Advice needed - Aircraft Photography

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ukpbz

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Name
Paul
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Hi All

Here is an F-16 taken at a recent visit to Nellis. Lovely blue skys but what do I need to do to make the actual aircraft more detailed. I know its the sky that is over exposing the picture. I have tried adding a couple of stops but that seems to make the aircraft a little better but the sky BRIGHT.

Any help appreciated

f16.JPG
 
Hello Mate,
Firstly, the sky is UNDER EXPOSING the picture. The main problem is the plane is so small in the picture, the camera is taking an average reading for the whole scene, which is mainly sky, rendering the plane under exposed.
You can try pushing the exposure a stop or so over, in camera. Or, you can use centre or spot meter readin of the plane.
Cant wait to go to Nellis myself.
Dean:)
 
On a day like that I would have gone down to iso 200 and used shutter priority. I notice you used aperture and iso 400. Giving you F8 which you chose and resulted in a shutter speed of 1/2000 sec. I would probably use centre or spot metering also.
You could easily get away with 1/850s or 1/1000 shooting that.Even lower if your panning skills are up to it. You shot at 280mm also. I don't know if this was at a show or base, but you need to get a better position if possible. If you plan it, you can get decent shots at 200mm at some bases.

Kev.
 
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Sorry, I meant on a bright day like that I would have lowered the iso down to 200 from 400. I would still have shot shutter. But I do shoot manual a lot of the time. F8 tends to the target we aim for on aircraft in flight. The biggest problem I can see though is not being close enough to the aircraft to get the detail needed.

Kev.
 
Nellis is one of the best bases in the World for fighter Jets - but the sun becomes a big problem so moving round to the end of the base on Cheyanne Rd is what most of the regular photogs do to get the sun working in your favour

I would think you took this shot on the rd outside that heads upto the motor speedway?? which is a good place to shoot from but a Long lens is required, I have not looked at the exif for your shot but your Lens clearly was not long enough to get any decent detail
my 2p
Chris
 
Ha Ha, that plane probably wasnt the best example to try it out on.
Push the exposure +1stop, i see you had it 1/3over, but sometimes you just have to play. Also pattern metering can work well on plane skies.
Dean:)
 
What lens are you using? It just doesn't look in focus. Black aircraft aren't the best to learn on either. ;)
took me ages to sort the apache out..


Kev.
 
Definitely agree that a faster shutter speed is needed. Also try to be more creative with your composition (I understand that it is hard), but I think that you are getting better.

Good Luck!
 
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