The full harvest moon rises in the Matane sky in September 2024.
The photo above was taken in Matane, Quebec, in September 2024. It’s more a matter of chance than planning. I was on the beach photographing the sunset, and when the sky got too dark, I turned around to see if there was anything interesting left to capture. And I came across this full harvest moon rising in the firmament.
Photographing a full moon is a good challenge. We often capture only an almost white, very bright disk, losing the nuances of colour and the details of the lunar geography.
The advice available on the Internet on how to successfully shoot a full moon with a normal camera goes in all directions. But one thing’s for sure: to improve your chances of success, it’s best not to wait until nightfall, because then the very high luminosity of the star becomes impossible to attenuate while still retaining a view of the planetary topography.
Most of the time, the choice is between an excellent photo of a full moon, but a very dark surrounding earth relief where nothing is discernible, or a visible earth relief of acceptable quality, but a moon that represents nothing more than a large, white circle of light.
The method that works for the photo above is as follows: you have to be on the spot at the right time, i.e., during the blue hour and not the whole night. So, in my case, I was lucky because it wasn’t planned.
You need a tripod and an extension cable. There are two reasons to avoid long exposures: firstly, the moon is a moving object. The longer the exposure, the more the disk moves. You end up with an oval rather than a round moon. A long exposure also picks up more light, and the moon’s disk turns completely white.
Full harvest moon rising in Matane, Québec 2024
Compromises become necessary. Trying to get a perfect moon and foreground at exactly the right brightness is quite a challenge. By the time every attempt has been made to achieve a flawless result, the moon is already too high in the sky. We have to act quickly.
We’re advised to lower the ISO to 200, but if I do that, I’m increasing the exposure time and introducing too much light into the camera. Instead, I use a higher ISO to reduce exposure, and use all the camera functions likely to reduce the amount of light entering the camera: higher shutter speed, if necessary, strong negative exposure compensation, and so on.
By not overdoing the settings and using RAW files, there’s still enough flexibility to bring out the foreground, in this case the houses lining Matane’s beaches and the surrounding lights.
In short, shoot during the blue hour, act quickly, accept compromises, limit exposure time in every way possible and use RAW files to facilitate post-production work.
The HDR photo of the Dauphine Redoubt above comprises seven pictures with different apertures. The Photomatix software stacks them one on top of the other to create a single shot. This allows the darker regions to stand out, while controlling the lighter areas as much as possible.
For a successful effect, the following factors need to be taken into account: type of camera (ideally full frame), use of an appropriate wide-angle lens, focus, time of day, cloud types, tripod, extension cable, camera mirror vibrations, wind, visibility, photographic grain, depth of field, moving obstacles in front of the camera and photographic composition.
I use a Canon 5 DSr with a Canon EF 11–24 mm F/4L super-wide-angle lens. Focusing with the camera’s backlit screen improves accuracy. It is better to avoid nighttime and take advantage of the blue hour. The clouds don’t prevent the capture of a distant background, and allow the city lights to be reflected in the sky.
I opt for a sturdy tripod. Its extra weight cancels out minor jolts and supports fairly heavy photographic equipment. The extension cable prevents the photographer from touching the camera when taking seven photos.
For mirror-equipped cameras like the Canon 5 DSr, it is important to activate the mirror lock function. This means that vibrations caused by the mirror rotation will have two seconds to fade before the actual picture is taken. A light wind also reduces the chance of vibrations.
Moderate visibility allows better graduation of colours and reflections. Tonight, the mist plays its part well. By using a tripod, I greatly limit the photographic grain. ISO is therefore set at 200. Depth of field is not a problem, as the tripod will prevent movement caused by long exposure.
As many people visit the site in the evening, I try to take each of the seven photos between two crosswalks. This isn’t always possible, but Photomatix can remove “ghosts” when compiling the shots. There is, however, a limit to this function.
The final point concerns photographic composition. The photo above is divided into three roughly equal horizontal zones. Oblique lines on either side at the bottom of the photo direct the eye towards the centre of the image. The five lights of the Dauphine Redoubt and those of the city capture the attention. All the shots have visible details and are not lost in the darkness. For better balance, the composition ignores another imposing building at the right of the scene.
These are just some of the precautions taken when capturing the scene in HDR night photography.
This year, the Grands Feux Loto-Québec are lit from a barge in the middle of the St. Lawrence River, between Lévis and Quebec City. A tugboat from the Ocean Group company secures the barge with a cable for the duration of the event.
