Webmaster note: This page and its information is provided by Kennard Blanning, an unofficial photographer for Clark County Radio Control Society. Ken is often seen at the field, and has provided many spectacular shots and videos of members and their planes.
Ken offers his insight on methodology and precautions to remember when taking photographs, and offers his expertise and opinions in an open forum format.
We hope that you can use the information provided to better your experience at the field, while maintaining a safe environment at the field!
PHOTOGRAPHING R/C PLANES 101
I'm going to assume that those who read this have little, if any,
knowledge about how things operate, at the fields, and/or their
cameras.
I'm using a NIKON system, so the following terms are Nikon, but
most cameras have the same functions just possibly different
terms for them.
Within the text, any term like 200-400
means 200 through 400, not
200 or 400.
Part 1 The Rules
Every field has rules that
must
be observed, some are basic AMA rules that apply to all fields, and
some are special rules that apply to a specific field,
learn them! We
as photographers can't be making things more dangerous!
Just because you have a camera, and/or see
some-one else beyond the spectator fence doesn't mean you can go out
there!
Get
permission!
After permission is granted,
never be
farther out than the pilot, and spotters!
Try to protect yourself by setting up near an
obstruction that you can hide behind, a fence, pole, the pilot,
(sorry guys), or anything the plane will have a hard time getting
though to cause you injury if things go awry. Of special concern is
in front of the plane when taking off, or landing, they are most
unstable at low airspeeds, and the ground-to-air interface.
Keep your
head on a swivel, and be aware of everything around you! Use your
ears, and pay attention to the pilots calling out directions! Start
using both eyes, one at the viewfinder,
or LCD, and the other unobstructed, (this is rather hard to
accomplish, but worth the effort), there is a tendency for tunnel
vision if looking only through the viewfinder.
Be
courteous, and stay out of the way! The
pilots have enough to think about, they don't need more
distractions. Don't ask the pilot to do anything, or something out
of their comfort zone. If I notice a pilot making low inverted
passes I may ask for a repeat. Try to be ready before the take-off,
you need to be on the pilots schedule, not vice versa. Share your
photos, (electronic, prints may be a different story), with the
pilot, or club, involved as a thanks for putting up with you. With a
little common sense the experience can be a benefit to all involved!
These are just some guidelines. Feel free to suggest other ideas, or point out something I missed, (including, especially you pilots)! Anything to be safer!
Part 2 Gear and Settings
Just a few years ago started photographing R/C planes, and noticed
hardly any-one else doing the same. Now days everybody seems to be
out there snapping away! That got me thinking "I wonder if those
people are having the same problems that I had?", so I decided to
share my experiences. With today's digital cameras there are many
ways to adjust the settings, it took me at least 6 months to figure
out how to work my camera, and I have a pretty extensive "film"
photography history! My first digital photos of R/C planes were
disappointingly not up to my expectations. I feel you don't need a
SLR camera with interchangeable lenses, but they do offer more
options than a "point-and-shoot" type of camera.
Some point-and-shoot cameras only have an auto setting.
Cameras
Most cameras should work, except maybe "auto only" point-and-shoots,
doesn't mean you can't try, it's just more difficult to get good
photos.
Some thoughts on "digital" cameras.
The digital camera, as we all know has become the mainstay in
photography.
Instant gratification, I can instantly determine if I got the shot,
with film it may take a week to find I missed it, and the
opportunity!
The LCD preview of an image is misleading,
(being small and emitting light), at full frame, preview the image
may look okay. Zoom in on the preview, and it may be out of focus,
always zoom in to verify focus, and
quality!
Along with "instant
gratification" comes "instant delete", be very careful when
deleting, you might delete something unintended! I preform the above
zoom check, and if it's out of focus it's gone. After I get home I
review the remaining photos, I may save some that are questionable,
(exposure wrong), but may be fixed with various editing software.
It is easier to lighten a dark image,
than to darken a light image. After an
image is "washed out" by overexposure the information is gone you
can't get it back! I've lightened a dark image to some success, it
may not be a "keeper", but I got the shot.... sorta. The previous
will be eluded to later in this article, because it's important!
Then there's the "Zabruder Factor", (I know, I
probably spelled It wrong, and will continue to do so). What if
Zabruder deleted his lousy footage of JFK's assassination, we may
not have known about the grassy knoll!
Review your photos on a big screen before deleting them,
who knows what else is captured, crimes in progress, missing people,
or a UFO, (hey, isn't that big-foot mouthing "hi mom"?).
Lenses
A few words about "Digital Zoom",
don't use
it! Optical zoom is far better, and as
far as I'm concerned should be the
only
zoom offered! The lens I use has a focal length of 55-200 mm, it's
adequate, and cheep. When I can afford it I will purchase a 400
mm. Use the longest focal length you have, (no digital zoom).
Shorter focal lengths means you need to get closer. Try to fill the
frame with the subject. When using my 200 mm I still want to get as
close as possible!
