Airborne just before the sun came up.

[LynnHall]

Wow, I must press the like button on theses photos too. The light is just right and the clarity outstanding. Thank you for sharing these.

[apatti]

Great plane and great photography!

Would love to hear more on the photography technique. The prop disc suggests a relatively slow shutter speed (the 3 blade prop helped). However, the shots are very sharp despite the vibration of the platform. Also, with the zoom level that was apparently used it had to be even more difficult to hold things steady. What ISO was used?

I am also interested in how you shot through the canopy.

Thanks so much for sharing!

[FlyingArcher]

Originally Posted by apatti

Great plane and great photography!

Would love to hear more on the photography technique. The prop disc suggests a relatively slow shutter speed (the 3 blade prop helped). However, the shots are very sharp despite the vibration of the platform. Also, with the zoom level that was apparently used it had to be even more difficult to hold things steady. What ISO was used?

I am also interested in how you shot through the canopy.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Just follow the links to Flicker, select the original version, right-click on it and save it to your local drive. Once here, right-click on the picture file and look for the Details tab, you should find everything the camera has to say about its own settings during the shot.
HTH

[lucaperazzolli]

jaws on floor !

[2bolts]

Originally Posted by scsmith

Wow, I didn't know you folks had such a thing as sunrise in the UK

Very pretty.

Sometimes we do, it doesn't rain all the time. But according to my dad it has been awful this year.

[EdH]

Originally Posted by RBD

To echo everyone else - truly awesome photos, Ed! I would have loved to do a photo shoot like that back when I had my RV-4. I'm curious as to what the formation looked like to get photos such as the one above? Photo ship in straight and level flight with the subject banking towards you at he flies past?

Thanks Ryan. Like Bob said, we're cruising in the same direction, and he broke away then reversed. I picked my moment to get the shot with "clean" control deflections. It's something I only consider doing with good formation pilots who really understand what I'm after. Bob was totally on it in terms of performing the manoeuvre, which helped me get a great shot.

It works in various positions, depending on the photo platform. This was shot from a 172.


Miles Whitney Straight by Ed Hicks, on Flickr

Originally Posted by StaringSkyward

Wow, Ed! These are some of the best air-to-air shots I have ever seen.

Does shooting through the curved canopy as opposed to, say, through an open window present any problems? Do you have to use a shade between the end of your lens and the canopy to prevent glare and reflections?

Superb inspiration for all of us pounding rivets (as I know you are too).

Thanks,

Matt
Slow build RV-9 - still on those darn wings...

Thanks Matt. Yes, the canopy can cause issues, but practice has taught me what areas work, and which don't. I don't use any form of hood between lens and perspex - it would cause more problems than I'm ever trying to solve. Whereever possible, I'll shoot through an open window, but I enjoy not being frozen on the occasions when I'm "inside"!

I will say, that Airplane Plastics seem to consistently make optically superb canopies. I've shot from a lot of -8's over the years and always had great results.

Originally Posted by BuckWynd

That's the most motivational set of photos I have had the pleasure of viewing in a long time. My congratulations to both the builder and photographer!

Thanks Buck. Consider the motivation a trade - I have learnt a lot from your build log that has helped my current project.

Originally Posted by apatti

Great plane and great photography!

Would love to hear more on the photography technique. The prop disc suggests a relatively slow shutter speed (the 3 blade prop helped). However, the shots are very sharp despite the vibration of the platform. Also, with the zoom level that was apparently used it had to be even more difficult to hold things steady. What ISO was used?

I am also interested in how you shot through the canopy.

Thanks so much for sharing!

Thanks Tony. There's nothing too special about the technique. I usually work shutter priority, and keep the speeds low - I dislike stopped props as much as the rest of the pilot population. The early light nature of the "golden prop disk" shot meant a low shutter speed and ISO 800.


Van's RV-8 G-JBTR by Ed Hicks, on Flickr

As to sharpness, I'm always super-conscious of vibration, so avoid contact with bits of aircraft interior. I also make good use of muscle control in my arms and torso - the body can do a good job of vibration control.

[EdH]

Just before Christmas, Bob surprised me by sending me a copy of a book he made using photos from our sunrise shoot.

[xavierm]

Stunning plane p*rn! Great motivation!