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Photography Tips

10 Tips when Photographing from a Plane with your Phone

August 30, 2020 By Neil

With mobile phones with us when we travel it is quite common to take photographs from an airplane. These images can be of an interesting landscape below, showing others you are leaving or arriving into a city or just documenting the trip you are taking.

From the Sky Images

Over the years I have traveled by airplane many times and have learned quite a bit from taking images during flights by trial and error. The possibilities of creating a unique image from a commercial airplane flight just using your phone are quite high and these 10 tips will help in the creative process.

 

Tip 1: Plan Ahead for your Seat

One of the first decisions you will need to make is where to sit on the aircraft in order to capture images during your flight. Of course, the best place to sit will be at a window seat but where will you want to sit? If you are flying on an airline like Southwest you will just choose your seat when you board the airplane, but will other airlines you will be able to select your seat ahead of time unless you have a discounted fare. If you want to ensure you have a window seat in a good location be sure to spend a little more than the most discounted fare so you can reserve a seat.

Depending on what the goal you have for your images during the flight, this will help determine the best location to sit. Images which you will want to obtain with the wing as part of the image work best in the middle of the airplane. Towards the back of the plane you may have the exhaust from the engines providing effects in your images. My preference is towards the front of the airplane as this will let you see what is coming to some degree as the wing is not blocking the view and doesn’t include the exhaust in the image as well. The one issue with this location is sometimes it will cost more money or they are set aside for frequent fliers.

I have also selected a middle of the airplane seat on some high wing aircraft.

Ravn Alaska Flight

On this Ravn Alaska flight I was able to put some of the branding into the image, and upon landing was able to see the main landing gear touch the runway. This is a different type of scene to capture than the majority of flights where you will not be able to the gear.

When you book your flight you will know the type of scheduled aircraft for the flight, keep in mind while not common the type of aircraft can deviate a little especially if you book your flight more than six months out. The worse thing which can happen is that you plan for the perfect seat and there is not a window in the row. I have had this happen to me before in seat 11A on a Boeing 737-900 which is common with the design of this aircraft. To help prevent situations like this I recommend using a tool like SeatGuru to help in the selection of a seat. In addition, this site will also show you where the wing is located on the plane so you can plan accordingly.

Tip 2: Consider the Time of Your Flight

When planning your seat location you also should take into account the time of day of the flight. In the Northern Hemisphere the sun will generally rise in the east, cross the sky in the south and set in the west. While the exact locations of sunrise and sunset will change during the course of the year on the the eastern and western horizon simplifying the direction of the sun will help with planning.

If your flight is heading east to west (e.g. New York to San Francisco, you will want to be on the right side of the plane as you will be facing north and will not have the sun coming in your window. If you are flying south to north (e.g. Los Angeles to Seattle) in the morning you would want to be on the left side of the plane and in the afternoon on the right side. Photographing without the glare of the sun makes it easier to capture an image from your window seat.

Mt Rainer with Sunglare

With the direction of the sun you start to see the glare on the layers of the window. This limits the ability to photograph in this direction due to the afternoon light.

Of course these are general rules and there will be times based on flight paths you may end up with some sun, but this is just one of the challenges you will face.

Tip 3: Research your Route

Look at the potential path your flight will take using Flightaware or FlightRadar24. These services will let you see the route your flight has taken over the past few days. Flights utilize specific routes in the sky which remain somewhat constant over time. There are changes on occasion based on enroute weather or winds but for the most part they do not change too much. By looking at the flight paths which are generally used it will give you an idea and method to plan of the type of terrain the flight will pass. I know on a flight from Denver to the New York area the flight will typically pass to the south of Chicago providing a view of the city and Lake Michigan. This is a view I enjoy seeing as I grew up just outside Chicago.

Flying into Seattle from Denver I know I will pass by Mt. Rainer but even before when you approach the Tri-Cities of Washington there will be a view down the Columbia River.

