Aflight: Aerial Photography Tips
A few of my favourite images are taken from an aerial flight - viewing these grand landscapes nature from above in all kinds of conditions is just such a special experience. If you’re ever lucky enough to book one of these flights (absolutely 100% recommend it), or want to read more about what it’s like, scroll down!
Of course the normal preparations apply — having a range of lenses with you to capture different perspectives, charged batteries and being confident with the settings of your camera. Once that’s set, here’s a few tips on how to get some great aerial shots.
8 layers and freezing, but the happiest feeling ever
Doors Off
The best way to capture images en air is through a doors off charter flight. This means you will be taken on a small plane and have full control of your shots. For a few seconds throughout the flight, you’ll be able to open the doors of the plane and quickly shoot glass-free. This is the best way to capture imagery as you won’t have to worry about reflection, glare and would be able to shoot as you naturally would. Be prepared for the cold though! It will be freezing in those altitudes so wear as many layers (seven is standard) and keep your head, neck and face as warm as you can.
As for control, you will be taken through a route/flight path but will be able to communicate with the pilot via headset and basically be the art director for your shoot. Perhaps there’s a more interesting angle or the tip of the plane maybe obstructing your view - being able to guide your pilot through that will ensure you get the most out of your flight. However, pilots are responsible for the safety of the flight, so if there’s something a pilot cannot do, it means they just can’t do it. Please do not push them.
Fast shutter speeds & memory cards
You’ll be traveling pretty fast on the air so to make sure you don’t miss anything, have your camera at full speed to capture everything. It will be easy to fill up those memory cards at this rate, but at least you wouldn’t have missed the shot! Bring multiple memory cards that are formatted the day before.
Golden Hour
Of course, the hour before the sun sets or rises is one of the most magical things to witness every day. It’s the photographer’s favourite light as there’s a softness that no amount of editing can ever make up for. If you can, book a sunrise or sunset flight. It’s also the fastest fading light meaning you’ll get the most variation in the landscapes as the light changes. This means you’ll need to constantly adjust your settings to the light - know your camera settings in and out and be confident with your shots.
Look (And See)
When you’re up in there it can be easy to get swept up and keep snapping away, as seeing all that landscape will definitely captivate you! Take a moment to breathe and really take in your surroundings. Nature is so beautiful, and you don’t need to view it on a screen the whole time. Taking a moment also allows you to reset your perspective, allowing you to see more compositions or find details to capture. Look for pattern, negative space or anything that will lead the viewer eye into something, rather than get lost in the frame.
Rubber Lens Hood
On my last flight, I tested using a rubber lens hood on the window pane. This is a great cheap option to reduce reflection and glare. The hood is able to get close, if not, right on top of the window, without scratching the glass, and eliminates flare caused by stray light. It also protects your lens from actually getting bumped! The only downside of the lens hood is that they usually fit one size of lens so you’ll need multiple for a range of lenses if you wanted to change them throughout the flight.
Gimbal for B Lens
If you’re able to take two cameras or have a good phone to capture video, having a gimbal to stabilise your gadget would do wonders for your storytelling (and save you a lot of time editing). A gimbal is a support accessory to attach to a camera or a phone to help keep it on a single axis - this ensures your video is smooth and not shaking all over the place, especially if you opt for a doors off flight. It may mean an extra thing to carry but it’s well worth it’s weight in quality of output.
Wearing Black
And finally, if you opt for an enclosed flight, my last tip would be to wear black clothing, especially around parts of your body that will get close to the window i.e. black scarf for around the neck and face, black puffer jacket for the torso and even black gloves for your hands. Again, this is done so you can eliminate as much glare and reflection as you can, making for more quality shots!
All of my shots have been taken flying with Glenorchy Air, and I can’t recommend them enough. They’ve kindly given me a 10% off code to share with you, for any sunrise flight as well as a few other experiences including a Milford Sound Scenic Flyover, and a Fly | Cruise | Fly: GOLDENHOUR
xM