I took the above shot with a Canon 5DSr full-frame camera equipped with a remote shutter release and a tripod-mounted Canon EF 11-24 mm F/4L lens. The super-wide-angle lens can capture both the Château Frontenac and the lights and city of Lévis across the river.
The BULB mode lets you set your own exposure time and take creative initiatives. The brilliant path from launch to explosion is captured in a single photo.
As soon as the bursts begin, you try a five-second exposure and observe the result. Then adjust by stretching the exposure time until good effects are achieved.
One mistake to avoid is leaving the shutter open for too long. When this happens, flashes of light build up on top of each other, and all you see in the final photo is blurry, glowing white.
Working with a RAW file offers much greater flexibility than with a JPEG file when processing the image on the computer.
ISO 200 seems the best option here for several reasons: even if the activity takes place in full darkness, we want to avoid significant digital noise. A low ISO will also lengthen the exposure time and allow us to capture beautiful streaks at the moment of the explosions.
What’s more, the lights will illuminate the scene, reducing exposure time to a reasonable length. Finally, a layer of altocumulus cloud above the Château Frontenac serves today as an artificial light reflector in the photo above.
Grands Feux Loto-Québec, August 2024
A depth of field between 8 and 13 ensures sufficiently accurate light at a reasonable distance.
Whether to focus manually or automatically remains a matter of taste. It should be noted that darkness can cause problems for autofocus. However, trial and error can sometimes produce interesting effects.
If you’re using manual focus, use the camera’s backlit screen to magnify the scene as much as possible and adjust the focus as required. You then return to the normal size display for the duration of the fireworks, taking care not to inadvertently touch the focus adjustment ring when changing the zoom.
Fireworks at the Grands Feux Loto-Québec 2024
Consider using a heavy tripod. In windy conditions, it will better resist vibrations during long exposures.
A final word of advice: fireworks attract a lot of people, some of whom are content with a fairly limited personal space, if they have one at all. Protecting your photographic area becomes an important objective, to avoid the tripod getting snagged or someone moving in front of you when enthusiasm takes over. So, arrive well in advance to choose the best location for you to work in, while protecting your work area.
For example, for the photos above, I had set up between a ramp fixed on a steep slope in front of me and a bush at the rear. No one could stand in front of me and no one could pass behind me because of the bush. I thus had only the sides to worry about. It sounds like an unnecessary concern, but these days everyone is filming fireworks and continually repositioning themselves without regard to their neighbors. Make life easier for yourself by making the necessary arrangements before the show.
An American Robin and its fledgling in Sillery, Quebec City.
In Quebec City, an American Robin came to make its nest near our back door. Since it had been there brooding without giving birth to anything, we were beginning to believe that the mother was sterile.
Major construction work was to begin shortly at our home and would last a few weeks. We were almost glad that no chicks were born, as this would simplify the transportation of materials.
A day before the renovations were to begin, the first chick was born. From then on, all construction workers would have to be blocked off and asked to make a detour each time they needed to take scraps out of the house or bring in new material.
All labor groups agreed to our request without a second thought. For two weeks, electricians, plumbers, floor layers, delivery people and installers of all kinds came and went, sometimes asking for updates on the condition of the mother and her chicks.
In Quebec City, three two week old American Robins.
The photo above shows the three chicks one day before they fledge. The lack of light due to the location of the nest, as well as the desire not to disturb the fledglings, necessitated the use of a powerful telephoto lens and a camera capable of cropping without loss of quality. A full-frame cameraCanon 5DSR with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM telephoto made the job easy. The ISO was set to 200 and I severely limited the depth of field to get the best possible shutter speed to avoid motion blur.
This morning, all the birds had left the nest. The parents were flying around nervously, attacking predators while the young were quickly learning to become independent. The blue jay that regularly visits us for its “dish of the day” was denied access to the backyard by both parents.
There are now three new American Robin in the area and it is almost certain that the mother will return next year to the same location, given the success this year.
The container ship Maersk Pembroke under the Quebec Bridge, May 2016
Choosing what is important in a camera
Since there is actually no camera that has everything, whatever the brand, the buyer of a new camera must make choices: the type of sensor, the number of megapixels, the weight and size of the camera, the automatic focus’s speed and ability to follow a subject, the number of images per second, the performance under low light, the possibility to greatly enlarge a picture while maintaining its quality, advanced video functions, electronic communications with other devices, an extensive choice of lenses, etc. The list can be quite long…
The Canon 5DS(R): a specialized camera
A photographer happy with the Canon 5DS or 5DSR is one who needs a specialized camera offering both sharp images and the possibility of greatly enlarging the pictures it takes while maintaining the initial quality. This camera allows for more creativity as the possibility of extreme cropping beats, for now, everything that is on the market in the DSLR format.