McNary Lock and Dam - Columbia River

The flight paths for departures and arrivals is where you will see more variances due to weather, traffic and runway configuration. In locations like San Diego, Orange County and Los Angeles it is a pretty good guarantee you will land to the west due to a dry subtropical climate. Chicago and the New York airports where the weather changes more frequently will provide a greater variance in approach routes. These approach routes can be difficult to plan for but with watching the weather and flight paths in similar conditions you can get a general idea of the approach path.

Tip 4: Get Close to the Window

When you photograph through a window and especially an aircraft window which has multiple layers of glass you may end up with a glare or reflection in your image. The best way to eliminate this is to get as close as you can to the window and when possible putting the phone on the window surface as you can eliminate the majority of the reflection, however this doesn’t totally get rid of the reflection.

Cupping your hand over the area of the phone where the lens is located will help eliminate any additional glare which could be present. This blocks side light from getting into the lens and provides a much clearer image. Even with a thin case it is possible for light to impact the image and the technique which I normally use to minimize any outside light. If you have a pop-socket or other type of case which adds to the back of the phone you will definitely need to do this to minimize the light. Once again your hand can help with this and I also carry a lens hood for my phone. This rubber device can attach to my if necessary and blocks out most of the reflective light.

Tip 5: Use the Natural Elements

Just like photographing anywhere when there are natural elements like rain, snow, fog or clouds it doesn’t mean you should be down your camera. These elements help bring additional feeling and emotion to an image which you will not get on a perfectly sunny day.

Sunshine on a Rainy Day

Raindrops on the window allows you to get creative with your image. By focusing on the raindrops (you will need to have your phone a little away from the window), it will put the scene behind the raindrops out of focus. It can take a little time to get used to how your phone will focus, but once you get this technique mastered it open a whole new perspective you can use while on the ground prior to takeoff or after landing.

Tip 6: Photograph in all Phases of your Trip

Most people will capture images while in flight but will not consider this while on the ground. There are many possibilities while the airplane is on the ground. From photographing other aircraft, to the various navigational signs and lines on the pavement. I would suggest spending a couple of flights watching for these items as the airplane moves throughout the airport. From here and you will start to recognize the common elements and start to think of what you can capture.

Into the Fog: Lines leading into fog in the image

Once you become comfortable and now the various elements which you will spot you may find this quiet enjoyable. From there you will start bringing in the natural elements into the image as well to help with your story.

Tip 7: Look Ahead

This tip may seem a little odd to state as it is hard to see what is ahead. That is true, but this tip means to look ahead in what you are capturing. When you keep the phone flat against the window you are capturing images in one direction. By turning your head, you can plan for the landscape elements which will soon arriving and let you pre-visualize the scene to determine if you should capture the image.

Cordova Alaska - Mud Flats

When flying into Cordova, Alaska I was looking ahead and noticed this outflow in the mudflats near the airport. Being aware of this by looking ahead let me start to frame the scene and so I could capture the image as we flew across the outflow of water just prior to landing. With the phone in position I was able to capture a couple of images as we passed over at around 130 knots.

Tip 8: Know when to Stop Photographing

Even if you in the window seat there are times when it is best to sit back and allow others to take in the view. When flying into Seattle on many days there is a nice view of Mt. Rainer as you descend. On these instances it is quite common for fellow seat mates to want to check out the view from either the middle or aisle seat. When you sit back you allow this to happen.

When you are photographing with a phone and see another aircraft pass by they will be far enough away that you will not be able to capture it in the sky, and it is also moving quite quickly in relative speed to you thus by the time you are ready to photograph it will be well past you.

FedEx on approach to Seattle from Alaska Airlines plane

Even photographing another airplane on approach does not always work based on the distance and size of the airplane. This FedEx plane was a Boeing 777 and even zoomed into the scene it doesn’t take much of the frame.

As the day turns into night it is also difficult to photograph as at dusk you start to get more reflections from inside the cabin. While it would be nice to capture the image, sometimes you just need to leave with the mental capture of what you saw with your eyes.

