“The Art of Spotting: Techniques to Improve Your Aviation Photography”

The nature of photographing aircraft is far different from other genres of photography. And require a different approach and skill set to master. Having to handhold a large telephoto lens and steadily aim it at aircraft flying at speeds well over 600 miles per hour in a brightly lit sky is challenging, to say the least. Then there is the struggle of getting the right amount of rotor blur while photographing helicopters. There are many hurdles that one must overcome in Aviation photography. You too can better your results with a little bit of time and practice. So, how does one learn these techniques and knowledge? Spotting. That’s right, Spotting offers a wide array of opportunities to help you rise above the obstacles in a predictable and repetitive manner.

During peak hours, depending on how large the airport is, you’ll have a constant supply of subjects to test your abilities on. This is a wonderful chance for you to learn more about your gear and discover what settings work best for you. Does that mean you prefer shutter or aperture priority? At what F-Stop is your lens the sharpest? What autofocus mode do you prefer? What ISO do you like? When should you over or under-compensate for your exposure? The more time you spend experimenting and learning about your gear, the more knowledge you’ll have about getting the results you’re looking for and you will understand your gear’s limitations. It is crucial that you develop muscle memory when it comes to changing your settings quickly and effortlessly so that you’re not missing shots in the heat of the moment. Spotting gives us the luxury of try, fail, learn, and repeat with little to no worries.

Another helpful aspect of spotting is that it allows you to practice and learn new techniques in a predictable and repetitive environment before you go to your next aviation event. Such as trying to get better at panning airplanes at take-off or landing. It could be that you want to practice framing aircraft better. Or maybe you’re trying your hand at getting better prop blur. Perhaps you want to work on and feel more comfortable with your shooting stance. Before I went to the Royal International Air Tattoo (RIAT) last year, I knew I had to get comfortable with shooting while seated. The package I got came with a grandstand seat which you can’t shoot while standing. So, I spent as many hours as possible spotting while sitting on my tailgate just so that when I got to RIAT, I would be more comfortable with shooting from the grandstands. And I’m glad that I spent that time beforehand, and I can see it in My Results.

Due to the predictable pacing, spotting gives you a chance to test new gear. See how features and functions can help or hurt your shooting skills. As well as trying out new gear in different lighting conditions because Mother Nature is not always going to be nice to us when we are out photographing something that we have been waiting to see. The more lighting conditions you familiarize yourself with, the greater the understanding you will have of how your camera exposes aircraft in those conditions.

My experiences while spotting helped me not only develop my knowledge and skills but also to continue to nurture them. Spotting offers an incredible opportunity to hone your skills in a predictable environment, allowing you to experiment, learn, and grow as an Aviation photographer. With each outing, you not only gain a deeper understanding of your gear and technique but also develop the confidence to tackle more dynamic and challenging ones.

Happy Spotting,

Steven

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