Photography Challenge by bmac62
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Description
Old problem always looking for a smart photographer.
3D modelers want propeller blur (prop blur) on their aircraft renders and get it. Here's an example from neiwil's gallery. Thanks Neil for the example.
Photographers want it too. But here's been my problem.
Top: Shutter speed usually above 500 provides a nice, crisp, focused airpalne in the air BUT stops the propeller too. Makes the plane look like it is gliding without power.
Center: Shutter speed usually around 100 or less yields excellent prop blur and a perfectly focused aircraft when the plane's engine is running on the ground.
Bottom: Shutter speed slow enough to get prop blur in the air again yields fine prop blur but a blurry mess for the plane typically flying at 100mph or faster.
Now, before you suggest the use of a tripod...which might work to some degree, trying to follow a plane in the air, with a telephoto zoomed way out from a tripod is one huge challenge (and one we'd all be sick of in short order).
Anybody up for trying this and showing us your results? We in the northern hemisphere are in the middle of airshow season. If you don't have any big, fast planes flying in your area...you can still go to your nearest general aviation airfield and try your luck on little, light planes out flying for the fun of it. Just make sure they have propellers. LOL
Bill:)
"A Quarter to Two"
Comments (33)
Great challenge you've set before the photographers
I have an easy solution. The one in the middle looks perfect. Always shoot planes on the ground with their engines running for the best result. :D LOVE that plane!!
Tight and sharp, that's what I like..never mind the blur. I can get blur in photos of stationary objects like teacups.
Maybe you would be best changing your genre to still life! A nice apple on a plate or something!!! Yes it's the photographer's lament. You know, you could use a fast shutter speed, and then add the blur in photoshop. Sounds silly I know and far from old school, but a bit of radial zoom/motion blur would do the trick nicely.
Excellent collage of some fantastic planes....
i like this trio! good work
beau travail!
I'd say try photographing animals or kids or something; a different kind of challenge? I don't know, but you seem to do just fine with aircraft, prop blur or not. I'm not someone who would notice if there was no movement of a propeller, I'm still marvelling that it could get off the ground!
LOVE THIS :) SUPER COLLAGE
LOL ! I see your dilemma...Nothing else to do, than do what Tara suggests or making a good postwork on the propeller. :-) But anyway I really like the first shot. Looks awesome.
useing a tripod you need one that animal photographers us like for birds but those will cost you for a good one around $1000. you doing good here. at lest jets do not have propelle but you may like to take a photo of inside the engin which is moveing and you need to be on the ground and at the same level as the jet engin too; hard to do
This is a cool and VERY usefull challenge, will be interesting to see what input you get.I'll give it a go as soon as the oportunity arrises.Great examples, even thee bottom one, motion blur tells it's own story.
gorgeous series!!
The top plane looks like its stalled out and in rather deep doo-doo with that propeller apparently motionless and smoky puffs smoking out of it! Obviously this isn't the case, but I like the effect. Cameras are weird like that and I suspect there's a way around that that I have yet to discover. I somehow think spinning and jiggling won't help, but it'll give you a nice blur! All three shots are great examples of what you've written, and I wonder if your camera is like mine, sometimes it actually helps to take a picture without zooming and then simply crop like mad! It depends on pixel size and file size and all of that, but it might work...more likely it won't! Anyway, what a series and what a challenge. It sounds infinitely more fun than moving dental equipment for too little money and if I wasn't stuck doing that, I'd probably be fast on my way to getting kicked out of somewhere full of airplanes! Unless of course, I'm an air show! I love this series and I rather like the challenge, if I'm able, I'm going to try to get good prop blur, but this might take a good long time.
A continually vexxing challenge for aircraft photography, indeed! I've found that trying to track a moving aircraft with a camera mounted on a tripod is like trying to herd cats. You'll try it once, and after tripping on the tripod as you try and track the airplane, looking like a one-man Three Stooges short, the tripod will end up back in the car - or the nearest body of water. The best luck I've had (and I emphasize LUCK) is just shooting a TON of photos, tracking the aircraft and using a fairly slow shutter speed (> 100th - 60th). If you can shoot continuously for several frames, all the better. I'll have to look through my archives when I get home, and see if i have any examples. Of course there's another technique that ALWAYS works.... Shoot jets! LOL!
wonderful captures warm hugs, Linda
I see the dichotomy and agree with you completely. I notice debbielove's excellent captures of WWII fighter aircraft, zooming by and/or above, are sharp as a tack, including the propeller, depicted sharply in place, making it look like the aircraft has been frozen in time. Even though I live in Southern California, we have a paucity of WWII era airshows, so I guess I'll have to find some time and energy to get down to a small nearby airfield, like in Fullerton, and attempt to capture some small civilian plane in flight, trying to balance it between a sharp body image and a blurring propeller in my picture. Of course, with my luck, airport security will place me under instant arrest for taking fotos.
Sweet collage and liked the photo lesson also. I'll give it a try in August when our only air show comes to New Hampshire. Dana
outstanding action shots
Difficult challenge. Sometime ago I tried to get this effect in a 3d animation but with a bad result. You can see the video in my site. Great images!!!
Well Bill I reckon that you take them on the ground with prop going from a good distance t get the whole plane in..Then photoshop it into a shot of the sky and tell them it was taken in the air lol.. Nice shots by the way and yes can see you predicament..
Great shots but a problem difficult to overcome without cheating.
I agree with blinkings - try an apple on a plate - no problem. If it is blurred in any way, you know you messed up! Great array of "problems" Bill! You really are great with these! :)
Very nice presentation. :)
I like the collage, the top pic is auperb. As to me having a go, think my point & click with me at the helm is not a good idea!!!!!
Cool challenge Bill... I have gotten past the frozen look, just (only this year).. I have just got my first shorts like the middle! But getting the perfect air shot, with blur, not happened..Yet! Hopefully I will at a couple more shows yet.. So I'll try my best.. Got challenge again. Rob
Not an easy task... but I still like the results. The middle one is top-notch.
Mose excellent collage. The top one is really excellent. I like the blur/setup of the middle too. Yes that shutter speed thing!
Excellent presentation Good luck in the challenge Hugs Susan~
Bill, have even less ideas about small aircraft but Sukhoy must be at the top, right? possibly because I like the top image the best!