Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

[lindkold]

I have been lucky to get full access to Show center of an Air Show (best position in regards to sun and the show itself), and want to get the most out of this unique opportunity photo wise, so I'm looking for tips and advice here.

My gear is:
air shots:
Canon 5DM3
Canon 70-200mm II f/2.8
Canon 100-400mm f/4.5
Polarization filter
Monopod/tripod

ground shots:
Canon 24-70mm f/2.8
Canon 50mm f/1.2

I'm aware of the risk of underexposing planes on a bright sky which is my main concern, but not sure what would be "best practice" or procedure to avoid this. I'm aware of the need for fast shutter speeds (fx. min. 1/400 on a 400mm lens) of around 1/800-1/1000 for jets close by, and slower shutter speeds for propeller planes etc. I'm a happy amateur but pretty comfortable with my gear and settings, as well as post-production in Photoshop.

But my main concerns are:
1) What is "best practice" to avoid underexposed planes on a bright sky? If you compensate exposure, I'm afraid to forget to check this if the light changes during the day? What is your experience? Is there a "rule of thumb"? Pol-filter or not?
2) Av or Tv mode? The Image Quality on the 5DM3 with higher ISO's is amazing, so light shouldn't be a problem. But what is preferable?
3) AI-servo or not? Seems obvious, but then if I choose fx. a center focus point I'm afraid I won't have enough sky in front of the planes for best composition? If I use a focus point on either side, I would have to change this all the time as the planes are all over the place? What is your advice on this?
4) On the 5DM3 there's 6 AF-modes for different action situations. Any advice if one is much better than another?

Do you know of any pro Air Show photographers with a web site with inputs on this. I found articles, but usually the just sum up the pro/cons and don't end up with more specific answers.
I appreciate all your inputs and advice and hope to be able to post links to some great pics here later.

Thx.

[Woolley]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

There will be other along with much better experience than me, but I'll pass on what I learned in my one attempt RAF Cosford

Set exposure to manual and meter on the grass in front of you which is receiving the same light as the aircraft and is the right %grey.
I found the polarizer useful in cutting out haze and improving contrast.
I found focussing better on one shot. However, that was with the 400D. I suspect with the more sophisticated options on the 7D I'd go for AI Servo, enable assist points, and if there's nothing else getting into the picture auto point selection should work, since the aircraft is the only thing the camera will have to focus on. If you have trees or building getting into the mix that may not work.
High shutter speed for jets, slow for anything with propellers or rotors as you need movement else they don't look right.

[colin C]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

I agree with Woolley for manual metering. Use a grey card, or the grass to set up the camera in manual and you will get the flight shots right, until the light changes. That is the only downside ............. you have to be aware of chages in the light and re-do manual exposure to suit. You soon get to grips with it and develop a sort of 6th sense.

The 100 - 400mm seems to be the most popular lens for airshows. Walking up the specator line and every second person has a 100 - 400mm - the rest are using their iPhones!

Use A1 Servo and develop a smooth panning action. Don't stop panning as you take your shot, or you will only capture aircraft tails, or sky. Always keep panning as you shoot as if you are always going to take another couple of shots in the sequence.

The centre focus spot is the most sensitive, so use that one and keep some space around the aircraft so that you can compose it properly later.

Anything over 1/1,000 sec is good for jets, but as you are already aware, you need slower speeds for propeller aircraft and helicopters. You need some successes in the bag, so start off at 1/250 sec and as you gat more confident and your panning technique is getting better, drop the speed to 1/200 sec, then 1/160 sec and then 1/100 sec. Your success rate will be lower with the slower speeds, but when you do get it right, the increased prop blur will reward you with a much better shot. On a good day, I can still get usable shots at 1/60 sec ........................ but not every day is a good day. As long as I start at higher speeds, I can generally get down to 1/100 sec without any problems.

Don't bother with polarisers. You lose light somewhere between 1 & 2 stops, depending how you have set it. You need all the light you can to keep the shutter speed up for jets and try to keep the ISO down. However your camera is at high ISO, it's even better at low ISO. At some stage in the future when you are confident with airshows, you can add polarisers for effect and to improve the skies.

Have a great time and I hope that helped.

Colin

[MX5]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

As an aside - You need plenty of memory cards (ready for action), battery charged and some spare charged batteries.

Nearly every airshow I've been to over many decades ... the predominant swearing surrounds forgotten kit and expiring things!

[Woolley]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

Don't stop panning as you take your shot, or you will only capture aircraft tails, or sky.

When I first went digital as a trial I had a Fuji S?000 which had a significant lag between pressing the shutter and it taking the picture. I took a sequence of shots of a Tornado, only to find it wasn't in any of them!

[Bouch]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

I have been taking photographs of Aircraft for years and thought I was doing okay, read many books on the subject did everything that has been written here. pleased with results. Last year was fortunate to be stood next to a pro at Duxford got chatting as we do upshot of this guy's advice was set camera to ai focus, spotmeter on a part of the aircraft usually around the cockpit. +1 overexposure on light aircraft. +2 overexposure on Dark aircraft (lancaster etc) "remember it's the aircraft we are after not the sky" and then practice, practice, practice. I followed this guy's advice to the letter even though my instinct was to meter from elsewhere. when reviewing my images on the pc at home i was well impressed, well exposed aircraft with good detail.

hope this helps a little bit.

don't get too hung up on settings just shoot what you feel and enjoy your day.

paul

[gordon3]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

HI There
I went to an airshow about 12 months here in Queensland, if this helps at all.
I was using a 5DMk11 with a 300mm f.2.8 and 2x converter ISO was 250.
I had the camera set on A/F AI Servo, I also had the camera on tripod rather than hand held . It was a sturdy Manifroto Tripod with a Ball head and trigger control.
Bearing in mind we could have brighter light here in the tropics than you would have in the UK.
You can see some of my shots on my web site http://www.ossyphoto.com.
Gordon.

[gordon3]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

HI There
I went to an airshow about 12 months here in Queensland, if this helps at all.
I was using a 5DMk11 with a 300mm f.2.8 and 2x converter ISO was 250.
I had the camera set on A/F AI Servo, I also had the camera on tripod rather than hand held . It was a sturdy Manifroto Tripod with a Ball head and trigger control.
Bearing in mind we could have brighter light here in the tropics than you would have in the UK.
You can see some of my shots on my web site http://www.ossyphoto.com.
Gordon.

[Trevoreast]

Re: Need tech Tips & Advice to shoot Airshow

I find it useful to strip problems down to photography basics.

Isn't this question really about how to deal with a moving, sometimes backlit, subjects, were adding artificial light is not an option. ?

Expose for the ambient light - get a sillouette.
Expose for the subject get a blown sky.
A halfway house - least worst fit between the two.
Exposing accuratly for both - combining in photoshop.

Personally I'd expose for the ambient and wait and hope for an angle were the light on the plane is optimal.
By wait, I mean pan with the aircraft and just push the shutter button at the right time.

I suppose a lot of it comes down to what you want to acheive - a decent snap that people with no interest in planes can admire and appreciate, or someting else with perhaps more limited appeal.

Trev