SHOOTING FROM A HELLICOPTER

[hombredelmar]

Hello everyone!
I am planning to go on a helicopter trip so I wanted to hear if someone had that experience, taking qualitative picturesJ, and any recommendation will be greatly appreciated.
I believe that I will have no option to remove doors so there will be no reflection from the glass or plastic therefore I thought of using circular polarizer filter. Then I have read that I will be strapped with some belts that will restrict my movement, not sure, so I will be having two lenses near me so that I would be able to switch them quickly. I am planning to use 16-35 and 70-200.
What would be the best time of the day 10a-5pm to shoot New York City and what would be the best practice to deal with the vibrations during the flight beside higher ISO and shutter speed?

 

[The_Traveler]

please delete your duplicate post

 

[KmH]

photography from a helicopter - Bing

 

[Railphotog]

A lot depends upon the type of helicopter you will be in, and where you will be seated. A front seat will give you the best view, through the front bubble, but shooting through it will cause all kinds of reflections. The ideal seat would be behind the pilot and hopefully the door will have a window that will open, allowing you to shoot through it. Any shooting through the Plexiglas can be a problem with reflections, and it is also often tinted too.

Since aperture at height doesn't make that much difference, go for a higher shutter speed to minimise vibrations. Also to minimise vibrations, do not rest you camera or arms against the door or other parts of the aircraft.

A polarizing filter may be of help, mostly if there are waterways in your view. But as the helicopter twists and turns, the filter would need to be adjusted for the best effect.

I'd suggest your shorter lens to get larger views, but of course if you are interested in closer views, then the longer lens would be used. You did not mention what camera you are using, so a crop sensor model will give you closer images than a full-frame sensor would.

I'm retired from the Canadian Coast Guard, and in my 35 years I took a lot of photos from helicopters. The Bell JetRanger and LongRanger models were the best to shoot from, with the opening in rear doors. The front door had an opening, but it was at elbow level and not suitable.

Good luck!

 

[keyseddie]

I rented helicopters on occasion. Same chopper, same pilot always. It was very small and the one door came off, which is imperative if you want good shots. You WILL be strapped in and you better have your camera bodies secured to yours. You can either have 2 bodies, or one and change lenses, which in itself is quite an adventure. With a good pilot used to photography, he does what you need done. And that is banking. There are few greater adventures in photography than shooting from a banking chopper with no door. Keep your wits about you and plan your shots. When you get done the shoot, you will probably either want to drink something strong or have sex with something or someone.

 

[petrochemist115 140]

Helicopter fairings are often highly curved so polarizers don't work as well as usual.
You might be able to arrange a dark cloth to cut down reflections. I have one with a hole for the camera in the center & small suction cups in the corners. (Don't allow the camera to touch the fairing). Depending on where you are in the helicopter this might disturb the pilots view so get their OK beforehand!
A old rubber lens hood can do a similar job of preventing light from hitting your side of the window in the field of view, but doesn't work quite as well as the cloth.

Should be a great trip, enjoy it!

 

[hombredelmar]

please delete your duplicate post

I was not sure how to delete the other post, sorry

 

[hombredelmar]

photography from a helicopter - Bing

will check it, thank you

 

[hombredelmar]

A lot depends upon the type of helicopter you will be in, and where you will be seated. A front seat will give you the best view, through the front bubble, but shooting through it will cause all kinds of reflections. The ideal seat would be behind the pilot and hopefully the door will have a window that will open, allowing you to shoot through it. Any shooting through the Plexiglas can be a problem with reflections, and it is also often tinted too.

Since aperture at height doesn't make that much difference, go for a higher shutter speed to minimise vibrations. Also to minimise vibrations, do not rest you camera or arms against the door or other parts of the aircraft.

A polarizing filter may be of help, mostly if there are waterways in your view. But as the helicopter twists and turns, the filter would need to be adjusted for the best effect.

I'd suggest your shorter lens to get larger views, but of course if you are interested in closer views, then the longer lens would be used. You did not mention what camera you are using, so a crop sensor model will give you closer images than a full-frame sensor would.

