Photography from helicopter
Aug 17, 2016 18:36:12 #
There other more detailed descriptions of taking a helicopter tour for photography. Mine (just yesterday) was a doors off flight from Hilo, Hawaii.
Doors off is must for photos.
Doors off may make you a little uncomfortable at first. Even a 4-point harness didn't mitigate that for about the first third of the flight. This was an MD500 that carries up to five people including the pilot - one of them, the smallest gets squeezed in between the pilot and a door passenger- good photos are NOT practical from this position.
I used a 16-50mm lens (FF equivalent 24-75mm). This turned out to be the right lens. The wide range got used much more than the long but you need to be watch to keep the landing skid out of the frame. Shutted at 500+ and ISO 400 worked best. Focus at infinity and leave it there.
Quality of photos can be affected by conditions. Hilo is the rainiest city on earth. The vocanoes and shorelines less so.
Prepare to accept disappointment. Weather is highly variable all day and the pilot has the last word on cancellation and what you will see. This for your personal safety as well as his - if cancelled out at the last minute don't be bitchy this ain't no Disneyland ride.
RULES: No hats, no lens cap, no lens hood NO NOTHING that might conceivable be detracted from your person and get sucked out the door. Good camera strap required. Sneakers or other lace up shoe required. No changeing lenses!!! Light jacket recommended. All pockets even bottoned, velcroed or zipped must be empty. (Protection from the idiot factor). Reason: anything that gets sucked out of the cabin can get sucked into the tail rotor craft may crash and you may die - even if a controlled descent is possible there be a crated with red hot lava directly below. So PLEASE follow the rules the tour company gives and don't waste everyone's time by debating them.
I think I got perhaps four serious keepers -the rest are just documentation. I that if I were to book a second tour the hit rate will be higher. We had never been in a helicopter before so I think the comfort factor (doors off remember!) will be higher next time.
Doors off is must for photos.
Doors off may make you a little uncomfortable at first. Even a 4-point harness didn't mitigate that for about the first third of the flight. This was an MD500 that carries up to five people including the pilot - one of them, the smallest gets squeezed in between the pilot and a door passenger- good photos are NOT practical from this position.
I used a 16-50mm lens (FF equivalent 24-75mm). This turned out to be the right lens. The wide range got used much more than the long but you need to be watch to keep the landing skid out of the frame. Shutted at 500+ and ISO 400 worked best. Focus at infinity and leave it there.
Quality of photos can be affected by conditions. Hilo is the rainiest city on earth. The vocanoes and shorelines less so.
Prepare to accept disappointment. Weather is highly variable all day and the pilot has the last word on cancellation and what you will see. This for your personal safety as well as his - if cancelled out at the last minute don't be bitchy this ain't no Disneyland ride.
RULES: No hats, no lens cap, no lens hood NO NOTHING that might conceivable be detracted from your person and get sucked out the door. Good camera strap required. Sneakers or other lace up shoe required. No changeing lenses!!! Light jacket recommended. All pockets even bottoned, velcroed or zipped must be empty. (Protection from the idiot factor). Reason: anything that gets sucked out of the cabin can get sucked into the tail rotor craft may crash and you may die - even if a controlled descent is possible there be a crated with red hot lava directly below. So PLEASE follow the rules the tour company gives and don't waste everyone's time by debating them.
I think I got perhaps four serious keepers -the rest are just documentation. I that if I were to book a second tour the hit rate will be higher. We had never been in a helicopter before so I think the comfort factor (doors off remember!) will be higher next time.
Aug 17, 2016 19:16:07 #
Interesting! Thanks for sharing!
Ex-military photographer here. I did quite a bit of aerial resonance and surveillance photography from helicopters and fixed wing aircraft as well. I served two tours in Viet Nam. The problem was not necesserally the weather or the haze, it was the "bad guys" shooting at us!
Just a tip for others that may have occasion to shoot from helos. Keep the camera off the airframe to avoid vibration. Use you body mass to buffer any possible vibration. For the more sophisticated operators, consider a gyroscopic camera mount.
Back in the service, we used quite a bit of inferred film, Kodak Aerographic Ektachrome and black and white versions of those materials. Some of this may still be on the market, however, digital cameras can be modified to record the infrared portions of the spectrum and the results are outstanding as per special color effects, dramatic black and white renditions and superior haze cutting. FYI- Nowadays, infrared aerial photography is used for agricultural surveys and ecological studies.
