Helicopter Photography - Help!

MartinSlowey

MartinSlowey

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Martin
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I've been invited to take some corporate shots of a Drilling Company's drilling rig out in the north sea next weekend, and since I've never done any photography from a helicopter before I thought I should canvas for thoughts on technique.

We'll be flying out on a chartered helicopter - I'll be one of a number of passengers - the rest are senior execs of the parent company. I very much doubt we'll get an opportunity to get the door open, so I have to assume the opportunities will be from behind the helicopter's side windows.

I've got a Canon 5D Mark II and I'm proposing to use a 70-200 f/2.8 MK2 which has 4-stop IS.

I was thinking of using a CIRC-PL to take any big reflections off the water, but that's obviously going to counteract the benefit gained from the lens' IS - so I'm also looking at a high ISO setting - I guess I'll only know how high when I'm out there and take a few test shots.

Some questions I keep asking myself:

* Should I really use the polariser?
* I almost always shoot in aperture priority mode - should I consider shutter priority?

I'd be grateful for any advice anyone can offer.
 
The last time I took photographs from a chopper we had a door removed. It would be worth finding out in advance if there is an opening (small sliding panel) to enable photography or if you are stuck with shooting through the window. Have you been commissioned by the company? If so, can they give you sole use the the chopper, after delivering the VIPs, for a quick circuit or two of the subject? It sounds like you are merely sharing the chopper delivering VIPs. Make sure one of those doesn't pinch the best seat, thereby making you job harder.

If you get sole use of the chopper then you should be able to have the driver take you around the most favourable positions so as to avoid glare from water. That said, a circ-pol may help if shooting through glass but I do hope you don't have to resort to this worst case situation.

And good luck with the weather.
 
2blue4u said:
The last time I took photographs from a chopper we had a door removed. It would be worth finding out in advance if there is an opening (small sliding panel) to enable photography or if you are stuck with shooting through the window. Have you been commissioned by the company? If so, can they give you sole use the the chopper, after delivering the VIPs, for a quick circuit or two of the subject? It sounds like you are merely sharing the chopper delivering VIPs. Make sure one of those doesn't pinch the best seat, thereby making you job harder.

If you get sole use of the chopper then you should be able to have the driver take you around the most favourable positions so as to avoid glare from water. That said, a circ-pol may help if shooting through glass but I do hope you don't have to resort to this worst case situation.

And good luck with the weather.
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Thanks for the quick response, John

The deal is that the execs will get dropped off on the rig first, then I'll get the chopper to myself to do a few circuits on my own. They will want good shots, so I'm hoping I'll be able to negotiate a decent seat.

I'll need to find out if there's a sliding window - I suspect we'll be in a Super Puma - no sliding windows.
 
I do not know if this helps you out or not but I took these when on a site seeing chopper ride round new york a few years ago with a point and shoot camera through the glass of the side windows trying to not get the frames in the way.
I guess if the glass does not open just make sure its clean outside and in side and pray for sun.
Camera was a canon ixus 950 IS.
These have had no PP at all straight out of the camera.








Spike
 
Will they slide the door open for you? I'm sure they will have the appropriate safety harnesses for you to use.

There's no way the images will be as good as they could be, especially shooting through distorted perspex / flexi-glass, and that can play havoc with focussing.

I'd also be looking at shooting entirely in shutter priority. From a distance, the DOF will be compressed enough for you to use around f8 -f11 on the 70-200 @200mm to get it tac sharp from one end of the rig to the other (if your shooting down from 45 degrees). If you're looking directly down, then f4 will do.

Take a wider lens too, if you have one. Like a 24-70, just so you'll be able to get a nice wide location shot. Obviously, you won't need to worry so much about shutter speeds on the wider lens.

The vibrations from the chopper would be my main issue on the longer lens, in that getting a shutter speed of around 1/500-1000th to keep them sharp. Just keep one eye on the aperture available at these speeds in the light you're dealing with at the time. Bearing in mind that the C-Plz will drop your light a couple of stops - but yes, that's a good idea to mix and match it with the polariser. It all depends on the light your going to be shooting in.