Testing the potential of the Canon 5DSR when it comes to enlarging a picture
Here is an example of what this means: the photo below shows the yellow M of the McDonald’s restaurant photographed with a 50mm lens. Not easily visible…
Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M captured with a 50 mm lens. Hard to see, of course!
Then the next photo was taken with a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens set at a 200mm focal length.
Testing the Canon 5DSR: the Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M enlarged through a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens. Focal length used: 200mm.
But the picture can be enlarged a lot more using the amazing resolution of the Canon 5DSR. The following picture shows the result after cropping the 200mm image: the yellow M now takes the whole vertical space available in the picture without any loss in quality.
The Mc Donald’s restaurant’s yellow M, after having been enlarged (focal 200mm) and cropped within the Canon 5DSR.
From my position on the hill, the yellow M was barely visible with the naked eye. By using a 200mm focal length, followed by serious cropping, I was able to obtain the result above. So it is possible to photograph a subject that is almost invisible without a telephoto lens and transform it into the principal subject of the picture without any loss in quality.
I chose the 5DSR because the anti-aliasing filter has been neutralized in the model R to offer even sharper images, although there is a risk of occasional moire effect when there are repetitive patterns in a scene. This is the compromise that Nikon users must also have to deal with.
Rethinking photography
The 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor in the Canon 5DS or 5DSR allows a new approach of photography for those who do not have access to a much more expensive and larger medium format camera that does not necessarily give really superior pictures.
When I go outside for a photo session, it seems to me that I now carry a huge telephoto lens without the weight and the cost. A lot of what seemed to be unavailable possibilities are now accessible.
Taking pictures of people in the street is now less complicated: there are no more suspicious looks, artificial poses or people hiding their face. This is an ideal camera to capture people acting naturally without disrupting their routine. Gone is the feeling that you are bothering them in any way.
Quartier Petit-Champlain Old Quebec May 2016
The photo below was taken while I was standing at least 300 meters from the scene, just after sunset. For those who are from Quebec City, I positioned the tripod on a high wall on the other side of Chemin St-Louis, near the St. Louis Gate. I had to slightly brighten up the picture to make the details more visible, risking at the same time to increase the digital noise. It was a May 2016 warm misty evening, which is clearly visible by the lack of details in the background as we look in the distance.
Quebecers defying gravity in Old Quebec, May 2016
But those are not the only possibilities of this camera. The Canon Company, in its promotional video, explains what exactly the camera was designed for:
How can someone maximize the use of a 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor
In order to bring a subject closer to you while fully benefiting from the Canon 5DSR 50.6 megapixel full frame sensor, it is obvious that there must be absolutely no vibrations. The photographer must therefore use a tripod, a remote control release and the mirror lock-up function. This allows for a very low ISO setting while avoiding a blurred picture.
The mirror lock-up function is very well thought through, with the possibility to choose a totally automatic processus according to a timing chosen by the photographer (between 0 and 2 seconds). The system eliminates any secondary micro vibrations.
In order to ensure an even better picture, the photographer must use Liveview and set it to the 16X enlargement available on that camera (versus 10X on my Canon 5D MKII) to manually adjust the focus. It is then possible to see the slightest vibrations caused by the wind. Doing so, I realized that my camera strap, lightly swaying in the wind, was causing some minimal vibrations. Every detail taken into consideration will improve the final result.
One must then ensure to immobilize the strap and even diminish the tripod height if possible when the wind is blowing. These steps will allow an incredible enlargement of a subject while maintaining the initial quality of the image offered by a full frame sensor.
Superior mirage effect (cold mirage)
The photo below shows a ship being helped by two Ocean tugboats on its way towards the Quebec Harbour. The ship was at a good distance from the harbour; it is then possible to witness the superior mirage effect (cold mirage) resulting from a temperature inversion immediately over the water. The boats are deformed but the important close-up has not lowered the image quality. It has instead allowed to increase the atmospheric phenomenon effect.
Superior mirage (cold mirage) effect. Vessel and two Ocean tugboats on the St-Lawrence seaway heading to the Quebec Harbour, May 2016.
Once closer to the Quebec Harbour, the cold mirage effect decreased, as shown on the picture below:
Quebec Harbour, May 2016
The Canon 5DS or 5DSR without the use of a tripod or mirror-lock
Obviously, a tripod is not necessary if you do not intend to use a lot of cropping to enlarge a photo. You will obtain excellent results with the hand-held camera providing that you remember that this Canon DSLR is a specialized tool.
