General photography questions!

[zack2137]

I've a couple of questions on how (and when and where) should one click using a DSLR during various trips! Hence, a single thread for all the questions!

To begin with, How can one click clean in-flight shots? There is some colourful vignetting in a lot of pictures. How should that be avoided? And lastly, what should be the optimum distance of the lens from glass window?
Also, is there any restriction from the airlines' end on using a DSLR in a plane?

 

[nishchaya]

Clicking in flight pictures is a pain. This is what I do:
1. I do not prefer a window seat usually due to the crammed space, but I would try to get one if I plan to shoot pictures especially when I am aware that the travel is during the golden hours ( Sunrise/sunset)

2. If you haven't done the web check-in or reserved your seat while booking, then make sure you arrive early for the check in and request for a window seat. Seriously, else you'll annoy your fellow passengers snooting with your camera

3. Pray to God that the window is scratch free. Yes, that has spoiled my pictures few times.

4. Take a handkerchief and clean the window as much as you can. I do it quite a few times and get the weird looks from fellow passengers.

5. While shooting, keep the lens as near to the window as you can. In fact, the lens should almost be touching the window. If you keep it a bit away, you'll see lot of reflections.

6. Carry a CPL along with you, if there are reflections, those can be cut through a CPL.

7. Keep experimenting with CPL and keep rotating it to different angles to get a clean shot. You may get ugly color casts, but you'd get few decent frames for sure.

8. Keep shooting lot of pictures with different focal lengths and different angles near the window.

Regarding the photography in airports and inside aircraft, you can read this:

http://www.bcmtouring.com/forum/air-travel-india-f37/photography-allowed-inside-airports-t26331-3/#post617865

 

[sharmaedm]

It may be good if shoot picture inside plane or at airport.












Plane window glass can not clean from outside.

 

[nishchaya]

Sharmaji, that is a wonderful profile pic.

 

[hensil]

I've a couple of questions on how (and when and where) should one click using a DSLR during various trips! Hence, a single thread for all the questions!

To begin with, How can one click clean in-flight shots? There is some colourful vignetting in a lot of pictures. How should that be avoided? And lastly, what should be the optimum distance of the lens from glass window?
Also, is there any restriction from the airlines' end on using a DSLR in a plane?

You'll never get sharp pictures shooting through 2 layers of plexiglass of an aircraft that too stained/scratched. The dust which can be outside or in between the layers cannot be cleaned.
The rainbow color circles are visible when you shoot with a polarizer. Never use them in flight shooting through the windows. Remove the protective filters also.
Try shooting with the lens hood touching the windows/glass using your hand/fingers to cushion the lens to avoid vibration.
Shoot at average shutter speed, no need of very high shutter because even though the aircraft is flying very fast the relative speed compared to your subject is not.
Henry

 

[sharmaedm]

Nishchaya thanks for likinig profile picture, but it cost me more then $3000, as my trip to India.

 

[zack2137]

Thanks Nischaya, Henry and Sharmaji. Nice pictures there!

Nischaya, I've noted web check-in and cleaning aspects. Since we are 3 people, we will have 2 window seats. The probability of getting clean windows gets twice as much
Henry, though I didn't consider that, but then having stark clean windows is too much to ask for in budget airlines here Having said that, I should have stated "reasonably clean" pictures in my opening comment!

Anyway, CPL = Polarizer, right? Even I thought CPL would give those colour vignettes. A little confused here. I've noted the distance aspect.

One more question, clicking from such height and such vast landscapes will get shots which will be slightly milky! I mean, a little cloudy sorts, not very sharp. Any means to avoid that?

Also, Nischaya, both to and fro flights are early morning flights so I'm expecting the sunrise to occur sometime during or a little before I'm in air. In that case, which side should be preferred while checking in? As per my analysis, shooting towards the sun will be disastrous. I should look for the side opposite from where the sun would be rising. That being said, LHS (assuming the plane is going Delhi to Leh and sun is rising from the east, I should be seated towards Pakistan) and conversely, LHS during my return journey. Is that correct?

 

[hensil]

zack,
CPL/polarizer will give those colored rings when shooting through aircraft windows and car windows. Even a polarized eye glass gives me trouble viewing through motorcycle helmets and while driving car. I stopped using polarized goggles.
Its impossible to get sharp pictures shooting through flight windows. The picture will lack contrast that can be recovered through software but nothing can bring back the sharpness lost due to windows impurity. You can still get some good pictures but just forget about printing large. No harm in trying.
Henry

 

[zack2137]

zack,
CPL/polarizer will give those colored rings when shooting through aircraft windows and car windows. Even a polarized eye glass gives me trouble viewing through motorcycle helmets and while driving car. I stopped using polarized goggles.
Its impossible to get sharp pictures shooting through flight windows. The picture will lack contrast that can be recovered through software but nothing can bring back the sharpness lost due to windows impurity. You can still get some good pictures but just forget about printing large. No harm in trying.
Henry

Precisely! Plus there's no printing at all. Will be for my collection only!

 

[hensil]

Here is an example of picture contrast, shot somewhere above Denmark.

Unprocessed

Processed

Henry

- - - Updated - - -

Sorry, no EXIF. I re-sized it in Paint which stripped the exif.
Henry