AllAboutPhotography

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The most important factor to create a great aerial photograph is preparation. Follow these steps before taking off!
• Thoroughly check that all your camera gear is working properly.
• On board, strap the equpment to the seats to prevent sliding towards the open doorway when taking pictures

• Always brief the pilot before the take off. Discuss about your photography assignment to make sure that it all goes well (eg. Try to prevent the shadow of the aircraft)
• Choose a good pilot that has experience in taking photographs to aerial photography assignments in the area you are planning to cover.
• Hire a good aircraft to do the assignment. A helicopter without a door or an aircraft with high wings like monoplane like the cessna to prevent the wings being in your frame and to have less air turbulence around you while taking the photographs • Timing - the best time for aerial photography is in the magic time zone; two hours after sunrise or two hours before sunset. The light will be fresh, clean and full of colour
• Filters. Use polarizer filter to cut reflected light on clear days.
• Film and ASA. Use a 100-200 ASA film or set up your pro digital camera to 200-250 ASA. Add colour balance depending to the light conditions.
• Shutter Speeds. Ideally try to shoot at 1/500 second and never under 1/250 second
• Use a heavy camera with a short strap.
• Try to prevent glare on your lens and cover the view finder while photographing.
• In a commercial aircraft flight you can take some interesting images too. By iliminating popup flash on your camera and pressing it against the window so the reflections on the inside window will dissapear. Try to place the plane wing on your picture to make your image more interesting. Pictures taken on airlines can be very interesting. You may capture glimpses of exotic wilderness such as the great canyon in Arizona or the Himyalas in Nepal. Capatal cities can also be interesting to photograph from the air or even a deserted island on the pacific ocean, you never know....

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