So many megapixels on a sensor of that size require that the photographer adapts his technique. But, as you can see from the picture below, it is totally possible to capture an aircraft in movement, even at dusk (May 11, 19:49), when the camera’s parameters are correctly adjusted. A higher shutter speed than normal is, in this case, absolutely mandatory.
The photo below shows an Air Canada Express Bombardier DHC-8-402NG (C-GSJZ) on final for runway 29 at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport (CYQB).
Bombardier DHC-8-Q-402NG (C-GSJZ — Air Canada Express) on final for the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport, May 2016. Photo taken with a DSLR Canon 5DSR.
The Maersk Pembroke with the camera hand-held
The photo below shows the Maersk Pembroke container ship photographed with a hand-held camera using a Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM telephoto lens during Spring 2016 near Quebec City. The focal length was only 140mm and the shutter speed 1/1000. The lens was equipped with a polarizing filter and the photo taken when the vessel was approaching the Quai des Cageux.
The Maersk Pembroke container ship on the St-Lawrence seaway near Quebec City, May 2016
The colours produced by the Canon 5DSR
The digital processing of the image and colours produced by the Canon 5DSR require different adjustments than what was necessary with the Canon 5D MKII. I am still learning how to handle the results produced by this camera so I will wait a bit before commenting.
View of Old Quebec from the St. Louis gate. Quebec City, May 2016
Night photography
Here are two photos taken during the evening in Quebec City. The photo below required a 200mm focal, an ISO set at 4000 and a shutter speed at 1/30 in order to obtain something else than trailing lights. Luckily, the traffic was moving slowly…
Night photography, Grande-Allée avenue, Quebec City, May 2016
The picture below, taken with a 200 mm focal, required an exposure time a bit longer that one second with the ISO set at 800. To take the photo, I took advantage of the fact that the cars were momentarily stopped at a red light, so that they would be clearly visible.
Night photography, Tourny fountain and Quebec lower town, May 2016
The images per second of the Canon 5DS(R)
The Canon 5DSR is so far quite an impressive camera. I would have appreciated that Canon offer a higher rate of images per second (7 instead of 5) to make it more versatile.
The camera allows taking pictures with smaller formats than 50.6 MP, the two other options being 28 MP and 12 MP. If the camera can deliver five images per second with 50.6 MP RAW files, we can deduct that it is able to offer more speed for smaller formats. But the camera is blocked at 5 IMS so that it, I suppose, does not compete with other existing Canon models of the same category…
Nonetheless, Canon says that the rapid sequence of shooting lasts longer if the photographer uses the smaller files provided. So it is not faster, but it keeps on firing for a longer period. My guess is that it would only require a new firmware version to improve this camera’s number of images per second.
For other night pictures, click on the following link to my site:
Livre de photographie: “The new street photographer’s manifesto” par Tanya Nagar
Tanya Nagar is an award-winning photographer from London. Her book, “The new street photographer’s manifesto” is perfect for those who aim to improve their street photography techniques. The present article is not a comprehensive critic of her book but an overview of what a reader will find. I also highlighted some tips in photography that will help to improve the street photographer’s performance.
Tanya’s manifesto not only contains technical advices helping a photographer to improve his shots but also some tips to avoid common mistakes. Subjects include: timing, composition, shooting portraits, framing and juxtaposition, perspective and angles, the choice between landscape and portrait, depth of field, shutter speed, exposure, night photography, rule of thirds, etc.
The book’s content is divided in six categories: 1. Street Photography 2. Where & What to Shoot 3. Seize the Moment 4. Equipment 5. Digital Processing 6. Showcase.
1. Street photography requires the ability to seize a life moment with precision and timing. It is about candid shots and does not have to include humans, as long as it fixes a moment in life. It certainly can include animals (in fact, animals are a very popular subject).
2. It is best if you use a light, discrete camera (even an I-Phone). Walking with a huge camera with big lenses makes you look like a professional photographer and people will see you coming. The trick is to avoid drawing attention. Coughing while clicking drowns out the sound of the camera. You might also think of “shooting from the hip” or “shooting blind”. Those techniques are explained in the book and can be mastered with a bit of practice.
3. It takes a bit of courage to photograph situations that include people since you never know what to expect when you raise your camera. Respect the different cultures and personal space and don’t be afraid to smile and explain what you are doing. If somebody refuses to be photographed, move on, don’t dwell on the situation.
4. In order to gain experience and a feeling of security at taking pictures of people on the street, start with protests or parades.
