Here are 5 top tips on how to photograph planes. Whether you’re looking for aviation photography tips in general or looking for some photography tips for shooting air show planes then this is the video for you.
Before going to my first airshow I wanted to find out how to take pictures of planes. I searched the internet for the best photography how to tips and have put them in one place for you here. How to photograph planes in flight, airshow photography tips techniques and more.
Please Subscribe here:
Follow me:
Gear used in my videos:
(Affiliate links)
Canon 80D
Rode VideoMic Go
Rode Smartlav+
Canon EF-S 18-55mm
CN 160 LED light panel
GoPro Hero4 Silver
Manfrotto PIXI Mini Tripod
DJI Phantom 3
DJI Osmo Mobile
Music by Epidemic Sound
Your video is so helpful! Your channel deserves way more subs. Thanks for the tips!
You can shoot in any mode – it just depends on what you want to control. Auto ISO settings on some cameras have a min shutter speed for Aperture mode, so you can get the camera doing the exposure work if the light is changing and still get a lot of control.
You have to accept a very high rate of missed shots if you want prop blur. I prefer tack sharp images and a frozen prop but everyone seems to think that is "wrong". Meh. I shoot for me.
I use a nikon p900 coolpix, I can't find ai servo and high speed continuous shooting mode 🙁
There's not much to it. Drive to the Mach Loop because then you can bring your 28-80 or 18-135 if you can't get a telephoto. Put a really quick shutter speed. Get a low aperture to blur background increasing movement. Put continuous shooting. Put auto everything pretty much let the camera do the work. Then have all you green Welsh Background.
Good tips. I will add one thing though: if you are spotting commercial aircraft dependent on which region you are at, test your light first by doing a panning sweep. Meaning that hold your shutter halfway and aim the camera in the path that the aircraft is approaching. What you can tend to realize is that even though you are at Aperture priority, the light changes based on the sun's position. So if you have an aircraft coming from the left with the sun, your shutter speed can drastically drop when it comes in front or just as it goes to the right. This comes more into play if a cloud suddenly covers the sun. So dependent on that sweep, sometimes Shutter priority is more useful.
Hey Dave glad I found your channel as I’m into photography and how funny came across you ! Hoes Cian, we’ve lost contact good vid
Thanks Dave, – from Dave
Excellent suggestions! Thank you! Short video, to the point and covered aviation photography very well. I just wish you had included a few more of your photographs on the video! 🙂
Thanks for the tips
They are really helpful, there will be an Airshow in my country next month and these tips will help me to get a very good shots
But I have question
Which mode is more helpful
M or TV
Quality straight forward video, thanks for information. Hopefully now will get some great Spitfire pictures
Going to try these tips great video.
will my nikon 70-300mm vr lens be ok or do i need something else;
I use back button focus and it seems to let my 80D do slightly quicker bursts. One query about IS – my EF 70-300 IS II USM doesn't ignore panning motion so it can add blur. I have to turn IS off. Photographing anything without props is OK – use 1/2000 with f8+ and ISO=auto – but blurring props at, say, 1/100th needs good panning technique without IS.
I decided to watch some videos to refresh and get top tips for the air show next weekend. The Scottish Airshow would you believe. I live in Ayr lol. So very much looking forward to another Airshow. This was the perfect video with the info I was looking for. Can’t wait for next weekend to give your advice a shot! Really enjoyed this video. It was filled with really helpful info and was just the correct length!
Great info thank you.
Great info. Heading to the Blackpool show tomorrow so hope to get some good shots
Great tips. I am shooting an air show soon. I have a couple of questions camera shake. When the Shutter Speed ( Tamron 16-300 mm) is lower then 300 shutter speed and I am panning with the plane. Will this show up? What is your feeling about Back Button focus. Last time I shot an air show. My focusing was on Manual. Shutter speed servo and it was center weighted for meter.
I'll be off to the austrian AirPower around this time next year. I'll most likely use a d5300. Is a 70-300mm lens enough, or should I invest in something bigger?
Well done. Cheers !
I've shot 5 air shows with varying levels of success. Here are some other things to consider:
Back button focus is something worth investigating (focus and recompose). So the focus mode is always in continuous.
Consider bracketing by a stop or two when using burst mode. This is especially important when the sky is partly cloudy.
Lastly, a vibration control long lens is especially helpful. There is no replacement for the 3 point technique, but together, having that extra stop or three can make or break a shot.
Not everybody can afford that kind of glass, myself included so I always rent what I need. 70-200 f2.8 are also reasonably inexpensive used.
Well these tips served me well at the weekend. Now got over 800 images to start sorting through. One thing I did discover is that my sd card isn't fast enough I hit the buffer quite a few times when shooting continuous shots. Hopefully get a video up later in the week with my best shots.
Thanks again for the tips.
ATB Steve
Thanks for the tips. They'll come in very useful this weekend. I'll be attending the 30th Sunderland international air show. I've been many times over the years but not with decent camera. I got back into photography back in November when I got a d3200 initially for 're ordering video for my channel but it's 're ignited my interest in photography. Hopefully I'll get some decent shots this year and do a video for my channel.
ATB Steve
Thanks for your tips. I will let you know after trying your tips
Thanks a lot !
Great thanks! Off to RIAT in July cannot wait 👍