I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

[AAFO_WSagar]

I get a kick out of trying to get a good shot with a pylon and an airplane in it..

Some don't agree..

[kennsmithf2g]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

I do....

[Desertdawg]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

I get a kick out of trying to get a good shot with a pylon and an airplane in it..

Some don't agree..

You still have a steady hand there young man.

We'll see how steady it is today

[wingman]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

You still have the touch, Wayne -- I was never any good at that...

Neal

[Fence Sence]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

What does it say around the bottom of the can (pylon)?

[toldjaso]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

What does it say around the bottom of the can (pylon)?

If you can read this you are flying too low

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

You still have the touch, Wayne -- I was never any good at that...

Neal

Thanks Neal! It helps that I finally learned enough about my D4 refurb, which, likely was one of the Nikon loaners we all got hooked on the D4 over, to realize that I had my AF incorrectly set in the dreaded AF singular mode...

Spains a lot of issues I had with the new body!

I do know what it says on the bottom of the pylon but only because I know it's in a few of my photos which I have not gone through yet..

Hey, at least I got the most important four letters!!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

You still have a steady hand there young man.

We'll see how steady it is today

LOL Dawggy! Truth be told, I don't think there's photographer out there who isn't just a touch steadier after a stiff drink. Especially, as we old farts.. well, age, after all.. what I guess are called "tremors" start to creep in. I've had one in my left thumb for almost a decade.

Quite frankly, I usually try to relax a bit before shooting

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

I hate it when there are several responses to a message in a thread and they are all by me! Almost wish I could not type as fast as I can!!

Anyway, I just wanted to add that the big reason that I think "pylon shots" are a good thing, and you could call them "venue shots" like if you were shooting a big dinner honoring whatever and they have a shot of the event draw in front of the event "identity" image.

Other than driving a forklift and being an operations manager for a contractor supply business, In another life, I was born into a "minor league" show business family, I learned a lot when I was just a little guy about "THE SHOW"

So anyway, a bit part of my fascination with shots like "pylon shots" is that they are a very viable visual draw, they get attention, not just to the art of what airplanes look like and the shot featured, but for the signature logo of the event..

Isn't that what we're really all about? Aside the ego massaging when you really nail a picture.. LOL!!

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

You still have the touch, Wayne -- I was never any good at that...

Neal

So, with everything said above. Do you still think them a waste of time?

[Race#21]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

The "Pylon" does at least three things for the photograph of a race plane; 1) perspective, 2) location identity, 3) Depth.

[wingman]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

So, with everything said above. Do you still think them a waste of time?

I didn't say (I don't think) that they are a waste of time generally. For me they tend to be, because I'm not very good at them, and I've sometimes spent a lot of pylon time and film/pixels trying to get them right. I certainly think any air racing article benefits from one or two, and they can make a great magazine cover shot, or leadin context shot for a web article. I mostly just let others do the "shot with pylon" thing. Out on the pylons there's usually 25 photogs back where you can get that shot, and me and one or two others standing down by the can or along the edge of where we can be. That shows the relative popularity of my approach.

My thing is more the intense closeup headon shot where you can see the pilot's face and all, or the racing shots with two or three airplanes in close proximity. I've had pilots reject those shots because they so often don't show the whole airplane, but I like them, which is what counts for me.

Everybody has their own taste.

Neal

[wingman]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

So you got a D4, eh? That is a great camera. I've loved them when I borrowed them from Nikon. BIG step up from your old D2X, isn't it. Now you can really get the most from that great 200-400 you have.

Neal

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

So you got a D4, eh? That is a great camera. I've loved them when I borrowed them from Nikon. BIG step up from your old D2X, isn't it. Now you can really get the most from that great 200-400 you have.

Neal

Yes I did! It's a wonderful camera with which I have only begun to understand all of what it can do for my photography. The camera I bought is a Nikon "Refurb", very likely one of the many Nikon had in their loaner program as they phase in their next flagship camera as loaners.

Those cameras were well taken care of and the refurb price was just about half the cost of new.. Thank the great spirit for credit cards!

[wingman]

Re: I think Pylon Shots are Fun!

Refurbs are a great way to go. Moose Petersen says he buys most of his camera bodies as refurbs.

Neal