5. It is a good thing to know the laws pertaining to photography of the country you are visiting. Police officers in some countries might be tempted to order you to delete a shot while they actually don’t have the right to. Often, a misunderstanding by police or security guards of anti-terrorism legislation leads to different interpretations and subsequently to abuse towards a photographer. Just make sure you stay up to date with the country’s regulations.
6. You might think of shooting from within your vehicle to obtain interesting results (while respecting the country’s laws).
7. Use graffitis, signs, graphical billboards, text and advertising logos.
8. Use contrasts like big versus small, light versus dark, rich versus poor, etc.
9. Bear attention to details and look for second degree interpretation of a situation.
10. Look for amusing, funny and unusual captures.
11. Make sure you master your camera in order to be quick when the perfect opportunity comes. Set most of the parameters of the camera before actually arriving on a scene (you already have an idea of the light intensity in the area and the ISO setting that will be required to obtain the speed you desire).
12. Be cautious when it comes to taking pictures of children. Societies change and authorization from the child’s parents is required almost every time.
13. “The only way to avoid missing a moment is by carrying your camera at all times”. Therefore, get something small and light.
Endos du livre de photographie “The new street photographer’s manifesto”
The book holds a section dedicated to multiple types of cameras: rangefinders, SLR and DSLR, four thirds and micro four thirds, medium format, point-and-shoot compact cameras, camera phones, toy and pinhole cameras. Their advantages and disadvantages are clearly explained.
The reader will also find some information about lenses (the best for street photography and what to avoid) and the effects obtained through the use of different type of films (colored, black and white, expired).
The fifth section of the book relates to digital processing and the basic image editing techniques like cropping, rotating, the use of the “Curves” command, as well as dodging and burning.
The final section, “Showcase”, presents many well-known street photographers from around the world, including few photos taken by each of them to allow the reader to have an overview of each photographer’s personal style and creativity. Presented in order are: Antonio Navarro Wijkmark, Brian Quentin Webb, Charlotte Gonzalez, Claire Atkinson, Danny Santos II, Felix Lupa, Ferhat Çelik, Mustafa Abdulaziz, Ronya Galka, Seamus Travers and Severin Koller.
This is certainly a very interesting and practical photography book that will help you avoid costly mistakes (missed photo opportunities or buying the wrong photography equipment) while helping you to improve your knowledge on street photography as much as the quality of your shots.
Here is a link towards Tanya Nagar’s website: Tanya Nagar
Here is some information aimed at helping tourists visiting Toronto, who like photography and aviation, and would think of booking one day during their visit to head to the Toronto Lester B. Pearson international airport (CYYZ) for a plane spotting photo session.
Initial planning
If you can, get a scanner or download an app on your cell phone to get real time information on air traffic around the airport: you will then know in advance the type and nationality of inbound or departing aircrafts.
Search for websites giving you access to Toronto airport VHF frequencies and program your scanner if you decided to get one.
Have a look at different plane spotting websites for the Toronto airport: there are many precious advices from experienced plane spotters that will prove useful in heading to the best spots and avoiding common mistakes.
Print two or three maps of secondary routes around the airport so that you can orient yourself when there is a change in runway use due to different winds or if you use a taxi ride to move around the airport: the driver will always ask you details on how to get there since those secondary routes are not a common destination for him (and chances are that he will not know where to go if you ask him to head to threshold of runway 05. Basically, he needs road names, not runway numbers).
Cessna 560XL S5-BAV Toronto 2016
British Airways Boeing 777-236 G-ZZZA in Toronto 2016
Before leaving your Toronto hotel
Before you leave the hotel, look at the Toronto weather forecast, among them the TAF, to know the wind pattern for the day. The Nav Canada site has everything you need to know and there is a possibility to choose between coded or plain aviation language.
Don’t forget to bring many snacks as well as a bottle of water since you will possibly be at a good distance from a restaurant for many hours, depending on which runway is in use. The same goes for additional batteries and memory cards for the camera.
Don’t forget the scanner, the cell phone (to call a taxi driver or get access to the arrivals and departures information) and all the photo equipment needed, as well as an abnormally high number of clothing layers necessary in case of winter photography: eight hours almost immobile outside in February calls for an appropriate preparation if you want to appreciate your experience. If you economize on clothing, it is certain that you will have to shorten your photography session.
I chose February for its very interesting light and not for its temperature! Most of the shots in this article were taken in only one day at the Toronto airport, between 10h30am and 18h30.
American Airlines MD-82 N482AA final 05 Toronto 2016
From the hotel to the airport
If you chose to stay at a downtown hotel in Toronto, the best way to get to the Toronto international airport is to use the UP Express train, from the Union Station on Front Street. Its use is very simple and departures are made every fifteen minutes. In February 2016, the cost was CDN $44.00 for a return trip to the airport, while a taxi ride cost $130.00.
