Aircraft photography can be great fun and very rewarding for the aviation photographer. Airplanes in general are great photography subjects! They are very dynamic in choices of settings and usually very colorful. These two important technical advantages together with the fact that so many people find aviation interesting make a good aircraft photo somewhat captivating. Let’s look at some helpful hints to improve the quality of your aviation photography. Whether your goal is to have great airplane pictures for your aircraft for sale listing or aviation photography is your up and coming hobby these general tips will be useful.

1.       One of the most common problems with Aircraft pictures is clutter. So many airplane pictures are taken at air shows or on the airport ramp with all the other resident airplanes. The subject of a good photo is prominent and the surroundings should compliment and enhance it, not distract from it. How many pictures of airplanes have you seen with people standing in front of them? These are not aircraft photos; they are people photos with a very distracting background. With today’s digital technology it is relatively easy to remove clutter from the background but difficult at best to remove it from the foreground. Everyone is aware of the effort and patience it takes to get the airplane you want in the desired setting. So the next aircraft photos you shoot remember quality, not quantity!

2.       Another issue plaguing airplane photos is the distance they are taken. Airplanes are big. If the whole aircraft is going to fit into the photo it needs to “fill the screen”, otherwise it will be nothing more than an airplane shape in a picture. Don’t be afraid to “clip” parts of a plane to get a bolder and more detailed picture, especially in cases where there are particularly interesting components of the plane. A good example is the cowling of a Cessna 195. It is unique and beautifully designed which makes a great focal point for an airplane photograph. The next time you are taking airplane pictures try shooting some really close ones and try unusual vantage points to see the effects. Be extremely careful when shooting close air to air photos.

3.       Now let’s talk about lighting and how it affects your aircraft photos. Contrary to what we as people desire, bright sunny days are not typically the best for aviation photography. Lower light yields better color and clarity than the intense lighting of direct sunlight. Try shooting aircraft pictures in the morning, evening, or on cloudier days. Try different combinations of lighting and flash. One of my favorite effects is to have the airplane silhouetted by shooting into the low sun and use the flash. Try it out.

4.       The final area that is very important in making your aircraft photos stand out is color. While there is something really interesting about the old black and white nostalgic aircraft photos, bold color is what you want in today’s’ world. Try to pick subject planes with interesting lines and brighter colors. Try to “compliment” the aircraft colors with the background. If the plane is light colors try to get it in front of dark green trees or a backdrop of dark storm clouds. If the airplane is darker colors try light blue sky or for something really bold, try snow!  

 

Taking airplane pictures is fun, taking really good aircraft photos is very rewarding! Remember to submit the ones you think are really good for publishing in our photo gallery. Be sure to include any data as well as which category you think it belongs in. We hope this information is useful and have fun shooting!