City lights at night

I have a pilot friend that wants me to take some shots of the city and night. He is tired of trying to explain to people how good it looks from the air and would prefer to just be able to show pictures.

Any idea on settings to use? We will be up in a Cessna.

Thanks in advance.

SMBPhotography wrote in post #9913827
I have a pilot friend that wants me to take some shots of the city and night. He is tired of trying to explain to people how good it looks from the air and would prefer to just be able to show pictures.

Any idea on settings to use? We will be up in a Cessna.

Thanks in advance.

I would think it will be very hard to get any kind of presentable shot due to the massive blur from the movement and bouncing of a small plane like that.

I've never been up shooting at night but I can imagine it would be super easy. At night there is no sun, there for no thermals so the ride is silky smooth. I love flying at night more than day.

No idea what settings but I'd take your 18-135mm. You might be able to get some interior shots as well without using a flash while keeping the outside in decent exposure. O yeah and clean the windows inside and out before.

Have fun!

I was thinking of renting a Canon EF 50mm f1.2L USM and a longer prime maybe a 135mm F2.0 to help with the low light that will be available and still shooting with minimal blur. I also know we will need to fly towards the lights I am shooting to help eliminate the blur.

Clean windows. Great advice, my luck there would be a kids handprint on the outside of the window.

135 in a plane won't work I think. I just went up yesterday and 55 was decently long for getting general ground shots then 17mm came in handy for wide angle shots. Unlike Piper's, you don't have a wing below you.

Do you know what altitude you're going to? I think you're 18-135 will do with IS but do what you wish.

5500 feet is the usual height for a city tour fly over. Seeing as we have the plane rented for an hour I am going to take 3 camera bodies all with different glass and see what I can get.

SMBPhotography wrote in post #9915605
5500 feet is the usual height for a city tour fly over. Seeing as we have the plane rented for an hour I am going to take 3 camera bodies all with different glass and see what I can get.

I think you'll find yourself pressed for space and trying to maneuver three bodies in a Cessna cockpit will be problematic.

I'd suggest the 7D + 24-70 and if you can manage it, go up about an hour before civil twilight ends. The ride will progressively smooth as you go plus having a little ambient light will make for better photos than just pitch dark + pinpricks of light below.

If you can open the window on your side, do so but remove the lens hood which catches too much slipstream. Avoid leaning on any part of the plane to avoid tranferring vibration through you to your camera.

Discuss what you want to capture with the pilot so that he knows he'll be making turns around a point, cross-control moves to lower your side of the plane, etc...

Watch your seat position so that when you turn to your right, you don't bump anything.

Get "The Shot" and then experiment. You can get some very cool shots with long-ish exposures during turns. Pick out one obvious "anchor" and keep it in the center of your frame during the turn (think Star Trail shots...)

Above all else, have fun! Flying at twilight is fantastic!

Thanks Jay. I think I am ready to tell him to book a time.

Post them when you get back

Besides Jays usual good advice, think about first going up in a tall building & shooting some test shots for exposure, EC, & the best ISO to use.

PhotosGuy wrote in post #9916489
Besides Jays usual good advice, think about first going up in a tall building & shooting some test shots for exposure, EC, & the best ISO to use.

Good call Frank. I will post pics and revive the thread then. Sounds like it might be a month, so I have alot of time to try things out in advance.