Aerial Photography

[shp]

Planning to tell my mother to call the tri-county airport about ten to twenty minutes away from here for a plane ride so I could do some photography. They have some basic airplanes in their hangar that's usually for entertainment, but they haven't had a barbecue party there for years! The one time I rode an airplane was probably ten years ago or so, and it was wild. We didn't go so high, of course, and I was the only one of my family (only-child family) to have ridden. My father was scared and so was my mother, so I rode with another family. It was a good memory, and I actually wanted to hold the video camera, but Dad made the other father hold it so I wouldn't drop it. All in all, it was FUN!

Now I'm scared of heights, but I learned that a photographer has to take risks to sometime get the best shots. And definitely thinking about facing my stupid fear and getting it done with since I may have to fly an airplane to Florida.

Oh. I rambled. Again.

I would like to know if there are any tips for aerial photography. I don't exactly know if I could hold my camera out the window (the airplane wouldn't fly fast - I remember the ride I had was a slow one and I think the door was open so we could see more of the ground), and snap photos of the woods and roads and fields. =D. But I would probably need a property release? =( What's the best aperture and shutter speed for something like this, too? It would probably be in broad daylight, although it would be cool to try a rainy day, or even a NIGHT! =D.

... Does anybody have any tape so I can shut up? =p.

[Saknika]

The plane only appears to the human eye to be going slow. I've done aerial photography, and it's not easy, and you're not going to be hanging out the door. Not unless it's a helicopter, and even then, you're probably not going to be.

Remember, planes move at well over 100mph, so unless you have an amazing camera, you won't be shooting at night. You need fast shutter speeds, 1/1000sec or more. Adjust your aperture to match the light for that, f/5.6 would probably work though if you're going on a sunny day. And your lens should always be set to infinity. You'll be so high it won't matter.

With your camera though, you probably won't have to worry about where to set your lens though, because point-and-shoots don't have that ability. In fact, I'm afraid I don't think your camera could handle aerial photography like you want, but if you are actually able to get a free ride (fuel for planes is crazy expensive), good luck.

[ScottWood]

What Saknika said. I would go for the ride, and leave the camera at home. With a point and shoot camera, you will really have a tough time getting decent shots, than you will spend all the time trying that and not enjoying the ride.