Tip 9: Use Caution

When placing your phone around a window on an airplane most everything is sealed and there are not many places which can consume your phone, however still use caution. If you drop your phone it may end up between seats and could be difficult to retrieve. Likewise, in some rows window shades are designed to be pulled up instead of down. In these areas with the right force it is possible for the phone to end up inside the panels which separate the fuselage and the interior section. If the phone falls into this area it would be extremely difficult to retrieve (if at all) prior to the next major overhaul of the airplane. Turbulence can happen at any time while flying and just like it is wise to always have on your seatbelt the same is true with holding onto your phone, be sure to use a good grip.

I can speak to almost losing a phone while in Hong Kong riding the Ding Ding Tram. My phone slipped out of my hand and ended up inside the tram via a gap between the window and tram. I was quite lucky that I was able to get it back after talking to the driver and supervisor at the end of the line. Nonetheless it took around two hours of time and changed my plans for the day.

Tip 10: Have Fun

There is no perfect science to photographing out of an airplane. The weather cannot be planned, nor can the route or any issues with the window. With this said even the best laid out plan for photographing during your flight can just not happen as planned, likewise it can all fall into place at the spur of the moment. I have had flights where I didn’t capture a single image since it was cloudy the whole route or other factors like the not existent window. Likewise, I have had a handful of flights which were quite productive in my window seat captures.

Passing the Line

This is one of those captures where I could not have planned for this to fall into place, but by being prepared and observing which was coming ahead it came together nicely.

 

Do you have any suggestions when photographing from an airplane? Feel free to send an e-mail or join the conversation on the Window Seat Photographer Group on Facebook. Here you can share images from your travels and also get inspired by a community of Window Seat Photographers. We are also tracking work with the hashtag #windowseatphotographer on Instagram and Twitter.

Scanning Old Photographs and Negatives

April 19, 2020 By Neil

As we hunker down or shelter in place it is easy to start to look through boxes which we may have hidden away in our houses. For most people these boxes will include stacks of photographs from over the years. In my newsletter earlier this month, I mentioned I had done this already with images I took from some of my first photography classes and had those negatives scanned. This isn’t the first time I have transferred to digital, I have done this before with photos, negatives, and slides.

When determining the images or negatives which you would like to scan the first thing you should do is look at the types of images where you feel it would be beneficial to digitize them and go through the scanning process. If you scan everything in the boxes it will start to get costly or timely, if you do it yourself. A scenic photo from a trip in the 1980’s to Yellowstone may not warrant the effort, however a photo of your family in front of Old Faithful on that same trip could definitely be worthwhile to scan and have the memory in a digital manner.

The easiest way to digitize or scan photos is to take a picture of the photo with your mobile device or camera. I have received many reminders of images from friends which was done exactly in this manner. The main benefit to this approach is the instant result of being able to send it to others, however this approach does not provide the highest and best quality. With this method the end result won’t be an image you will be able to print with good results, however if the goal is to store the photo digitally and have the reminder or to embarrass friends from college it could work quite well. While this method works well with prints, it doesn’t work as well if you only have the negative available.

If you have gone through the photos and you found a large quantity to scan I would look at a “bundle” which is available from many camera stores. One example of this is The Gather Box offered by Mike’s Camera here in Colorado. The box holds around 1000 prints in which you put your photos in the box and bring to them. The end result are the scanned photos in a high resolution which will allow you to have the digital memory. Mike’s Camera and other camera stores also offer a la carte services if you have less images, or more complex scan which need to be done.

Another option which is available for scanning your photos is to do it on your own. This approach works best if you have plenty of time, and mainly one type of format which you wanting to scan. The reason why I mention the format which you want to scan is depending on the source there are many different devices which work best. Scanning prints works best with a flatbed scanner, however negatives or slides work better with a film scanner. In the past I have looked into this approach but felt it would not be the best use of my time and money. Keep in mind the time spent on scanning is not only how long it will take to do the scans but also the amount of time in which you need to become proficient in the process as well.

