image by TheFella
Indeed, images taken from airplane’s window do not offer variation of angles because we sit in one place without any chance to move here and there. Though this kind of photo taking is rather boring yet if you can manage to shoot with the right techniques in the right timing, the results can be very interesting. The most important part of plane photo taking is that you can kill your boredom and anxiety during your flight, either before taking off or landing.
There are some tips that can help you create better images when you take it from your plane’s window seat, enjoy:
1. Take a good spot or strategic seat.
If you want to shoot from your airplane’s window, of course you have to sit by the window. Make sure you get the seat which is distant from the plane’s wing so that the view is clear and not covered. But if you cannot avoid it, you should not worry because you can still take the plan’s wing as part of your photo composition.
2. Align the lens of your camera closer to the window.
When we shoot fishes in an aquarium, we tend to stick the camera lens to the glass container, yet it does not work the same for airplane’s photo taking. Remember, that when the plane is shaking because of turbulence the result of the photo will be blurring and not sharp. Place the tip of your lens parallel to the window, as closer as possible to the window’s surface but it should not touch it. This method is done in order to reduce the window’s glass reflection so that the image will come out sharp and contrast.
3. Do not use CPL filter
There are so many people who like to use CPL filter in order to get a result of photo with the sky appears bluer. Do not use this technique when you shoot from your window. Take off the CPL filter from the tip of your lens before you shoot unless you will create images with fake rainbows like this.
image by Eaghra
4. Use manual focus
It is tough to use auto focus when your camera has to pass 2 layers of window glass. It is better for you to apply manual focus or set the focus point to infinity.
5. Turn off the flash
It will worsen the reflection from the window glass and it will surprise other passengers as well. Yet the more reasonable explanation will be that fact that your small flash cannot afford to lighten the views of clouds, mountains and everything from distance of tens of meters to kilometers by using your mere flash only.
6. To shoot what’s beneath, wait until your plane swoop down.
Your plane will be in sloping position before landing or a moment before taking off so brace yourself for an exact moment like this. You have to remember that in its maximum height, the window’s glass tends to get moist or icy, so it is better for you to take images in the beginning of the flight.
image by L Mo
7. Recommended setting exposure
Though a jet plane has softer tremble and some lenses are featured with IS/VR, it is better for you to use shutter speed instead since it can be fast following the rule of focal length or using speed above 1/250 which is the safest and even faster when you try to shoot views of the earth down there. For the aperture, the safe move is to set it on the number of f/8, high ISO (but it cannot be too high, set it between 400-800)
image by Dgmiami
