butchsphoto Loc: KENOSHA,WI.

You are definitely correct about the room. Mine was in a Cessna 182. the window swung out about 6 inches and when I tried to get the lens in the opening it nearly pulled the camera out of my hands. I had a great time and received so much help from everyone here. I am posting a few shots today.

Los-Angeles-Shooter Loc: Los Angeles

Try shooting from a Grumman. A Yankee model or the larger Traveler or Tiger. The canopy slides back so you can fly along in what is essentially an open cockpit plane. Strap yourself in properly because you may need the pilot to bank the plane and or turn to give you a clear photo without the wing in the way (it is a low wing plane).

The Grumman, btw, are delightful planes to fly.

346pak Loc: Texas

Ray, your brother has a nice instrument panel on his 172! Often, especially in the humid Midwest, haze plays a big part in the visibility at certain times of the day.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

He just got his license about a month ago. This is a rental unit. He's looking to get a 182 & I'll definitely have a better idea the next time we go up.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

It was fun but it was also a learning experience. I know I'll have a better idea of how to shoot next time.

GPS Phil Loc: Dayton Ohio

To be very honest, what you went through is probably the fastest and simplest way to learn. Get some pointers and a few suggestions that save time and go make all the mistakes you can taking note to what works and what doesn't. Every plane is different, including the windows.
Every day is different, high humidity bad! Low humidity good!! I think it is the most fun you can have taking pictures! So many variables that it could drive you crazy if you let it.

Phil

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

No question about it - they do not have roomy interiors.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

It's a wonderful thing about experience. I should be able to recognize the mistakes I made the 1st time a lot faster!
Incidentally, the picture of the lagoon & the large "crop circles" is part of the Muskegon (MI) waste water treatment facility. It's a boondoggle built in the '70's & I wasn't high or far enough away to get it all in, but needless to say, it would take more than an hour to drive around it.

GPS Phil Loc: Dayton Ohio

I just hate that, hey you, we didn't get it right, we have to go up and do it again. Dang, I have to fly again? But being the trooper that I am I always manage to crawl back in the plane and do it over :lol:

Phil

Pilot

I use to fly 172's and 150's for photo hops. The Army Corp of Engineers, TV stations and Professional Photographers were just a few of my customers. I flew from the right seat and the customer sat in the left seat. By removing one small screw the window will in fact open up full.

I'm wondering if you had your seat back as far as it would go. That always made it easier to turn when shooting out the window.

I'm afraid you may have more trouble shooting from the back seat than you think.

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

I'm going to add a screwdriver to my camera bag!

Pilot

Phillips Head

raymondh Loc: Walker, MI

:thumbup:

Brian in Whitby Loc: Whitby, Ontario, Canada

I was going to suggest a barf bag. You want to keep that camera clean!
Seriously you might consider a skylight filter to cut down on haze (#1A) I don't know it they still make these. failing that a UV filter can help.

altheman Loc: Christchurch, New Zealand

Yes there isn't a lot of room in a 172 and there is even less when you have a Fairchild K20 vertical camera with a 12 inch lens mounted in the back looking down through the hole just behind the co-pilots seat. There were no seats in the back so I had to sit in the co-pilots seat for take off and landing and then climb over the seat to get in the back, seating was a wooden box and aiming the camera (plane) was done with the aid of a 40's or 50's era bomb sight . For obliques the camera used was a Pentax 6x7 with 55mm, 105mm, & 200mm lenses and since the only window that opened on this particular 172 was the pilots window I had to get the pilot to sit as far forward as possible and shoot crouched behind his seat through the open window the advantage in this was that the pilot could see what I could see and was able to position the aircraft with more accuracy. For those guys that shoot with the door off you should be wearing a parachute as well as a monkey harness for safety, or sitting in a seat with a 4 point safety harness, just using a lap belt is asking for trouble.