The approach I have used in the past is to outsource the process which I do for two reasons. The first is if I am paying money to get this done it ensures the edits of the work which I am paying to have scanned will be the top images and not just everything. Secondly is the time it would take for me to become an expert. When I am selecting materials to get scanned I want to make sure it is done at the top level and that doesn’t happen overnight. The time which I would be using to learn how to scan images I can use on other tasks which need to be done in the business. With that said, the only time it may make sense to do it yourself is if you are thinking of using your scanning as a learning opportunity so you can make this a service which you offer through your business. In selecting to outsource you can work locally with a photographer who specializes in scanning, or even a local camera store.

The company which I have selected and worked with over the years for my scanning is ScanCafe. ScanCafe can handle many different types of media to scan and offers an option to do it at their location in Indianapolis. When having your worked scanned with ScanCafe you will have a few options to consider once you have selected your media type. The first of these is the resolution of the scan. The resolution which they provide is quite high and will be good for the majority of people. I do select to pay a little extra per scan in order to get the high resolution which does differ depending on media type. The second choice is the format in which the file is saved. Their standard format is in a jpg format, however once again for a little more you can opt for the images to be delivered in a tiff format. When the file is saved as a tiff keep in mind it will be a large file and most people will not need a file in this format. The main reason why there is an extra charge is due to the size of the file which is generated, as this takes up storage space and also slows down the process a little

Once the scans are complete they will let you review the scanned images where you review the images and then may select up to 20% of the images to “reject” from your final delivery. Once this is completed you will then receive download links in the next couple of days, and about a week later receive your media via UPS.

While there are many options you can select when you want to scan old photos, when you are going through the effort and either time or cost to do the work keep in mind a few items once you have the scanned images.

  • Make a copy of the digital work you receive. Whether this is to Dropbox, an external drive, USB drive or anything else which makes sense. When making backups the ideal situation is to have it elsewhere just in case something happens at your house. This is why offsite storage like Dropbox or iCloud make sense. A service like Backblaze also works well to help have that ultimate offsite backup as a safety measure.
  • If you decide to get rid of the photographs or negatives just scanned be smart about how they are discarded. Depending on the content you may want to shred or rip up the photos into smaller pieces especially if you have a communal dumpster or similar waste receptacle. The work I have had scanned I do keep the originals to have available for reference if needed, but also remember this is a much smaller batch then what I started with prior to the scanning process.
  •  Be cautious of the photos which you send out. A 100 year old photo of great-grandparents or even great-great-grandparents is a priceless memory. Prior to sending the work off to a distant photo lab make sure you are comfortable with the transit taking place. There are many photo labs and photographers in cities which specialize is this type of restoration, and while it may cost more it is something to consider for these priceless items.

I hope this helps understand the many options which you have when scanning your old photographs and negatives. In the end the main things to think about are the quality, cost and time which you would like to invest for your images.

What’s in the Bag: Travel Version

September 1, 2019 By Neil

I frequently get asked questions about my gear and thought it would be helpful to put together a couple of posts about what photography gear is in my bag currently (August 2019). This first installment deals with travel and the type of gear I have with me on the road. A couple of years ago I purchased an Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark II which is a 4/3 (four thirds camera), this switch has really changed how I travel and downsized my gear bag.

What's in the Bag: Travel

The gear in this image is a representation of how I travel, sometimes it is more than this and other times less. When it is more, I am adding a laptop and external hard drive for downloading and processing images while I am on the road. The instances it is less I usually remove the small tripod, international power adapter and polarizing filter.

The Essentials

Backpack: The most important item when traveling is method used to carry your gear, and I have tried many different bags over the year and do prefer a backpack to other bags. Almost two years ago I found the Tenba DNA 15 Backpack, and this is now the bag I use when traveling near or far with the four thirds camera. I have even used this when traveling without camera gear since it has a removable insert and can hold enough for me to travel over a weekend.

