The Ultimate Guide to Spectacular Airplane Photography
Plane spotting is a captivating passion that combines the fascination for aircraft with the art of photography. Whether you are an enthusiastic beginner or an experienced photographer, this guide will provide you with the necessary information to capture spectacular photos of airplanes landing and taking off. We will explore the optimal camera settings, essential equipment, useful applications, and, in general, how to transform a passion into an art.
Why Do Plane Spotting?
Before diving into technical details, let’s take a moment to appreciate the charm of plane spotting:
Admiration of Technology: Airplanes are engineering marvels, and plane spotting allows you to admire them up close.
Passion for Aviation: For many, it’s a way to fuel their passion for aviation.
Creativity: Plane spotting offers endless opportunities to be creative with photography, from capturing unique moments to experimenting with different angles and compositions.
Community: There is a global community of passionate plane spotters with whom you can share experiences and learn new things.
Essential Equipment for Plane Spotting
To start, you don’t need the most expensive equipment. Here is a list of essential gear, which can be expanded as you progress:
Camera:
DSLR or Mirrorless: These are best suited for plane spotting, as they offer manual control over settings and the ability to change lenses.
Bridge Camera: A good alternative, offering a powerful zoom in a single body.
Lens:
Zoom Telephoto Lens: A lens with a focal length of at least 200mm is essential. Ideally, a 300mm or 400mm will allow you to get closer to the subject. (Examples: 70-200mm, 70-300mm, 100-400mm). For a tight budget, a second-hand lens can be an excellent option.
Memory Card:
Sufficient Capacity: Make sure you have a memory card with enough capacity to store many photos, especially if you plan to shoot in RAW format.
Fast Speed: A card with a fast writing speed is important to be able to take burst mode photos without filling the camera’s buffer.
Battery:
Extra Battery: Plane spotting can last for hours, so an extra battery is a good idea.
Other:
Camera Bag: To carry and protect the equipment.
Microfiber Cloth: For cleaning the lens.
Cap and Sunscreen: If you’re shooting outdoors, protect yourself from the sun.
Reflective Vest: Depending on the location, it may be required.
Optimal Camera Settings
Camera settings are crucial to obtaining clear and well-exposed photos. Here are some suggestions:
Exposure Mode:
Aperture Priority (Av or A): Allows control over the depth of field, while maintaining an adequate exposure time.
Shutter Priority (Tv or S): Ideal for controlling the motion of the aircraft (freezing or intentional blur).
Manual (M): Offers complete control, but requires more experience.
Aperture:
f/5.6 – f/8: A good value to obtain an acceptable depth of field and optimal sharpness. If the light is low, you can open the aperture more (f/4 or f/2.8), but you will have a smaller depth of field.
Shutter Speed:
1/500s or faster: To freeze the motion of the aircraft. If you want to create a propeller blur effect, you can use a longer time (e.g., 1/250s or 1/125s), but you will have to track the plane with the camera movement (panning).
ISO:
As Low As Possible: Ideally ISO 100 or 200 to minimize image noise. Increase ISO only if necessary to maintain an adequate exposure time.
Focusing:
Continuous (AI Servo or AF-C): Allows the camera to track the moving subject and maintain focus.
Single Focus Point: Use a single central focus point to precisely control where you focus.
Light Metering Mode:
Evaluative (Evaluative or Matrix): Works well in most situations.
Center-weighted: Can be useful if the subject is more important than the background.
Image Format:
RAW: Offers the most flexibility in post-processing, allowing you to adjust exposure, white balance, and other settings.
JPEG: Is more convenient for quick sharing, but offers less flexibility.
White Balance:
Auto (AWB): Works well in most situations, but you can manually adjust the white balance if necessary to get more accurate colors.
Image Stabilization:
Enabled: Helps reduce blur caused by camera movement.
Useful Applications for Plane Spotting
Modern technology offers us a number of applications that can significantly improve the plane spotting experience:
Flightradar24: The most popular application for tracking flights in real-time. Provides information about the type of aircraft, route, altitude, speed, and destination. You can use Flightradar24 to anticipate landings and takeoffs and to position yourself strategically.
Plane Finder: An alternative to Flightradar24, with a similar interface and useful features.
Weather Applications: Check the weather forecast before you leave. Applications like AccuWeather or Windy can provide detailed information about wind, rain, clouds, and visibility.
Sun Surveyor (or similar): Plan your photo sessions according to the position of the sun. This application helps you determine when and where the light will be optimal to get the best photos.
GPS Camera 55: This application adds GPS coordinates to your photos, which can be useful for documenting the exact location where you photographed a particular aircraft.
Locations and Safety
Identifying suitable locations and respecting safety rules are essential aspects of plane spotting.
Locations:
Specially Arranged Areas: Some airports have specially arranged areas for plane spotters, with good views and facilities.
Airport Surroundings: Many airports have public roads or fields nearby, from where you can get good views of the runways. Check online forums and plane spotting groups to find recommended locations.
Hotels and Parking Lots: Some hotels and parking lots near airports offer good views from above.
Safety:
Respect the Rules: Respect the rules and restrictions of the airport and local authorities. Do not enter prohibited areas and do not disturb airport staff.
Be Aware of Surroundings: Be aware of road traffic and other potential hazards.
Wear Protective Equipment: Wear a reflective vest if necessary and protect yourself from the sun.
Do Not Block Roads: Do not park your car in places that block roads or interfere with traffic.
Listen to Instructions: Listen to the instructions of airport staff or local authorities.
Post-Processing
Even the best photos can be improved through post-processing. Here are some common adjustments:
Exposure: Adjust the exposure to get a brighter or darker image.
Contrast: Increase the contrast to make the image more vibrant.
White Balance: Adjust the white balance to correct colors.
Clarity: Increase clarity to accentuate details.
Noise Reduction: Apply noise reduction if the image has visible noise.
Cropping: Crop the image to improve the composition.
Plane Spotting at Frankfurt Airport
To do plane spotting at Frankfurt airport, you have several platforms at your disposal,
Viewpoint Zeppelinheim
the first would be the one at ZepelinHeim, easily accessible with parking spaces in the direction of Zepelinheim over the overpass that crosses the A5.
Disadvantages would be that the platform is located relatively far from the runway and right in front of the location there is an electrical substation that obscures the field of vision.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/TAfCsHqHDPDWUJEXA
Viewpoint “West Runway”
This location is also relatively close to a parking lot but the view angle to the runway is small and the planes on the runway can be seen through the mesh fence which “steals” the focus and it is necessary to use manual focus.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/3UjGop3HXNBwfxkbA
Viewpoint West- und Centerbahn
Here in general there are the same problems as at spooterplace”West Runaway”
https://maps.app.goo.gl/PCF4t8NDrFJZNvgo9
Observation deck on the north-west runway
This is my favorite, the best visibility and in addition after landing when the planes taxi to the terminal they pass very close and can be filmed or photographed and the pilots are delighted and make friendly hand signals to you, I highly recommend this point.
The only disadvantage is that there is no parking space nearby, the most accessible is by bike, or park at the NH hotel and come south along the runway 1.7 km, due to the more difficult access it is not crowded and that is a plus.
https://maps.app.goo.gl/4JP57dGvjrtiszGj7
Conclusion
Plane spotting is a wonderful passion that offers you the opportunity to admire airplanes up close and develop your photographic skills. With the right equipment, appropriate settings, and a little planning, you can get spectacular photos. Remember to respect safety rules and enjoy the experience!
