out on the lake in a boat shooting with 100-400 + 1.4, and I always wanted more reach. I had a CPL on, but I ended up having to face every direction and it didn't do very much. In hindsight I wouldn't have used it. It might be more use from the shore where they're mostly coming from one direction.

Tracking with single point AF from a bouncing 18 foot boat at 560mm I found to be incredibly difficult too, something to be aware of if you're on the water. Here are a couple of my shots.

http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N0732.jpg
http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N0831.jpg
http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N1092.jpg
http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N1213.jpg
http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N1332.jpg
http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N1404.jpg
http://www.jackhunterphoto.com/1D2N1413.jpg

If anyone has any tips on how I can make these better in post I'd really appreciate it, they just don't have the pop or sharpness of Derek's.