Air photography

Amy B

Amy B

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Amy
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Right ok, I need some advice please, i've just been made club photographer at my local mini club. Not too big a deal, the person before hand used a point and shoot and the pictures were not terribly good. But I have been told tonight, that im going to have to shoot a picture of the mini's spelling "50" and the people "mini". Im going to have to be up on a cherry picker and take the photo from the air. What sort of settings will I have to use for when being up high, and also just any tips or pointers would be amazing, because I havent a clue. This should be happening in April sometime, so hopefully it will be on a nice day.

Thanks in advance

Amy x
 
If it's minis spelling 50 then you may well need a wide angle lens as the average cherry picker doesnt go that high ! You will need a reasonably fast shutter speed as I suspect there will be some vibration in the cherry picker from it's engine and from any breeze. Light will be limited as you are shooting cars against a dark background with no sky, so you may need to raise your ISO to achieve that. Also make sure the cherry picker is positioned so that it doesnt cast a shadow over the cars which will be tricky, but of course easier if it's overcast on the day.
 
think this is a crazy idea :cuckoo:. but as all ready pointed out you will need a good cherry picker, a crane or a place to do a low fly past in a plane. You could also try to find a model helicopter that able to carry a camera. any way heres a couple of pictures taken from a plane to show the ground area coverage with a 75-300 zoom

Picture067.jpg


Picture071.jpg


pictures where taken by my dad, the first time using my camera. He also did not open the window. you could also do a panoramic. Sorry if iam not helpping
 
Cherry pickers are unbelievably wobbly at height, even in still air. You're going to have to get a shutter speed of at least 500, preferably 1000, and aperture 5.6 or 8 or better if you can, so ISO to suit. Noisey pictures are preferable to blurred ones. Once you have got your picture framed, both yourself and the operator are going to have to remain absolutely stationary while motion subsides. It only takes a slight movement to set the thing swaying. But if you have any wind (atmospheric motion - not bodily exhaust) then you'll struggle to stay still and will have to rely on a high shutter speed.

Bear in mind the wide angle lens that you may need. It would be a shame/disaster to get it all set up then find you can't fit everything in. In which case take a couple of overlapping shots then come back here and beg for some help in stitching them together. If your lens fits all within view easily you can zoom in to fill the frame but also take those widest angle shots too which can be cropped later. A wider angle is less susceptible to motion blur than a telephoto one.

Take plenty of pictures with varied settings. You may be lucky and get a lower ISO picture that isn't blurred.

As an alternative to a cherry picker, scout your area and see if there is a high building with space below that you could use.
 
Thank you for all your replies and answers, they have been really helpful :)

The cherry picker has already been organised as a friend of one of the members of the club has one and is letting us use it for free. Also as a club we dont have much money, so we dont want to have to pay for anything, and will just be a case of cars and people turning up and it being free.

I have two lenses, the 18-55mm and a 55-200mm, which would be best for the job? The minis will be parked on a grass slope, so the background will be quite dark, and also the event is being held in Hunstanton, so there will be a sea breeze. There is also only one place the cherry picker can be positioned, so i'll just have to keep my fingers crossed the sun wont be behind it. So basically a high shutter speed is the best?

We really dont want to do this at any of the other mini events we attend, as we want to do it as a club you see.

Thanks again

Amy x
 
only choice you have is the 18-55, the other lens is far too long really. YOu might even need something shorter, like a 10-20

Shame i havent flown for a few years, could have bought a helicopter over and used that lol
 
Hi Amy,
If you have not been in a 'cherry picker' give yourself plenty of time in the air to settle down.
Tie everything including yourself to the cherrypicker craddle.
Write yourself a plan and a list of all the things you may need.
Find out how high you will be - I have been in a cherrypicker 6 floor up (about 70 feet) - They do wobble but you soon get use to it.
Have a practice run, or several, on top of a carpark or somewhere else roughly the same hieght off the ground then you will have a good idea of how much ground you can cover.
Just take what's on your list.
Go through your plan and check that everything you need is on your list.

Are you shooting one car one a long exposure?
If so have you thought of doing it a night?
If there are going to be several cars "nose to tail" spelling 50 that not so bad as you can up the shutter speed.
If this is the case you will do better hand holding the camera so that you can absorb the sway and vibrations.

Finally ask someone else to take pictures of you doing the shoot.

DON'T TAKE ANY RISKS!
 
I dont know about Nikon fitments, but I'd be hiring something like this, and use a superclamp and a ballhead to secure the camera to the railing on the cherry picker.
 
Amy

I was at mini 40 at Silverstone as well as a couple of other 40 year celebrations where they set up a picture for that......

They had a cherry picker at them and the pics came out pretty well......I went to southern mini days for the 40th at the Hop Farm......this was organised by SMOC (southern mini owners club) they organised the piccy there so may be worth contacting them......

Good luck......would love to see the pics
 
Sounds like a mini adventure. :D I would suggest something like a 10-20 lens.
 
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