Camera: As I mentioned above I am currently using the Olympus OM-D EM5 Mark II camera along with the Olympus M.Zuiko Digital ED 12-100mm F4.0 PRO Lens. In the four thirds world this lens is equal to a 24mm-200mm lens in a small compact set-up. I have traveled with this all over the United States and the World capturing images with this camera body and lens and it has worked well for me. Being small it is less intimidating when taking pictures on the street, and it also doesn’t stand out larger DSLR cameras, plus if you spend a good amount of time exploring it weighs a lot less than a DSLR helping you on those hot and humid days.

In addition to the camera, it is important to have a battery charger and cleaning cloth with when traveling. The battery charger won’t always be with you during the day, just make sure to charge your battery fully each night.

Memory Cards: Memory cards are getting smaller and smaller, making them easier to misplace, thus I use a Think Tank SD Memory Card Case to keep them in order. I have around 10 cards in the case and if they are empty they face out with the label and once I have shot on them I put them in the case with the label not showing. In addition I will attach the case to my bag with a short cord to ensure that the case won’t get out of reach of my bag which is extremely important if you are not downloading cards each day as you travel light. There are many speeds of memory cards available, what this translates to is how quickly the data is saved on the card. In most situations a Class 3 card will suffice and give you the speed you need to capture stills or video.

Phone: I use an Apple iPhone as a travel tool with a handful of apps which I use on a regular basis. I also use the phone to capture images as well as video and have found in certain situations the camera on the phone works just as well as camera for capturing a quick image. When capturing video, think about using timelapse in the right situation.

Additional Gear

Filter: I try to have a Polarizer filter in my bag when I travel. This filter will help cut down on glare, help with a little slower shutter speed when that is necessary as well as giving landscapes a little pop with color. Now some of these items you can do in post-processing but shooting it in camera initially helps lower your processing time. The size of the filter will depend on your lens, with the set-up I mentioned above I use a 72mm X2 CPL Circular Polarizing Filter.

International Travel Adapter: Traveling internationally and finding you don’t have the correct plug for country you are in doesn’t really set well. Some hotels are adding plug which will accommodate multiple types of plug put don’t expect to find this is all locations. A
Worldwide All in One Universal Travel Adaptor helps with this issue and will make sure you have the correct plug whether you are in the UK or Europe (which use different plugs).

Tripod: The tripod is a helpful tool when capturing images as it will help steady the camera for those longer exposures, but also will slow down your photography process so you can think about the image you are framing in the camera. The moment you put down a tripod in some locations you will have someone approach you as for some reason it translates to being a professional. The Platypod helps with this and also is small to carry as you travel. There are some differences between the Platypod and a regular tripod you need to get use to when using, however putting a small ballhead on the Platypod does work quite well. With a four thirds camera I use the Platypod Ultra, however with a larger DSLR you will want to consider the Platypod Max.

Computer: When traveling for a longer period of time, I will bring my laptop which the Tenba DNA 15 Backpack will hold up to a 15″ laptop along with your camera gear. At this point I am using an Apple MacBook Pro for processing my work.

External Hard Drive: An external hard drive is a must for backing-up your work while travel with a laptop. At this point when traveling you should consider only a SSD hard drive. The speed of these are quite amazing, and with less moving parts than a traditional hard drive it holds up well when traveling. I am using the Samsung T5 SSD 1TB version at this time, which gives me plenty of room to backup images.

Other Items

Using just one lens I am not changing lenses in the field, thus I don’t find a need to carry a RocketBlower with me when traveling, however it is still good to have one at home. I am looking at other methods to backup photos while traveling on the road and am still doing some research on the best options when not traveling with a laptop. Once I find a good solution I will be sure to share.

 

Disclosure: I have linked to Amazon for additional details on the gear which I have mentioned above in some situations. Purchasing through these links may provide a small affiliate commission, however you should be able to find all of the gear mentioned at your local camera store as well.

