Aircraft photography done from ground to air has its own place in nature photography. The more complicated part for amateur aircraft photographers is doing air-to-air aircraft photography. To expand your horizons, you should learn adaptability to new situations.
To enhance your aircraft photography skills, you must look forward to the works of the best aircraft photographers. There is no shortage of airplane photographers in the world that appreciate the beauty of aviation. If you have been doing Alaska photography for long and want to get acclaimed, you can join the Professional Aerial Photographer Association. You will come across professional aircraft photographers displaying their aviation photography skills.
Aircraft Photography in Morning Light
To get the best aircraft photography results, you must shoot aircraft in the morning light. Early morning photography is a pleasurable experience when the dawn breaks and the sun is revealed to the world. The other good thing about Alaska photography is the peace and quiet during the dawn hours. You are at your best, with your camera equipment, and the passing-by airplanes in the sky.
Talking from the photographer’s point of view, shooting aircraft under morning light is a rewarding experience. When the sky at the horizon is clear, the sun throws bold and direct light on your subject. The effects of aircraft portraits are as good at sunrise as they are during sunset.
The intense warm light of the sun is for a relatively shorter period of time. Therefore, you should make the most of it as there are no dust particles or impurities in the early hours of the day. If you make it early at the location, you don’t have to go hunting for the aircraft when the light is best. The flights that take off early can easily be shot if you are well prepared for it. You will be mesmerized by aircraft portraits you will capture with the right timing and equipment.
Remember even if you find a great aircraft to shoot, pay attention to the reflections of the sun on the aircraft. Also, keep looking around you and even behind you to get interesting aircraft scenes.
Aircraft Photography when It’s Cloudy
As an aircraft photographer, you should love the clouds as much as you love the sun. The clouds fill the sky with added interest and make the aircraft portrait more interesting and dynamic. When you have clouds spread in the sky, a time comes when the sun hides behind them giving you a perfect shot. A slight overcast is perfect for close-up shots and aircraft portraits. When the clouds roll over the sun, get closer and shoot a few aircraft portraits and some detailed aircraft portraits. Later when the sun reappears, you can continue shooting aircraft photographs in the sun.
To be a successful and professional aircraft photographer, you need to be adaptable to the changing light. You can plan for a specific composition and let it all fall in place by itself. Just be mindful of your surroundings and get creative by utilizing the parameters of a new situation.
You can unfold new possibilities of capturing the best aircraft photographs by adaptation. If you are doing air-to-air photography, you may take off in rain and after flying a few miles get the sun. After some time, you may find the clouds rolling over the sun, giving you another perfect shot.
However, it’s simple still you get compelling drama with the clouds in the background. You need to act quickly so that you need not miss the effect that comes with a cloudy background.