Camera's Auto settings
I started, (I think, like most of us), with
the camera set to "auto" which was part of my disappointing first
results, after all I spent big bucks for all those bells and
whistles! The auto setting turns the camera into a point-and-shoot,
you don't, or can't, make any adjustments. Don't get me wrong, I'm
not being derogatory towards auto settings, or point-and-shoots,
there's nothing wrong with them. If you are driving along, and
big-foot, or a UFO, or bear, bobcat, or something you just have to
get a picture of shows up, even the SLR better be set on auto, you
don't have time to manually set up the camera. I've found I had to
set the camera to "M"
Manual, you
could also use "S"
Shutter
priority, or "A"
Aperture priority,
but these can limit other adjustments.
Without going into detail about what each of the following means,
I'll just tell about what I've found to be beneficial. Check your
camera instruction book's index for the below topics, to make the
adjustments.
Flash
Turn off "auto flash",
and preset to "no flash",
unless you are inside, taking a close-up, or portrait you won't need
it. The flash is ineffective beyond 10-15 ft., and will wear out
needing replacing, save it for when you need it.
ASA / ISO
Turn off "auto ASA or ISO",
and preset to no more than 200 ASA / ISO.
In a low light condition you may have to reset to 400-800, or back
to auto. This setting will directly relate to your image quality,
above 200 the image quality will deteriorate, (get grainy),
especially when making enlargements, (prints bigger than 3 in. x 5
in.).
Auto Focus (AF)
Preset to
continuous AF. Preset
AF area
to centered spot, or selectable spot.
With these settings you need to keep the plane framed in your chosen
AF spot, this takes practice. Continuous AF will drain batteries
faster than single AF, so fully charge your batteries before a photo
session!
Vibration Reduction (VR-Nikon), Image Stabilization (IS-Canon,
Olympus)
Turn VR off. VR,
doesn't work very well with quickly moving objects, or cameras, and
it gobbles up batteries! I never had VR on
in any of my keeper photos, I've tried, but found the camera over
compensates, and the image suffers when VR is used.
Metering
Preset to the
smallest "center weighted" option.
Remember your trying to photograph the plane, you need to meter the
plane not the surrounding sky, and or trees. Before any planes are
in the air I will take a reading off a light on an "illuminated
pylon" at CCRCS. Center the light in the viewfinder, press shutter
button half way, this should bring up LED read outs in the
viewfinder, make appropriate exposure adjustments with the next two
topics. Of special concern
is white, or mostly white planes, most of the time white planes will
be overexposed. While the plane is on the ground meter it, (shutter
button half way), adjust the exposure, do not readjust for when the
plane is in the air. This will make the plane's exposure correct,
but the sky may be expectably underexposed. The previous "special
concern" can be used for any plane, not just white ones.
A note on exposure it
is better to be a couple of bars, or clicks underexposed than
overexposed, don't worry about exactly centering the exposure
meter, sometimes a centered meter still overexposes.
Shutter Speed
The Shutter Speed is one of the factors
that determines exposure. The idea here is to "freeze" the plane.
I've found a Shutter Speed of 200-400
will freeze the plane, and still blur the prop. Using faster speeds
can freeze the prop, and make the plane look like it's doing a dead
stick landing. With ducted fans, not so much.
Aperture / F-Stop
The F-stop is the other factor
that determines exposure. The F-stop defines what will be in focus,
or "depth of field", (DOF). The smaller the number, the larger the
opening, and the shallower the DOF. Inversely, a large number means
small opening, and almost everything in focus. Confused yet? If you
want the plane and
background "in focus", use a small Aperture, (or a large F -Stop /
Number), ! caution !
if there is a background other than sky the plane can become lost
against it! If you want the plane "in focus" and the background
blurred, use a large Aperture, (or a small F-Stop / Number), preferred,
this isolates the plane from the background.
Now for a dry run, seat belt fastened?
At home, or just before session
Camera set to "M" Manual, "S" Shutter
priority, or "A" Aperture priority
Flash - off
ASA / ISO - set to no more than
200
Auto Focus - set to
Continuous
VR, IS - off
Metering - set to
Smallest "Center Weighted"
At the Field, or "go time"
"M" Manual
Shutter Speed - set to
200-400
Aperture / F Stop -
adjust for proper exposure
Note: This is the
method I use almost exclusively, the background is usually out of
focus. If the desired DOF, (see
Aperture / F Stop above) is not obtained, then minimize Shutter
Speed, (depending on the speed of the plane you can slow Shutter
Speed to 100), then readjust Aperture / F Stop for proper exposure.
"S" Shutter priority
Shutter Speed - set to 200-400
Aperture / F Stop - no adjustment needed, camera automatically
compensates.
Note: You
may have to fiddle with Shutter Speed setting to get desired DOF, (see
Aperture / F Stop above).
"A" Aperture priority
Aperture / F
Stop - set to Small F Number, (large Aperture), plane
isolated, or set to
large F Number,
(small Aperture), everything in focus.
Shutter Speed - no adjustment needed, camera automatically
compensates.
Note: You
may have to fiddle with Aperture setting to get desired Shutter
Speed.
Below is an example of a F-Stop which is
too small, the plane is getting lost against the background! Camera
settings: Shutter Speed = 1/320 sec.,
F-Stop = 6.3,
a bigger Aperture, smaller
F-Stop number would have
isolated the plane more.
Below is an better example of a proper DOF, even though the
plane and runway are similar in color the plane is isolated. Camera
Settings: Shutter Speed = 1/400 sec., F-Stop = 5.6.
