Biggin Hill 2009

StevenWilliams · 27th June 2009, 21:39

Just a few smal snaps from today. I'll go through them properly when I'm not so sleepy.

Concord may not be in attendance but the arrows paid a tribute. :lol:

I really love the wing walkers.

JohnDotCom · 27th June 2009, 21:41

Some nice shots there.

StevenWilliams · 27th June 2009, 21:52

Thanks. It's the first time I've done shots of planes. I was snapping away with a 100-300mm lens and a child bumping into my legs for 4 hours. I have 200 shots to look through.

But a lot are useless.

Also for some reason my SKY filter was not doing what I thought it should so the sky is quiet washed out in a lot of pictures.

Raistlin · 27th June 2009, 22:53

Nice pictures

Trust me, it's HORRIBLE when you're in a Chinook and it does that

StevenWilliams · 28th June 2009, 08:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raistlin

Nice pictures

Trust me, it's HORRIBLE when you're in a Chinook and it does that

They did some that made it look almost vertical.

They had one helicopter do a full 360. Quite impressive. I've only seen a Russian one do that before but I believe this one was American.

podge · 28th June 2009, 23:00

Lovely shots there, we live a couple of miles from the main Chinook base and they do that a few yards from here....scary! Shame it was'nt a real Concorde with the Arrows...............dream on eh.P.

StevenWilliams · 29th June 2009, 07:29

Quote:

Originally Posted by podge

Lovely shots there, we live a couple of miles from the main Chinook base and they do that a few yards from here....scary! Shame it was'nt a real Concorde with the Arrows...............dream on eh.P.

As a kid I watched Concorde do a dance in the sky with the Arrows at RAF Brawdy. Amazing sight.

stevemac · 29th June 2009, 07:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by StevenWilliams

Thanks. It's the first time I've done shots of planes. I was snapping away with a 100-300mm lens and a child bumping into my legs for 4 hours. I have 200 shots to look through.

But a lot are useless.

Also for some reason my SKY filter was not doing what I thought it should so the sky is quiet washed out in a lot of pictures.

If you expected the sky to be darker and deeper a sky filter will not do that. Only a polariser will do that. Sky and UV filters are best used for lens protection, effects with them are very minimal.

StevenWilliams · 29th June 2009, 13:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by stevemac

If you expected the sky to be darker and deeper a sky filter will not do that. Only a polariser will do that. Sky and UV filters are best used for lens protection, effects with them are very minimal.

AHH! That explains it.

I'm only now getting to grips with different filters. I 'borrowed' a few from my fathers camera collection and have been playing.

Now I've got back into the camera bug I'm after some new lenses.

Simon · 29th June 2009, 19:33

Talking of polarizing filters, there are several types but the one you'll be wanting is circular polarizer. Circular is because not only does it polarize the incoming light into the lens but after it's passed thru the first polarizer another filter 'twists' (if that's the right term?) some of the light through 90 degrees. This is so the autofocus of your camera has something to focus onto as polarized light sometimes stops the AF working properly (or so I am led to believe).

The circular polarizers work by having a fixed element and a rotating element. The rotating element you turn by hand whilst looking through the view finder. You can see the changes in your finder as you turn it. Getting the right amount of polarization takes a little practice as sometimes you can make the sky look too blue at the expense of perhaps washing out something you'd rather not. They can be a bit of a pain for 'quick' shots such as the aircraft as you often wont have time to set up the 'perfect' polarization for the shot. Best you can do is stand so the sun is in a fixed place (either behind or to your left/right) and point the lens at a mid-way point in the sky then adjust for that. You'll then have a fairly good success rate for the shots you then take. If you move or the sun moves significantly (if you're there all day, for example) then adjust the polarizer accordingly.

You'll also loose a couple of stops of light with the polarizer so expect that when the light levels start fading you'll either have to have longer exposures (steady hands!) or remove the polarizer to maintain a good light level.

Hope that gives you something to at least ponder

Incidentally, B+W (a German company) do one of the best circular polarizers on the marked in my opinion (which is the one I use). They ought to fit all modern SLR-type lenses so there's bound to be one that'll fit yours.