UP Express Toronto 2016
The UP Express ride only takes 25 minutes and the train stops at Terminal 1.
It is preferable to avoid using your car around the Toronto international airport since some secondary roads are private and no stopping is allowed. You will take more time to look for police than to enjoy your plane spotting photography session.
Once you are at Terminal 1
Once you exit the UP Express at Terminal 1, get your scanner and monitor the ATIS frequency (120.825) to get the latest information on the runways in use for take offs and landings. For my photo session, the ATIS announced that runway 05 and 06L were in use, both for arrivals and departures. I took a taxi, showed the map with secondary roads to the driver and within few minutes I was where I needed to be and started the photo session.
Air Transat Airbus A-330 C-GTSN Toronto 2016
A preliminary internet search allowed to discover that heavies mostly arrive from Europe during the afternoon et that runway 05/23 is favored for Emirates Airline Airbus A-380 arrival. I thus decided to position myself near runway 05 instead of 06L.
There are two or three quite isolated spots around the airport that provide interesting point of views for aircraft photos but that can present security problems for a photographer working alone with expensive equipment. Experienced plane spotters suggest that you should be accompanied by friends if you decide to opt for those spots (see the “plane spotting” internet sites suggested at the beginning of this article).
Emirates A-380 final for Toronto (CYYZ)
Emirates A-380 on final for Toronto (CYYZ) 2016
Emirates A-380 on final 05 for Toronto (CYYZ) 2016
Technical advices
For precise photos of aircrafts in movement, I use the following parameters with my Canon 5D MKII camera:
1. Only the central AF Point of the auto focus system is selected and not the surrounding ones in order to avoid that the camera sets the focus on other objects than what I desire (trees, ILS structure, buildings).
2. The AI Servo setting is more efficient than the AI Focus or One Shot. The aircraft will be followed precisely.
3. If I want to include surrounding objects in the photo, I adjust the aperture to 7.1 or 8, instead of 11 or 13. I thus avoid increasing the ISO too much, which would affect the picture’s quality if it has to be enlarged with Photoshop.
Westjet Boeing 737-8CT C-GWSV Disneyland Livery in Toronto 2016
4. To take pictures of an approaching propeller powered aircraft, a speed adjusted to 1/125 is generally adequate. You must pivot according to the aircraft movement so that it looks like it is immobile in your viewfinder. The picture is easier to take when the aircraft is farther away but becomes more of a challenge when it gets closer and flies by you since you must constantly change your pivoting speed.
Porter Q-400 C-GLQD on final for Toronto Billy Bishop airport (CYTZ) 2016
Air Canada DHC-8-102 C-FGQK Toronto 2016
5. A shutter speed that is too high will immobilize the propeller of an aircraft and make it look like the engine is not working, which will take away realism.
6. Throughout the day, position yourself so as to have the sun behind you (if there is any sun!), unless you are looking for special effects.
Global 5000 GL5T C-GJET in Toronto 2016
7. A very high quality lens, like the Canon 50mm 1.4, allows for beautiful pictures during the evening since there is no compromise on ISO, as the lens does not need much light. The grain size stays relatively small.
Air Canada Boeing 777 final 05 Toronto 2016
8. I use a very low ISO if the photo includes an interesting but far away aircraft, in order to be able to crop the picture with Photoshop. Since I cannot compromise on the speed to avoid a blurred picture, it becomes obvious that it is the aperture that pays the price.
Air Canada Airbus A-330 final 06L Toronto 2016
9. If the situation allows it, add visual references other than clouds to get a bit more variety in your aircraft photo collection.
Air Canada Boeing 777 final runway 05 Toronto 2016
10. Try a black and white photo if the cloud formation is particularly interesting.
C-GQBG CL-415 and cirrus clouds on a black and white picture
11. RAW+JPEG files allow for important adjustments when necessary. A JPEG only photo gives you little leeway when you want to correct mistakes or during problematic lighting conditions.
12. Variable sky conditions and constant direction winds are preferable for your photo session since the runway in use will not be changed in the afternoon and your pictures will benefit from different light intensity and cloud formations.
13. If you want to take the aircraft in relation to the ILS poles and you are looking for a symmetrical photo, just move few inches to the right or left while the aircraft is approaching or going away from you. You will also want to avoid that the horizontal poles of the ILS cut the plane and make it difficult to see.
