Piggin' Hill

desantnik

desantnik

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Vlad
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Hmmmm traffic hell *mutter*

Ok, a couple of aircraft from me.

I've only ever had one other go at aircraft before and found the same problems this time as before...

So, give me some hints you aircraft tog's on the following:

a) metering - spot metering is the way forward? Even so my 30D's spot point is probably bigger than some of these aircraft were at times...

b) Haze - I'm sure a lot of these were just haze rather than soft focus... I know its the weather, but is this common?

As you will see below the day was bright, VERY bright but the sky had no definition which sucks...

C&C welcome... enjoy!

#1
IMG_2933-1.jpg


#2
IMG_2948.jpg


#3
IMG_3039.jpg


#4
IMG_3139-1.jpg


#5
IMG_3156-1.jpg


#6
IMG_3228.jpg


PS most of these have been cropped in some way shape or form, mainly just to tidy up dead space

PPS jeeeez I really must get my camera cleaned I think!!!
 
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Nothing wrong with them. If this was your 2nd go at this , then you should be well chuffed.
Dean:)
 
Im sure that everyone....including me...that went to Biggin Hill both days at the weekend experience the same problems with shooting aircraft in contrasting conditions.
Saturday was dull and Sunday was very bright.......all of which conspire to 'test' our photography skills.
First of all I think you have some pretty good shots here and I especially like the Spitfire (4) and the lanc and Spit (6).....looks like these were from Sunday.......Did you go saturday?.........It was one of those days when the conditions were really not great for shooting aircraft!.....the light was dull and the sky was grey.........so that all adds up to 'Black shapes' in the sky......what can you do about it?.....well nothing really.......spot metering isn't going to solve the problem.......it just isn't a consistant way to shoot aircraft........some exposure compensation can help a little but won't give you a great shot in saturdays conditions....although underexposing by a 3rd of a stop in the bright sunshine can help........especailly with planes that are predominantly white like the constalation etc.
We seem to get alot of 'Haze' in the UK during the summer.....build up of pollution aswell.......nothing you can do about that either and with no clouds your going to have little definition in the sky.......nothing you can do with that either!
When your shooiting at an airshow or 'Low Level' in wales etc you have to shoot in the conditions you have on any given day and there will be days when its just a waste of time and other days when the light is perfect........it all depends on the conditions as to how good the photography will be.......most of which are completely out of control of the photographer.........I only use a little exposure compensation now and again (Usually if its really bright sunlight) but thats about it.
But one thing I do is get the light in the best position possible.......behind me or over my shoulder.......if your working with the light it really does make a huge difference to the photography..........still looks like you got some descent shots from Sundays show.....Cheers Barry
 
Cheers Dino, actually looking back I think I had more keepers from last year than this, ironically!

Lancer, ok, its not just me then :D In motorsport we do get good light and bad light too, but a day like Sunday would probably pan out to be not bad for Brands Hatch, but not so good for Biggin it would seem!

I guess its easier when you are out in the hills and shooting against hillsides and away from the "big smoke" of London....

But ultimately with shooting any live event, you can't control the weather (well, unless you are the Politburo, in which case you use the VVS to seed the clouds with silver nitrate :D)
 
I'd be pleased with those shots. Like Lancer said, Saturday was pants and I came home with 2gigs worth of silohettes. Never mind always next year!!
Like the chinook especially.
Neil
 
Yes atleast shooting Aircraft 'Low Level' you don't have to worry about the sky!.......but you still have to work with the light......shooting into the sun is still a no no if you want the better shots......you do still get really hazy days in the mountains you have to let the planes come to you before you start shooting........still have to deal with all the different conditions Rain,Hail,Snow,Gale Force winds,Sunburn and climbing 1000ft up the side of the mountain side!...lol.......but thats all part of the fun.........Cheers Barry
 
Never having attempted aircraft shots as yet im just pulling ideas-but wouldnt you be best metering from something at ground level in full sunlight like grass to give an accurate reading of the plane amongst the bright sky. Then possibly use matrix metering to give a balanced amount of light
 
re touch the bogey on #1 and it's my fave!
 
Morph,

2Gb of trash? Been there, done that! I was quite restrained actually this time - think I only brough home ~600 shots this time and quite a few aircraft I didn't bother to shoot at all...

Lancer,

One day I shall venture to the mountains... well maybe... if the cost of fuel comes down enough for it to be something less than a 150 quid trip!

306Dean,

You've worked on her? Excellent! Must be fantastic to have had a chance to tinker with something as beautiful as that.

Digitalmaniac,

Maybe thats not a bad idea... the only trouble being the varying colours of the aircraft themselves... I'd be scared that manual metering would leave me with a whole memory card of trash from the day... call me a coward if you like :D

Dolomitefan,

Yes there are a couple of bits of crap on that one that I missed with Photoshop... maybe I will fix it in a minute :D

Cheers for the comments and interest folks!
 
Great set of pics, one day I hope to be able to take shots like them. Im on a long learning curve, I defo need a course:bang:
 
I love both 4 and 5, think they are well cropped, well composed and imply movement with the propeller.

I would be over the moon if this was my second attempt, so well done.(y)
 
Cheers Cason!

The best advice I can offer is to find a couple of people who are also into whatever sort of photography you want to do and to get to events together and talk about tips you've found on the internet, in books, etc etc

That is what has been the catalyst to me getting this far - I would never have even had the interest without our little group pushing me along to try more and more things. And of course a little friendly competition... where I normally come last LOL!

It seems to me that photography is such a lonely thing and that probably kills more potential enthusiasts off than anything else...
 
desantnik, as all the comments so far have said, I would be very pleased with these shots.

I went both days and took about 600 shots for the weekend, as Bazza (lancer) said the conditions just didn't help us. My best shots from Saturday were probably takeoffs and landings as conditions were dull with no real light to help you, sunday conditions were better, but again very hazy which provided us with another set of problems, especially in the afternoon with the sun overhead, you just had to be selective with your shots. We sort of got around it by being up the far left towards the hospitality tents and shooting down range because of the sun, but it's one of those factors you have to deal with in the afternoons at biggin, i.e. direction of the sun.

Peter
 
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Cheers Pete!

You are right, all of my good shots were shot to the right... which was a bit of a bummer as I was all the way over to the right (almost next to the nav beacon).

Looking at them afterwards I realised the folly of shooting to my left, no matter how tempting the target was...

I have worked out the stupidly sunny places for various times of day for Brands (my usual haunt!), but not Biggin... yeah I know the sun is a big thing to not spot, but I got caught up in the excitement of all those lovely aircraft buzzing around :D

Have got some serious idea of what to do next time, but I doubt if I will do Biggin again as the traffic situation annoyed me beyond belief. Seems the cheapskates refused to pay for a proper level of police help and consequently chaos reigned :(
 
Number 4 is cracking and I rather like numbers 1 and 6 too. It would be worth spending 2 mins alone with the spot healing brush and getting rid of the dust blobs.

Can't really comment on metering as I've never done this before. But I think I would have been in manual mode early on in the day and reviewing occasionally as I went.
 
Cheers matey!

As everyone has mentioned AND I am at home with photoshop, I have clensed the pics now - no blobs! Well, I think I got all of the blighters anyway.

That's what you get when you do a MX meeting the weekend before an airshow!
 
These are really great shots regardless of the fact that this is your 2nd attempt at aircraft, maybe we'll all have an opportunity of shooting in decent weather at Waddington and RIAT, just waiting for the threads to come in from Kemble, would imagine down there the conditions were pretty good! Btw...No. 4 & 6 for me, very good.

Tim
 
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