Personal Photography Projects – Revisited

February 15, 2011 By Neil

Just over a year ago I posted a blog post on personal photography projects asking people to chime in on what they would be doing in 2010.  Last month I followed up with a few of the individuals providing feedback on this to see if they would like to discuss their personal photography project from last year.  The one common theme I found is that it is important to set goals for yourself in small steps which look towards the larger picture of what you are want to accomplish.  Of the people I followed up with, I wanted to share some detailed insight with three of the projects.

Christopher Rice of Denver did accomplish what he wanted to do with his 303 Project. The project of photographing the industrial areas of Commerce City got to a point where he is satisfied with what he captured and the emotion created to viewers of the images.  He found during this project there were safety concerns and of course accessibility in the area of town where shooting from public areas added to his ability to think about the subject matter differently due to these constraints.

Missoula baby and wedding photographer Annie Florin worked on personal photography this year, but with motherhood and running a business there was a different approach taken.  Instead of completing the project all at once, she concentrated on finding time to photograph now and once her son is a little older she will revisit the images and work on post-production at that time.  I think this is a great idea as she has taken out some of the issues causing people to put a project on hold as in your mind there are excuses.  The second part of this is the photographs taken now can be viewed differently in the future when you revisit the images as a collection versus an ongoing project causing you to alter direction in the midst of the project itself.

Marcy James had planned a couple of projects at the beginning of last year, however shifted gears to a project which became an exciting experience. This seven-month project involved rolling out a large piece of black roofing paper on one of her bedroom walls to be used as a photographic sketchpad for all of her ideas. With a majority of the writing and drawing taking place in the middle of the night as her family was sleeping beside her, she would see these ideas at night and also in the morning each day.  The idea started as she works a full-time job she would find herself waking up at 2am and to think about the job and all the things needed to be done.  One of these nights the thought was if she would be up in the middle of the night then why not use that time for art.  We all know it can be hard to find time for everything, however Marcy made the time to get this to work.  During the six months and as her ideas were added it let her feel reconnected to her art process, and being up in the middle of the night was exciting for her. As her ideas came to life they would be attached to the piece to show completion as well.  After six months, the piece was shown in a local Missoula coffee house she thought about from the onset.  In talking about the show, she felt that it was really showing a personal piece of her to everyone and may have been one of the pieces which was her most vulnerable to date as it contained the ideas she thought of in the middle of night which may have been done, didn’t really work or still in progress.

There are many factors impacting people as they are working on the personal photography projects or goals moving forward.  However through creative means you can find your own way around these constraints and find time to do what you seek out to do whether it is a photography project or anything else.

In 2011, some of the photographers I followed-up with have plans for their personal work which for quite a few are continuing on projects pushed to the side last year due to time or other ideas in their place. I have some photography goals for this calendar year I will share in the next few weeks on this blog. Based on what you enjoy photographing what are you thinking of doing as a personal project this year and how will you make sure that you get that project completed?

Lightroom 3 – Book Giveaway

February 11, 2011 By Neil

It is not often when I mention a specific product or service on my blog, however this is one of those times where I feel it is advantageous to my followers if I do mention a book.

At my workstation in my office I have a few books within easy reach and one of these books is Lightroom 3 by Nat Coalson.  This is actually the only Lightroom book on the shelf.  Having used Lightroom as the primary component of my digital workflow for over three years this book has provided me with additional tips to refine my workflow and also is a great reference tool within my reach.  As a digital workflow is something which is specific to an individual photographer it is hard to fine two which are exactly the same, however with the explanation and examples of the a digital process Nat may give you something to think about adding to yours which is not currently in place that is coming to you not only from an author and instructor but someone who was a photographer first.

I have an extra copy of this book, which was provided by the publisher, as I purchased the book ahead of time I have decided to give this away to one reader of the blog.  All you have to do is leave a quick comment, even if it is “Hi” and you will be entered in the drawing.  On March 5th I will select one name from random who will receive this book to read and have as a reference as well.

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