Westjet Boeing 737-800 final 05 Toronto 2016
14. Have fun experimenting, like taking a shot just above your head while including other objects for added interest.
On the ILS 05 for Toronto 2016
15. Instead of always showing the whole aircraft, try a close-up view.
Air Canada Boeing 787-9 C-FNOI in Toronto 2016
16. The close-up view might be such that even passengers of an aircraft on final will look at you while you immortalize them.
United Express on final at the Quebec Jean-Lesage international airport.
17. Chances are that you will meet other enthusiast plane spotters in the same area as yours since they also prepared themselves for a successful photo session.
Westjet Boeing 737-800 C-FYPB in Toronto 2016
18. Since you are in Toronto, head to Toronto Harbour when you are back downtown. You will witness the air traffic surrounding the Toronto Billy Bishop airport (CYTZ), formerly known as Toronto Island, and possibly take some original shots.
Porter Q-400 C-GLQM and C-GLQB at Toronto CYTZ 2016
19. This is the photo equipment used for my Toronto airport plane spotting session: Canon 5D MKII camera and the following Canon lenses: EF 50mm f/1.4 USM, EF 16-35mm f/2.8L II USM, EF 24-70mm f/2.8L USM, EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM. No polarizer was used that day since I wanted to increase my margin of manoeuver with fast moving aircrafts under the February low intensity light.
Air Canada Rouge Boeing 767-300ER final 05 at Toronto 2016
American Eagle CRJ-701ER N523AE Toronto 2016
Aviation photography requires much planning for successful photos. But all your efforts will rapidly bear fruits once you are on site and you will not see time pass! Have a great plane spotting session and give me some news of your experience if you can!
Air Canada Boeing 767-375 (ER) C-FCAB in Toronto 2016
You can have access to other aircraft photos taken at Toronto through this link on my site: photo galleries/aviation only
For other articles on aviation and photography, click on the following link: Aviation photography
A quick look on internet provided the exact location and time where the moon would rise in the Quebec City region. On September 27th 2015, one had to look towards 089 degrees and be ready for 18:25 PM.
September 27th 2015. Blood Moon photo taken from Promenade Champlain, Quebec City, with a Canon 5D MKII.
Imagine being able to connect your camera to a modern personal telescope. That would make for fantastic shots. But since I deal with a Canon 70-200 f2.8L IS II USM coupled with an extender, I cannot expect the same results. Nonetheless, it is not a reason to stay at home…
September 27th 2015 Blood Moon Eclipse. As for the blue object to the right of the screen, your explanations are welcomed.
The most interesting effect happened during late evening. I caught the above shot around 22:15. Cranking the ISO, I saw a blue planet or something that looks like it in the frame. The shot was not taken through a window so there was no glass reflection. I was kind of surprised to see this addition to the Blood Moon Eclipse. I wrote to a local astronomy club, asking them what it could be. They answered that unless I took the shot through a window, causing a reflection, they did not know what it was.
I know nothing yet about astronomy. If it is the reflection of the moon, I don’t know how it got there since I was taking the photo outside, without a polarizer. According to a recent comment sent by Mario Cloutier (see the comments) who points the reader to another blog looking at this question, it is possible that the picture of this ghost moon is the result of an overexposed shot combined with the atmosphere’s specific characteristics of temperature and moisture which would increase the reflexion and refraction. That is a logical explanation. The last shot was taken around 22:35:
September 27th 2015 Blood Moon Eclipse. Camera adjusted on BULB priority, with ISO 100 and 2.8 aperture.
1. A picture you would never have thought possible, because of extreme contrasts between brightness and darkness, is now accessible to you through HDR.
2. For a good HDR picture, you need at least 1) an interesting subject 2) an appropriate setting or background 3) the appropriate light and 4) a wide range in contrasts. That seems basic, but HDR will not save a picture that was not thought through.
3. You need a software like Photomatix, to transform several pictures taken at different exposures into one HDR picture. But this is only the first step. You will also need another editing software to improve the general result after Photomatix has been used.
4. A tripod is required to help Photomatix align the pictures and create the HDR effect.
5. As with your normal pictures, it is always better to try to use the lowest ISO as possible.
Gruyères, Switzerland, 2013.
6. It is safer to work with manual focus. This way, none of your shots will have been influenced by external objects without you noticing. It will always be the exact same focus throughout the HDR photo session. With automatic focus, you generally notice your blurred pictures when you’re back home and then it is too late (it will often happen under low light conditions).
7. The greater the contrast, the more exposures you need to take (up to nine) in order to match the dynamic range of your eyes.