Shooting RAWs up to 800 iSO is no problem.

Sounds like a fun job :)
 
You need to check out that window, could make all the difference. Use IS. If no window, get the lens as close to the glass/perspex as possible to minimise reflections, but not touching (you'll get tons of vibration).

Take a polariser for sure, but they only work at certain angles with reflections, basically 30-40 degrees to the surface. Personally I'm wary of using them for seascapes as when they work, they take a lot of light off the water and it can go very dark.

Also, I'd guess that a polariser will show up stress patterns in the glass/perspex, so use with care if you have to shoot through it.
 
HoppyUK said:
You need to check out that window, could make all the difference. Use IS. If no window, get the lens as close to the glass/perspex as possible to minimise reflections, but not touching (you'll get tons of vibration).

Take a polariser for sure, but they only work at certain angles with reflections, basically 30-40 degrees to the surface. Personally I'm wary of using them for seascapes as when they work, they take a lot of light off the water and it can go very dark.

Also, I'd guess that a polariser will show up stress patterns in the glass/perspex, so use with care if you have to shoot through it.
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Yes, good point with the Polariser shooting through perspex - it'll go all rainbowy! And you'll have to be familiar using the exposure compensation dial when shooting big dark areas, like patches of polarized ocean. Just shoots lots with lots of variation in exposure. You're not going to have time to be 'chimping' every image. Have fun :)
 
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lifethroughalens said:
Yes, good point with the Polariser shooting through perspex - it'll go all rainbowy! And you'll have to be familiar using the exposure compensation dial when shooting big dark areas, like patches of polarized ocean. Just shoots lots with lots of variation in exposure. You're not going to have time to be 'chimping' every image. Have fun :)
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Yes, exposure could be all over the place as you circle around, light off the water etc. Keep an eye on it as best you can but shoot on auto-bracket mode, +/- one stop, maybe more. That'll rattle off three bracketed shots in half a second. Shoot Raw.
 
Thanks to everyone for taking the time to respond to my request. The experience of others in this area is giving me some very good pointers, and I'm already feeling a lot more prepared. I've also had a chat with a pro friend, who does a lot of ariel photography from helicopters - but she gets the door open and harnessed up.

I would like to take a few lenses, but I've been advised I'll not be able to take my camera bag in the cabin. I'll be restricted to a single lens, which is why I've gone for the one with the best IS.

The consensus seems to be:

Manual focus (if shooting through perspex)
High ISO
Shutter priority - 1/500 - 1/1000
Take the polariser, but don't use it if the light isn't good
Shoot RAW (I almost always shoot RAW)
Leave the 10-stop ND at home ;)
 
HoppyUK said:
Yes, exposure could be all over the place as you circle around, light off the water etc. Keep an eye on it as best you can but shoot on auto-bracket mode, +/- one stop, maybe more. That'll rattle off three bracketed shots in half a second. Shoot Raw.
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If I'm shooting RAW, wouldn't I just adjust exposure in post processing?
 
MartinSlowey said:
If I'm shooting RAW, wouldn't I just adjust exposure in post processing?
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What? No! Adjusting exposure in PP is for fine tuning, and it helps in rescuing mistakes/disasters, but it's no substitute for getting it right in-camera.

And I would leave the hood on, always. It will actually help reduce reflections if you can get it close to the glass, but either way there will be a lot of bright light around outside the image area, from both sky and sea, that you don't want causing flare.
 
With a Super Puma you shouldn't have a problem in having the door locked open. Sit on the edge and strap in. Enjoy.

The last time I did this it was below zero with snow on the ground. I took off a glove, to better play with the camera, and watched it fly away :eek: At least I held onto the camera - a colleague of mine, a couple weeks earlier, tried to swap lenses whilst sitting in the door and promptly dropped it - a thousand feet. :cautious:

It's always been my dream to do this in good weather.
 
Hello from the North Sea! :wave:

If they are dropping the execs off first then taking you back up for the shots they will likely open the door for you and harness you up. Everytime we get ariel shots done out here that is the standard practice.

Who you flying with and where are you headed btw?