I'm retired from the Canadian Coast Guard, and in my 35 years I took a lot of photos from helicopters. The Bell JetRanger and LongRanger models were the best to shoot from, with the opening in rear doors. The front door had an opening, but it was at elbow level and not suitable.

Good luck!

It sounds as if you had a fun job being a Coast Guard. I don’t think I will be given a choice of where I will be seating and I am sure there will be no open areas in the helicopter such as doors or windows. I am not sure what type of helicopter there will be.
There are two concerns:

1. How to deal with glass reflection from the window (polarizer filter or not?)
2. Time of the day not to get harsh sun
3. Where to seat in the helicopter

Thank you for your reply!!!

 

[hombredelmar]

I rented helicopters on occasion. Same chopper, same pilot always. It was very small and the one door came off, which is imperative if you want good shots. You WILL be strapped in and you better have your camera bodies secured to yours. You can either have 2 bodies, or one and change lenses, which in itself is quite an adventure. With a good pilot used to photography, he does what you need done. And that is banking. There are few greater adventures in photography than shooting from a banking chopper with no door. Keep your wits about you and plan your shots. When you get done the shoot, you will probably either want to drink something strong or have sex with something or someone.

As I already stated in my previous reply, I will not have a choice of removing neither windows nor doors in the helicopter unfortunately. I will be shooting with 5d mark 3, 16-35, 70-200

 

[hombredelmar]

Helicopter fairings are often highly curved so polarizers don't work as well as usual.
You might be able to arrange a dark cloth to cut down reflections. I have one with a hole for the camera in the center & small suction cups in the corners. (Don't allow the camera to touch the fairing). Depending on where you are in the helicopter this might disturb the pilots view so get their OK beforehand!
A old rubber lens hood can do a similar job of preventing light from hitting your side of the window in the field of view, but doesn't work quite as well as the cloth.

Should be a great trip, enjoy it!

Thank you, I will definitely have a great trip. I don’t think I will want to bring inside the helicopter anything strange such as dark cloth or any strange looking attachments. It is NYC and people still have memories of September 11 and are very concerned with strange people and strange things. I hope you understand. I will have to see what I will be working with once I am in the “chopper”.
I am thinking to go either very early on the trip or as late as possible so that I don’t catch that harsh lighting from the sun.

Thank you for your reply I really appreciate it. !!!!!!!!!

 

[spacefuzz]

A lens like a 70-300 can be nice for the extreme range it provides. If the doors are off / open make sure EVERYTHING is tied down, you dont want anything flying out to hit the rotors. Last time I flew it was with an amazing photographer who typically flies for Nat Geo. We had the doors off going in a spiral while sidways 100 ft above some lava flows. It was intense! Take your eye a way from the camera every now and then, it was easy to get tunnel vision and end up a bit quesy from the off axis restricted view. Shoot wide and crop so you dont have to worry as much about clipping something important, often only get one or two passes at something. Have fun.

 

[hombredelmar]

A lens like a 70-300 can be nice for the extreme range it provides. If the doors are off / open make sure EVERYTHING is tied down, you dont want anything flying out to hit the rotors. Last time I flew it was with an amazing photographer who typically flies for Nat Geo. We had the doors off going in a spiral while sidways 100 ft above some lava flows. It was intense! Take your eye a way from the camera every now and then, it was easy to get tunnel vision and end up a bit quesy from the off axis restricted view. Shoot wide and crop so you dont have to worry as much about clipping something important, often only get one or two passes at something. Have fun.

The only telephoto lens I have is 70-200 and I have no option of having removed doors or windows in the helicopter

 

[hombredelmar]

Guys, any other suggestions before I go to the trip?
It’s usually the last comment I get has all that good stuff in it
Thanks guys, really appreciate your time and shared knowledge

 

[spacefuzz]

Guys, any other suggestions before I go to the trip?
It’s usually the last comment I get has all that good stuff in it
Thanks guys, really appreciate your time and shared knowledge

Your saying my comment didnt have good stuff?!?

You could go buy my e-book on kilauea photography, there is a whole section devoted to photogrpahy from the air.