Every time I go out shooting I think to myself how will the day go? Will the shooting be good or not? What new subjects are going to be out today? When I arrive the answers are always there. One thing I also think a lot about when it comes to planes is how much of the frame needs to be filled with the subject? It’s a little bit easier with critters, they have feet, a body and a head. Cut off any part of that and it often looks weird. Planes are a different story. I posted this image while thinking about that because this shot kind of asks that of me. This was at the Lewistown Flyin last month, shot with a 70-200 because the planes were pretty much right there. It’s a Cessna 185E on takeoff on a bright sunny day.
What’s the story of this plane? Well it’s going off on an adventure, with puffy skies and mild wind. Does the plane need to be bigger in the frame to tell that story? That’s my question. I personally don’t think it does. It might look a little more identifiable if it was bigger, but it doesn’t change the story. And that’s what you have to think about while you’re out shooting. What’s the story and how do you convey it?
In the Camera Bag:
Nikon D3, 70-200 VRII, on Lexar UDMA Digital Film