I'm out on the Andrew at the moment so if your coming close give us a wave! (y)
 
gazfy said:
Hello from the North Sea! :wave:

If they are dropping the execs off first then taking you back up for the shots they will likely open the door for you and harness you up. Everytime we get ariel shots done out here that is the standard practice.

Who you flying with and where are you headed btw?

I'm out on the Andrew at the moment so if your coming close give us a wave! (y)
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I'm not sure who we're flying out with, but I'm sure it'll be one of the usual suspects. We're heading out to the WilHunter (Awilco Drilling) - I only had a brief conversation with their CEO last night, so I don't have any more details other than it's on route to another job - it'll be somewhere east of Aberdeen (could be anywhere).

Great to hear the Super Puma has a door lock - it's beginning to sound like it might not be an unreasonable request afterall.
 
2blue4u said:
With a Super Puma you shouldn't have a problem in having the door locked open. Sit on the edge and strap in. Enjoy.

The last time I did this it was below zero with snow on the ground. I took off a glove, to better play with the camera, and watched it fly away :eek: At least I held onto the camera - a colleague of mine, a couple weeks earlier, tried to swap lenses whilst sitting in the door and promptly dropped it - a thousand feet. :cautious:

It's always been my dream to do this in good weather.
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If I don't get any decent shots I doubt I'll be asked back, so I really want to get some quality shots - weather permitting.

I quite fancy getting a shot of the guys coming off the chopper and walking across the helideck. I'm sure it's a cliche, but I don't care :)

I don't think I'd ever forgive myself if I dropped a lens from height.
 
I'll be supprised if they do open the door for you, and they may not even have a harness, this is a transportation flight, not one set up for photography, you'll probably be wearing survival suits as well so you need to make sure your camera is ready and you don't need anything from your pockets.
 
I would like to take a few lenses, but I've been advised I'll not be able to take my camera bag in the cabin. I'll be restricted to a single lens, which is why I've gone for the one with the best IS.
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Belt pouch or wan*er jacket to hold a couple of others then :)

Ask about harness in advance, probably not your usual kit to carry around on the chopper, but they'll probably have one somewhere.

Tether your kit! Carabiner through your strap to an anchor point (with a sling/rope if needed) etc. There's a few horror stories of lenses being dropped out of choppers out there... bear in mind that the floor also tilts so lenses can roll out too!

If your lenses have a tripod foot, then tether them too, and also any camera bag you can take on.
 
swanseamale47 said:
I'll be supprised if they do open the door for you, and they may not even have a harness, this is a transportation flight, not one set up for photography, you'll probably be wearing survival suits as well so you need to make sure your camera is ready and you don't need anything from your pockets.
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Survival suits will be mandatory as we're flying over the sea, and I'll only be permitted my camera body and one lens in the cabin - the rest of the gear will need to go into the hold. However, from what others are reporting earlier in this thread, it sounds like it's not beyond reason for them to open the door once the main passengers have been dropped off. It's a private charter so I wonder if the guys chartering the flight can request a harness in advance?
 
if you need to shoot through Perspex.. A few points I didn't see earlier here

- Use the 70-200 focus limiter, it helps AF quite a bit.
- If you can get a big rubber hood to press against the glass, it will kill inside reflections well.
- you will lose a lot of contrast, you may need to up the blacks in post and use the brightness slider in LR for example

But the earlier you get in with your harness + door open request the more likely you are to get it.

Good luck!
 
Sounds like a lot of fun, very much jealous. I'd think (with no experience) that if you have to shoot through a closed window then you'll need to actually clean the window on the outside before take off, keep the lens hood on to reduce flare/stray light and even wear dark clothes so you don't get any light bouncing off you onto the window. If the window/door can be opened then take off the hood and use a hand strap (and possibly neck strap too) to stop things getting blown off. If the images seem blurry then ask the pilot if he can get closer so you can shoot wider.

And as a random idea, if you are flying in once with the execs, could you not use a wider lens to get some images of them and the rig out the window, then after you landed the 1st time switch to the 70-200?
 
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Had a quick google to try and find where the Wilhunter is at the moment and if I'm right it's in block 211 drilling the Timon prospect, so you will actually be going East of the Shetland Isles.

