Advanced Photography Course

anywhere in a motionless state. Most helicopter pilots
prefer to maintain some forward speed-at least enough
to make a safe landing in the event of engine failure.
An added advantage of maintaining some forward
speed is it reduces vibration. While the helicopter is
hovering, it vibrates excessively and the engine exhaust
oftentimes washes in front of you and the camera. Both
of these factors contribute to unsharp photographs.
There are two distinct advantages of using helicopters
for hand-held aerial photography. First, they have the
ability to maneuver in and out of places that are
inaccessible to fixed-wing aircraft. Second, they have
the ability to fly at low altitudes more safely than
fixed-wing aircraft.

If you have a choice of aerial photographic

platforms, consider an aircraft that can fly with a
window or door removed or open. By removing or
opening a window or door, you eliminate the need to
shoot through a glass or plastic window. This prevents
reflection problems, such as glare, that can result in
obscured image detail. Of course, you are unable to
open a "window" in a high-performance jet aircraft.
Navy helicopters have doors that can be completely

removed or opened while in flight. With the door
opened or removed from a helicopter, you have fewer
obstructions to obscure the view of the camera than in
a fixed-wing aircraft. You can generally sit with your
legs hanging out of a helicopter (fig. 4-13). This is both
convenient and comfortable for shooting your aerial
pictures. Additionally, sitting on the floor with your
legs out of the helicopter gives you a stable body
position. It also enables you to lean out and see the
target as you approach it.

CAMERA SELECTION

The best camera for hand-held aerial photography

is probably the one with which you are most familiar.
This does not mean that you should disregard the
excellent hand-held 70mm aerial cameras. If you have
access to any of these aerial cameras, by all means give
them a try. You may find them very much to your liking.
These aerial cameras are top of the line and are capable
of producing photographs of the highest quality.

What type of pictures are you going to take? What

will they be used for? These factors have a big influence
on what camera you select--35mm for slides or 120mm

Figure 4-13.--Photographer shooting from helicopter.

4-13

contents

Advanced Photography Course

<- previous page

next page ->


DOFMaster for Windows On-line Depth of Field Calculator DOFMaster for Mobile Devices On-line Depth of Field Table Hyperfocal Distance Chart Articles FAQ Recommended Books Support Contact Links Home As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.	contents <- previous page next page -> anywhere in a motionless state. Most helicopter pilots prefer to maintain some forward speed-at least enough to make a safe landing in the event of engine failure. An added advantage of maintaining some forward speed is it reduces vibration. While the helicopter is hovering, it vibrates excessively and the engine exhaust oftentimes washes in front of you and the camera. Both of these factors contribute to unsharp photographs. There are two distinct advantages of using helicopters for hand-held aerial photography. First, they have the ability to maneuver in and out of places that are inaccessible to fixed-wing aircraft. Second, they have the ability to fly at low altitudes more safely than fixed-wing aircraft. If you have a choice of aerial photographic platforms, consider an aircraft that can fly with a window or door removed or open. By removing or opening a window or door, you eliminate the need to shoot through a glass or plastic window. This prevents reflection problems, such as glare, that can result in obscured image detail. Of course, you are unable to open a "window" in a high-performance jet aircraft. Navy helicopters have doors that can be completely removed or opened while in flight. With the door opened or removed from a helicopter, you have fewer obstructions to obscure the view of the camera than in a fixed-wing aircraft. You can generally sit with your legs hanging out of a helicopter (fig. 4-13). This is both convenient and comfortable for shooting your aerial pictures. Additionally, sitting on the floor with your legs out of the helicopter gives you a stable body position. It also enables you to lean out and see the target as you approach it. CAMERA SELECTION The best camera for hand-held aerial photography is probably the one with which you are most familiar. This does not mean that you should disregard the excellent hand-held 70mm aerial cameras. If you have access to any of these aerial cameras, by all means give them a try. You may find them very much to your liking. These aerial cameras are top of the line and are capable of producing photographs of the highest quality. What type of pictures are you going to take? What will they be used for? These factors have a big influence on what camera you select--35mm for slides or 120mm Figure 4-13.--Photographer shooting from helicopter. 4-13 contents Advanced Photography Course <- previous page next page ->	As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
	WWW.DOFMASTER.COM © 2006 Don Fleming. All rights reserved.