Bird's-eye vies of landscapes are awesome!
Please, folks- don't fall out of the aircraft, buckle up, and keep your heads down when approaching a started up helicopter- those rotors are deadly! If you don't like heights, especially with the doors off, you may want to consider the purchase of a DRONE!
Regards, Ed
Ex-military photographer here. I did quite a bit of aerial resonance and surveillance photography from helicopters and fixed wing aircraft as well. I served two tours in Viet Nam. The problem was not necesserally the weather or the haze, it was the "bad guys" shooting at us!
Just a tip for others that may have occasion to shoot from helos. Keep the camera off the airframe to avoid vibration. Use you body mass to buffer any possible vibration. For the more sophisticated operators, consider a gyroscopic camera mount.
Back in the service, we used quite a bit of inferred film, Kodak Aerographic Ektachrome and black and white versions of those materials. Some of this may still be on the market, however, digital cameras can be modified to record the infrared portions of the spectrum and the results are outstanding as per special color effects, dramatic black and white renditions and superior haze cutting. FYI- Nowadays, infrared aerial photography is used for agricultural surveys and ecological studies.
Bird's-eye vies of landscapes are awesome!
Please, folks- don't fall out of the aircraft, buckle up, and keep your heads down when approaching a started up helicopter- those rotors are deadly! If you don't like heights, especially with the doors off, you may want to consider the purchase of a DRONE!
Regards, Ed
Aug 17, 2016 19:44:04 #
E.L.. Shapiro wrote:
.../... keep your heads down when approaching a started up helicopter.../...
Regards, Ed
Regards, Ed
But... but... everyone needs a close hair cut once in a while!!!
(j/k)
Aug 18, 2016 07:19:42 #
Also do not use a lens hood it can catch the slipstream and cause your camera to be jumping around
Aug 18, 2016 09:43:00 #
Bear2
Loc: Southeast,, MI
One more tip that has not been mentioned here, set the VR on your lens to - ACTIVE
Aug 18, 2016 12:29:05 #
MW]There other more detailed descriptions of taking a helicopter tour for photography. Mine (just yesterday) was a doors off flight from Hilo, Hawaii.
Doors off is must for photos.
Doors off may make you a little uncomfortable at first. Even a 4-point harness didn't mitigate that for about the first third of the flight. This was an MD500 that carries up to five people including the pilot - one of them, the smallest gets squeezed in between the pilot and a door passenger- good photos are NOT practical from this position.
I used a 16-50mm lens (FF equivalent 24-75mm). This turned out to be the right lens. The wide range got used much more than the long but you need to be watch to keep the landing skid out of the frame. Shutted at 500+ and ISO 400 worked best. Focus at infinity and leave it there.
Quality of photos can be affected by conditions. Hilo is the rainiest city on earth. The vocanoes and shorelines less so.
Prepare to accept disappointment. Weather is highly variable all day and the pilot has the last word on cancellation and what you will see. This for your personal safety as well as his - if cancelled out at the last minute don't be bitchy this ain't no Disneyland ride.
RULES: No hats, no lens cap, no lens hood NO NOTHING that might conceivable be detracted from your person and get sucked out the door. Good camera strap required. Sneakers or other lace up shoe required. No changeing lenses!!! Light jacket recommended. All pockets even bottoned, velcroed or zipped must be empty. (Protection from the idiot factor). Reason: anything that gets sucked out of the cabin can get sucked into the tail rotor craft may crash and you may die - even if a controlled descent is possible there be a crated with red hot lava directly below. So PLEASE follow the rules the tour company gives and don't waste everyone's time by debating them.
I think I got perhaps four serious keepers -the rest are just documentation. I that if I were to book a second tour the hit rate will be higher. We had never been in a helicopter before so I think the comfort factor (doors off remember!) will be higher next time.[/quote]
I did a career in broadcast television videography and shot a goodly amount from choppers. In most cases there's a floor belt at the door and I rode with my feet resting on the skid. It wasn't frightening at all because of the belt.
