Birds of a different feather . . . Air shows are a great excursion for the family - and a super way to extend your photography into new areas. Here are tips and tricks to get you started.

Job #1 take care of yourself

It's easy to get caught up in the excitement and not realize you're getting over heated so take care.

Protection from the sun
- Even on an overcast day, the dangers are there
- Stay hydrated
  - Drink more than you think you need. Waiting until you get thirsty is not good enough
  - Stay comfortable
    - Clothing that is light and breathable
    - Good walking shoes - you will be doing some "walking"
    - Accessories
      - Chairs, sun glasses and ear protection - to name just a few
      - Check the air show website for FAQ's, it's not uncommon for a show to prohibit bags - you may have have to hump your equipment in without your camera bag.

Equipment

Lens selection
- Short lens: something in the 24-70 or 24-105 range
  - Plenty of opportunities for wide angle crowd shots as well as static displays
  - In-flight lens: a 70-200 is minimum but a 70-300 is a better choice. A lens that get you up to 400 is optimum
    - You'll want a variable telephoto as the aircraft are constantly changing positions

Camera body
- Whatever you shoot with is fine
- Bring an extra, fully charged battery
- A comfortable strap (remember, you might not have your camera bag with you)

Some Basic Tips

Whistling Death . . . Japanese nickname for the plane that ruled the pacific skies..jpg

Camera Settings:
- Focusing Mode: AI Servo (as Canon calls it) is mandatory. These guys fly pretty fast!
- Multiple shots: set you camera to take images as fast as it can - you'll want to select from the best of a sequence
- Aperture: it can be hard when you need light, but you don't want to shoot too close to your maximum aperture. With even a single aircraft, you could need 12-20 feet of depth of field to get the entire ship in focus.
  - Single aircraft: f/8 is minimum, assuming a good distance between you and the aircraft in flight.
  - Multiple aircraft: f/11 is minimum, but f/14 is a safer choice
  - Shutter speed:
    - This one deserves a dedicated post (on its way) but some basics are:
      - Jets: you've got latitude here, use as fast a shutter as you can
      - Prop: this is where it gets challenging. You want to see the prop "blur" in your shot. This can require shutter speeds as low as 1/250th or lower. But you need to have your panning technique down cold in order to ensure the aircraft itself is in focus
      - Harsh light
        Most air shows take place during the middle of the day, not much you can do about it. Here are a couple things to look into though:
        Evening shows: many air shows will have a Friday night event at dusk - take advantage of these!
        Get to the show very early. Usually aircraft will be flying in during the early morning hours, including static displays. This could allow you a shot or two with some good light

Expose for the aircraft - don't worry if everything else is blown out or blocked up

Composition considerations
- Leave room to fly into. Don't butt the nose of the ship right up against the edge of your frame
- Look for different angles, including aircraft flying away from you - unlike animals or people, there is no "head angle" to worry about!

Pre-Show Tips

Check on show locations and dates
- Especially the time the gates open
- Special seating
  - Some shows (for a price) have VIP seating that can also include shelter and beverages
  - Flight line seating, get there early
    - Pay attention to the gate opening time. If you don't have VIP seating, you'll want to get there early to grab a spot right on the flight line

In upcoming posts, we'll also take a deeper look at more advanced considerations

Shutter speed: how to enhance your shots depending of type of aircraft
Panning: how to perfect your rythm
Depth of Field: how to capture multi aircraft and special routines

Check back soon for these informative posts.

Stay in focus,

Mark