Weather is very unpredictable up that way so wish you all the best of luck for a decent weather window! (y)

EDIT: Actually just noticed that it's Bond who are flying to the Wilhunter (that's who I fly with) and the schedules are showing 5hr 30mins round trip so the rig must be East of Shetland. Good news is (out here at least) Bond always open the door for the photographers.
 
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gazfy said:
Had a quick google to try and find where the Wilhunter is at the moment and if I'm right it's in block 211 drilling the Timon prospect, so you will actually be going East of the Shetland Isles.

Weather is very unpredictable up that way so wish you all the best of luck for a decent weather window! (y)

EDIT: Actually just noticed that it's Bond who are flying to the Wilhunter (that's who I fly with) and the schedules are showing 5hr 30mins round trip so the rig must be East of Shetland. Good news is (out here at least) Bond always open the door for the photographers.
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Hi Gary - thanks for the update. Out of interest, where are you getting the location information from on the WilHunter? I did a search at the weekend and I couldn't find anything.
 
one problem not yet mentioned is life insurance.

Most life cover exclude this sort of work.
When I was chief photographer for sky photos, my insurance was doubled. It was several years after I stopped flying before they would reduce the premium.
Do not rest anything against the side of the craft... arms camera etc. or vibration will kill your shots. Door open with a harness is the norm.
We shot all the rigs in the north sea at the time, but we used light aircraft mostly piper aztecs for this work. The experience of the pilot is the most important factor. The actual photography is easy.
 
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I have done a lot of photography from a helo, here are my observations.

The 70-200 is ideal. Use shutter priority and make sure IS is on as vibration from the rotors is considerable.

I very much doubt you will be flying with a door open unless you have a crew member with you. If you do you will either be wearing a full harness or sat in a Martin Baker seat, again unlikely. You certainly wont be shooting door open with only a lap strap! Shooting with a door open is normally only allowed after training.

Shooting thro the window will present problems as the glass is similar to Perspex and will have a milky appearance. You may be lucky and have a portion of the window that can be opened.

Good luck whatever happens.

Andy
 
Shutter priority is a must, the vibration in a chopper is quite bad.

500th and above works ok I have found.
 
From my experience of trying to shoot through perspex (skiing gondolas) with a polariser is don't bother it nearly always go crazy rainbow effect thats a right pita to remove in post made worse the wider you go.
 
MartinSlowey said:
Hi Gary - thanks for the update. Out of interest, where are you getting the location information from on the WilHunter? I did a search at the weekend and I couldn't find anything.
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Looking a little deeper into it, it may no longer be there as it's operations there have been suspended due to issues with the rig a couple of weeks ago. See here...

http://www.offshoreenergytoday.com/tag/wilhunter/

(y)
 
HoppyUK said:
What? No! Adjusting exposure in PP is for fine tuning, and it helps in rescuing mistakes/disasters, but it's no substitute for getting it right in-camera.

And I would leave the hood on, always. It will actually help reduce reflections if you can get it close to the glass, but either way there will be a lot of bright light around outside the image area, from both sky and sea, that you don't want causing flare.
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Depends on space. A hood adds quite a lot of length so if you're in a small chopper you may end up cuddling the pilot. Personally I'd like him to feel comfortable.

I was out playing at the weekend. 70-200 IS is great but the windy weather/vibration is a killer, especially when you've got the shutter speed down for prop blur. Shooting through the perspex is a pain, with rain drops, marks etc

144118176.jpg

144118183.jpg
 
Byker28i said:
Depends on space. A hood adds quite a lot of length so if you're in a small chopper you may end up cuddling the pilot. Personally I'd like him to feel comfortable.
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It will be either a Eurocopter EC225 or a L2. Configured for 19 passengers and the 2 crew, plenty space in the back. Especially once they have dropped off the other passengers and then he goes back up to take the pictures.
 
I just came back from the Don field up off Shetland, with bond also. Not a comfortable flight as it was direct from the rig.

I cant seeing you being able to get the door opened for you but if you do i will be surprised.

Good luck with it all anyway, and wear padded pants for the ride ;)
 
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