You're correct about nothing that can get blown off but with a belt you won't get sucked out the door. It's actually lots of fun. Today they use bird mounted steady cam because of the vibration that will happen to you with your camera.
Doors off is must for photos.
Doors off may make you a little uncomfortable at first. Even a 4-point harness didn't mitigate that for about the first third of the flight. This was an MD500 that carries up to five people including the pilot - one of them, the smallest gets squeezed in between the pilot and a door passenger- good photos are NOT practical from this position.
I used a 16-50mm lens (FF equivalent 24-75mm). This turned out to be the right lens. The wide range got used much more than the long but you need to be watch to keep the landing skid out of the frame. Shutted at 500+ and ISO 400 worked best. Focus at infinity and leave it there.
Quality of photos can be affected by conditions. Hilo is the rainiest city on earth. The vocanoes and shorelines less so.
Prepare to accept disappointment. Weather is highly variable all day and the pilot has the last word on cancellation and what you will see. This for your personal safety as well as his - if cancelled out at the last minute don't be bitchy this ain't no Disneyland ride.
RULES: No hats, no lens cap, no lens hood NO NOTHING that might conceivable be detracted from your person and get sucked out the door. Good camera strap required. Sneakers or other lace up shoe required. No changeing lenses!!! Light jacket recommended. All pockets even bottoned, velcroed or zipped must be empty. (Protection from the idiot factor). Reason: anything that gets sucked out of the cabin can get sucked into the tail rotor craft may crash and you may die - even if a controlled descent is possible there be a crated with red hot lava directly below. So PLEASE follow the rules the tour company gives and don't waste everyone's time by debating them.
I think I got perhaps four serious keepers -the rest are just documentation. I that if I were to book a second tour the hit rate will be higher. We had never been in a helicopter before so I think the comfort factor (doors off remember!) will be higher next time.[/quote]
I did a career in broadcast television videography and shot a goodly amount from choppers. In most cases there's a floor belt at the door and I rode with my feet resting on the skid. It wasn't frightening at all because of the belt.
You're correct about nothing that can get blown off but with a belt you won't get sucked out the door. It's actually lots of fun. Today they use bird mounted steady cam because of the vibration that will happen to you with your camera.
Aug 18, 2016 13:17:05 #
Aug 18, 2016 13:28:58 #
I have done quite a bit of this including riding on the skids in a harness. All the above suggestions are very good. I would use an assistant with extra cameras and lenses to pass to you for quick changes of perspective. Always use a higher shutter speed due to vibration and a polarzer for glare.. No loose clothing, hats, etc. and a camera harness is a good idea. Use of a head set to talk to the operater is good, but wind noise is a problem. Vibration becomes a greater problem in a hover mode. It is a fun way to shoot
Aug 18, 2016 13:52:07 #
If you want lots of great shots from a helicopter charter one! It will cost a fortune but then YOU will have the control you need.
Aug 18, 2016 14:10:29 #
One hint from my experience. If you can't get a "doors-off" flight, wear all black clothing and a black beanie so there are no reflections from you or your clothing from window inside reflections. I would suggest black ski mask as well but that's a bit extreme. Especially in Hawaii's climate!
Aug 18, 2016 19:18:56 #
Bear2
Loc: Southeast,, MI
pmackd wrote:
If you want lots of great shots from a helicopter charter one! It will cost a fortune but then YOU will have the control you need.
We did on Kauai, WOW.
Aug 19, 2016 00:31:43 #
Bear2 wrote:
We did on Kauai, WOW.
I've done the helicopter on Kauai but last time did the much less expensive Cessna (airplane). View through windows was surprisingly good and with only two of us the pilot was willing to double back to let me re-do shots. He took us places the helicopters don't go.
Aug 19, 2016 09:47:19 #
Bear2
Loc: Southeast,, MI
pmackd wrote:
I've done the helicopter on Kauai but last time did the much less expensive Cessna (airplane). View through windows was surprisingly good and with only two of us the pilot was willing to double back to let me re-do shots. He took us places the helicopters don't go.
We did the doors off helicopter charter with just my wife and I. It was a present from one of our children for our 50th anniversary. Absolutely fabulous. Used my 18-200 VR ll, but most of my shots were from 24-85 on a crop framed.
Duane
If you want to reply, then register here. Registration is free and your account is created instantly, so you can post right away.