Taking photos from a helicopter
Feb 13, 2018 14:27:37 #
I used a Nikon F and before each flight I would paint over all the exposed screws with clear fingernail polish. I still have one of the Nikons and it still works flawlessly.
BBBruce77 wrote:
What ever you do do NOT set your camera down on any part of the chopper as the vibrations resinating through the craft will destroy your camera in short order. My experience comes from long ago when guys were using Nikon F and Leica M2 or 3's and the choppers would litterally vibrate them apart. The one camera that weathered the choppers the best were the Pentax Spotmatic's. Make sure you are strapped in and then make sure again. Be safe and have fun. I love low elevation flying of any kind.
Feb 13, 2018 18:29:45 #
Speaking of helicopters. A few years ago I was hired to photograph a church from the air for the cover of their book about the church. The ones that hired where a husband & wife that were in charge of making the book. The wife's brother owned a print shop in a near by city. I had the pilot make four slow passes. This was back in the film days. That's when I made a huge mistake. The wife told me to give her the film and her brother would take care of everything. I had already been paid so I gave her the undeveloped film. Then wife ran off with another man. We never did get or even see the finished prints. Lesson learned. Never but never trust anybody with your work. Even though I was paid I still would have liked to see the finished prints. I did enjoy the helicopter ride.
Feb 13, 2018 19:34:48 #
I did areal reconnaissance photography in Viet Nam- Few in Light Observation Helicopters,- compared to fixed wing aircraft and the bigger gun ships, it was like flying around in a airborne garbage can powered by a jackhammer! .
If you can, work with the doors off- otherwise it's difficult to get a comfortable position in a conventional seat. Keep your arms and the camera off the air-frame. Use neck-strap and you may want to add an additional grip. Although it was hot, I found a jacket with a bit of padding helped me steady the camera and buffer the vibration. If you can communicate with the pilot via a head set (it will get noisy) you can ask him or her to hover, bank and alter the altitude within certain limits. Oblique shots, where you see the horizon are pretty, vertical shots- straight down look like a map.
Please don't fall out! Look up "gyroscopic force". Don't go if you are prone to motion sickness or fear heights.
Excuse my "sick" sense of humor, enjoy your flight and shoot lots!
If you can, work with the doors off- otherwise it's difficult to get a comfortable position in a conventional seat. Keep your arms and the camera off the air-frame. Use neck-strap and you may want to add an additional grip. Although it was hot, I found a jacket with a bit of padding helped me steady the camera and buffer the vibration. If you can communicate with the pilot via a head set (it will get noisy) you can ask him or her to hover, bank and alter the altitude within certain limits. Oblique shots, where you see the horizon are pretty, vertical shots- straight down look like a map.
Please don't fall out! Look up "gyroscopic force". Don't go if you are prone to motion sickness or fear heights.
Excuse my "sick" sense of humor, enjoy your flight and shoot lots!
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