Some advice from the pros, please.

[T. Adams]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Check your ISO??

Yes I shot almost an entire day at ISO 400 in June at an airshow in WI. Looking at the EXIF data, shooting for prop blur at 1/160, I was getting f/32. Yikes!!!, not exactly the sweet spot of the 100-400. Not to mention at the likes of f/32, every freaking spot on the sensor shows up.

[Stevo]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Nothing worse than at the end of the day finding out for some reason you were shooting with ISO 800 or your WB was set for floursent lightning...

HA... I've never done anything like that!! ... well, there was that one time... and then the other... OK, OK! I've done it a couple times

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really dig this photo victor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Victor Archer]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!! I really dig this photo victor!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

You know there's a real funny story around me getting that photo...

[paintboy]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

The offer by Mike is very generous and an outstanding idea. I would look forward to it. Would never crash a party I'm not invited to. Can't decide on which racing shirt to wear, no problem, BRING THEM ALL!! Remember, you are a race fan first and foremost. The photography is a bonus. Reno can be an extemely dusty and dirty place to shoot. Desert environment, and the wind can blow at speed of upto 40 mph. Clean your gear OFTEN, and find a way to keep it clean. Dress for both hot and cold weather. Last year the temperatures dropped to near freezing during Sundays GOLD race. I have learned after all these years that Reno is VERY unpredictable. Dont forget to pack sunscreen and a hat, as shade is scarce at best. Last thing is enjoy yourself. Reno is an unbelievable experience, one to be basked in and absorbed. Look forward to seeing many of you on the ramp, as well at the pylons. A few short weeks to go.

Dave

[ignomini]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Victor,

Sign me up for a photographer's gathering please. I would love to learn (and possibly extract sample DNA) from you and some of the other fine photographers on this board.

Fenceliner,

Thank you for the offer of a venue. I assume there will be a Rare Bear party on Friday, but would welcome any other opportunity to gather for a barbeque. I'm guessing either Thursday or Saturday. I for one am happy to donate more than the value of the food I eat to help make it happen.

Cheers,
Robert Goldman

[Warren_C]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I think you'll find a consensus on this tip. Do not leave after the last race, at the conclusion of racing each day the airport opens back up, and there is all kinds of flying, arrival and departures, maintenance runs, sponsor rides, formation flights, unique a/c pairings. If your at the Hilton or the RV, throwing back drinks you'll miss some of the most unique photo ops the Air Races have to offer. This is the most laid back time to take photos and to socialize as the crowds are mostly gone, and the ambient temp is usually more pleasant.

Warren

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

You know there's a real funny story around me getting that photo...

Go ooooooooooonnnnnnnn!

[MMPerk]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Many thanks to Mike for the offering of a place for us to gather. I'm new to the digital world with the Canon Rebel XT, please count me in.

I'm open any day but Monday and Tuesday. My boss still seems to think that I'm going to be needed those 2 days. But I feel an illness coming on.

I must admit, I spent several hours at PRS on Saturday just shooting away. I really did follow the 'Alien' ones advice. But...I had reset the ISO setting on the modes other than the one that I was using that day, it was set at 400

Looking forward to meeting everyone.

Lonnie

[G. van Dyk]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

You know there's a real funny story around me getting that photo...

OK, I'll bite too. Good Victor, please do tell.
You can't just say that and leave us all hanging.

Gerry

[Race#21]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I make my living photographing sheetmetel and glass. Filter all your bright light exteriors with a POL. Schneider's True Poloriser is the best. The sky is bluer, you can see thru the plexi, the contrast is better, the cloud definision is spectacular.
Tom

[Race#21]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

And always UV or optical flat all your lenses, all the time.

[G. van Dyk]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I make my living photographing sheetmetel and glass. Filter all your bright light exteriors with a POL. Schneider's True Poloriser is the best. The sky is bluer, you can see thru the plexi, the contrast is better, the cloud definision is spectacular.
Tom

Thanks for the input Tom, I really appreciated it. I've been looking into polarizers more closely since starting this thread, and I understand they let you see through glass and water surfaces, but referring back to Victor's wonderful image, would it also knock off the reflected glare from PM's prop and the glints of light from the oleos? Also thinking from a purely digital imaging process, could we not stretch histograms and tweek color saturations in post processing? I'm worried about intensionally forgoing a chance to get the sun flashing off a highly polished chrome spinner as it blows by at 499 mph.

I think I'll take you're advice on the UV filter however, I know there's two camps on this one, but I think it's a fine line between them.

I hope I'm not insulting in questioning your advice, I really don't intend it that way. One of the problems with dangling my feet in a new pastime pond is doubting almost everything I see and hear.

Cheers
Gerry

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I hope I'm not insulting in questioning your advice, I really don't intend it that way. One of the problems with dangling my feet in a new pastime pond is doubting almost everything I see and hear.

Gerry, I think I know Tom well enough to know that he doesn't insult easily. In fact, Mr. Campau is one of the people who are "Reno".....

Anyway... I agree, while I own a polarizer, I've only attempted to use it once at Reno. Using it with action, particularly panning action where the light changes from the start of the pass to the end... well... I will totally admit to NOT knowing what I was doing with it and I've not used it since.

Didn't help that while using it, my D1 decided to puke a circuit board and the chip to boot... but that's another story.

As for using a protective filter over the lens, I know this is standard wisdom and I feel pretty naked not doing it but. On the pylons, you don't get ideal lighting, by any stretch of the phrase. Really, shooting any action where you'e not in total control of where you are in relation to where the subject is, some of the time, you're going to wind up shooting "upsun", pulling your hair out trying to figure the right combination that will net you some keepers.

By no stretch am I discounting what Tom says, Tom knows I respect him to the max! For me though, in my admittedly limited self-taught slice of my world, I'm running naked lenses (some of them) and my polarizer is sitting in my kit making me wish I had the $$ I spent for it in my lens budget..

That said, gimme a Nikor 200-400 VR at about $6500. and I'll put a damn UV filter on it to protect it!!!!!!!!



PS... Mystical Man.. Ewe gonna be at Reno? Someone's gotta keep that Dilda family on the straight and narrow!

[T. Adams]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

As for UV filters, I'm in the camp of never used one, never will. There is just no way I will hang a cheap hunk of glass on a lense that cost thousands of dollars. Besides once you move up to the super tele's like the 300 f/2.8, and Victor's 500, they dont make filters for these front elements. They are too big. Use a lens hood all the time, and common sense, you don't need UV filters.