27th June 2009, 21:39	#1
StevenWilliams This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon 2.5 V6 British Racing Green. 81,000 miles and counting Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Crawley, West Sussex Posts: 6,183 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Biggin Hill 2009 Just a few smal snaps from today. I'll go through them properly when I'm not so sleepy. Concord may not be in attendance but the arrows paid a tribute. :lol: I really love the wing walkers. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rover 75 2.5 2000 Club SE. British Racing Green. MEMBER NUMBER: MMMDCCXXVI Looking for: 7 seater

27th June 2009, 21:52	#3
StevenWilliams This is my second home Rover 75 Saloon 2.5 V6 British Racing Green. 81,000 miles and counting Join Date: Apr 2008 Location: Crawley, West Sussex Posts: 6,183 Thanks: 0 Thanked 2 Times in 2 Posts	Thanks. It's the first time I've done shots of planes. I was snapping away with a 100-300mm lens and a child bumping into my legs for 4 hours. I have 200 shots to look through. But a lot are useless. Also for some reason my SKY filter was not doing what I thought it should so the sky is quiet washed out in a lot of pictures. __________________ [SIGPIC][/SIGPIC] Rover 75 2.5 2000 Club SE. British Racing Green. MEMBER NUMBER: MMMDCCXXVI Looking for: 7 seater

28th June 2009, 23:00	#6
podge I really should get out more....... Rover 75 Tourer CDT CLUB SE Copper Red Mica Dec 01 ....now deceased....replaced by2003 Royal Blue T Join Date: Nov 2007 Location: North Warnborough, Hampshire Posts: 2,398 Thanks: 9 Thanked 69 Times in 20 Posts	Lovely shots there, we live a couple of miles from the main Chinook base and they do that a few yards from here....scary! Shame it was'nt a real Concorde with the Arrows...............dream on eh.P. __________________ 01 75 CDT Club SE Tourer..."The Rover 75 is a British-built car to be proud of." B.M.Ws loss........OUR GAIN!!!!!!!! http://knowledgerush.com/wiki_image/...arp.300pix.jpg http://farm1.static.flickr.com/167/3...b847e1c5_m.jpg

27th June 2009, 21:41	#2
JohnDotCom * Rover 75 FaceLift Tourer CDTi 170BHP Auto ConnSE 2005 Model Starlight Silver Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Abergele Posts: 28,735 Thanks: 0 Thanked 6 Times in 5 Posts	Some nice shots there.

27th June 2009, 22:53	#4
Raistlin Banned 75 CDT Connoisseur SE Auto Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Wolverhampton Posts: 8,450 Thanks: 0 Thanked 3 Times in 3 Posts	Nice pictures Trust me, it's HORRIBLE when you're in a Chinook and it does that

29th June 2009, 19:33	#10
Simon Banned - Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: - Posts: 10,318 Thanks: 0 Thanked 4 Times in 3 Posts	Talking of polarizing filters, there are several types but the one you'll be wanting is circular polarizer. Circular is because not only does it polarize the incoming light into the lens but after it's passed thru the first polarizer another filter 'twists' (if that's the right term?) some of the light through 90 degrees. This is so the autofocus of your camera has something to focus onto as polarized light sometimes stops the AF working properly (or so I am led to believe). The circular polarizers work by having a fixed element and a rotating element. The rotating element you turn by hand whilst looking through the view finder. You can see the changes in your finder as you turn it. Getting the right amount of polarization takes a little practice as sometimes you can make the sky look too blue at the expense of perhaps washing out something you'd rather not. They can be a bit of a pain for 'quick' shots such as the aircraft as you often wont have time to set up the 'perfect' polarization for the shot. Best you can do is stand so the sun is in a fixed place (either behind or to your left/right) and point the lens at a mid-way point in the sky then adjust for that. You'll then have a fairly good success rate for the shots you then take. If you move or the sun moves significantly (if you're there all day, for example) then adjust the polarizer accordingly. You'll also loose a couple of stops of light with the polarizer so expect that when the light levels start fading you'll either have to have longer exposures (steady hands!) or remove the polarizer to maintain a good light level. Hope that gives you something to at least ponder Incidentally, B+W (a German company) do one of the best circular polarizers on the marked in my opinion (which is the one I use). They ought to fit all modern SLR-type lenses so there's bound to be one that'll fit yours.