8. The idea is to take each exposure at a different exposure setting. If you need seven exposures, an example of settings would be: -1, -2/3, -1/3, 0, +1/3, +2/3, +1. You might decide that three exposures only are necessary and go for -2, 0, +2 or -1, 0, +1. The choice is yours but you must take only the required number of exposures to avoid including too much noise in your shots.
Canon, 16-35mm, HDR format.
9. Throughout your HDR exposures of a specific scene, always keep the same aperture.
10. A scene is rarely perfectly balanced with light and shadows. If there are many shadow areas in the photo you want to take, then take more exposures over the recommended settings to ensure that you caught the whole dynamic range of the scene.
A house in Sainte-Pétronille, on Île d’Orléans, autumn 2012. HDR picture.
11. Inversely, if your scene has lots of highlight areas, take more exposures under the recommended settings.
12. Setting your camera to “automatic bracketing” is preferable because all the pictures are taken quickly thus avoiding to show any blurred picture in the final HDR picture. But if you want to show the movement of water in a creek, you don’t need bracketing: just take few shots with different time of exposure (in number of seconds). Just don’t overdo it otherwise it will give place to an uninteresting undefined white surface.
13. Check your LCD monitor so that none of the highlights are blown out. There would be a loss of details. For the same reason, you must avoid to block the shadows.
14. Always work with RAW files, it gives you better results. The RAW file already provides you with more f/stops then the JPEG file, and this before the transformation in HDR has even started).
15. Of all the lenses I’m using, the wide angle lens is my preferred one with it comes to HDR photography.
Spring light in the lower town of Quebec City
16. To improve the composition or enhance the general impact, crop the picture.
17. Not all pictures are appropriate for HDR transformation. If you want a dramatic silhouette as the final result, for example, HDR will not be appropriate. It will reveal too many details in the shadows and you will lose the high contrast effect that you were looking for. With practice, you will recognize where HDR is the most effective.
18. Whether you want a realistic picture or not, you can obtain surprising results with the combined effects of softwares like Photomatix, Topaz, Photoshop, Nik Software, Lightroom, Lucis Pro and so on. It’s only a matter of taking your time to experiment.
19. If you have only one picture on hand, like a shot you took years ago, and you would like to give it an HDR effect, you can use a software likeTopaz Adjust. There is an HDR effect section in that software that allows you to get a wide range of effects. But this is not going to be nearly as good as the real HDR resulting out of many pictures. The final editing step is, most of the time, done using Photoshop.
20. An unpretentious book about HDR is “Rick Sammon’s HDR Photography Secrets for Digital Photographers”. It is simple, colorful, well written and loaded with practical informations.
Eiffel Tower at night with HDR effect
Note: All the photos were taken with a Canon 5D MKII
You must decide the ideal combination between the following: aperture, speed and ISO. All three are interrelated and choosing one has a direct influence on the other two.
You are facing a beautiful landscape in which you want everything to be in focus: you decide that the aperture is what matters the most. Choosing aperture as the priority is a very popular choice. Let’s consider that you choose F16, which should give you a very interesting depth-of-field but will demand a lot of light. You have to compensate somewhere. If there is not much movement in the scene, and you have access to a tripod, you might decide to choose a slow speed, which allows more time for the light to enter the camera. Doing so, you won’t need to crank the ISO and you will avoid adding useless noise to your picture.
In the picture below, aperture is set at F16. The vegetation in the left corner draws the viewer’s eye toward the pedestrians, and then progressively to the quai des Cageux. We finally see the Quebec bridge, the longest cantilever bridge in the world.
Quai des Cageux, Québec 2012.
If you decide that speed is a priority, you will have to compromise ISO or aperture. ISO will have to be increased to improve light sensibility, but doing so will increase the size of the grain in the picture. Depth-of-field will have to be adjusted as well since a higher speed does not let much light enter the camera. You won’t be able to pick F16 this time. So you will eventually find that there are some out of focus areas in your picture. With a bit of practice, you can be less demanding on the speed, providing you can follow the subject with your camera (it is like if you were slowing down the subject, so less speed is required).
The picture below was a bit particular: it was taken when I was on a boat rocked by waves. The eagle was far away and was traveling in the opposite direction, thus increasing the relative speed of the subject. The Canon 5D MKII was hand held and 400mm focal was necessary. Speed was crancked at 1/1600 and the ISO required was set at 5000. Naturally, the grain in the picture being larger, slightly diminishes the quality. This was a necessary compromise if the eagle was to be taken in flight.
Eagle observed in the Campbell River region. Summer 2012.
It is getting dark and you want a photo with absolutely no noise and you decide that the aperture is what matters the most. You make no compromise and choose ISO 50. This setting requires a lot of light, because the lower the ISO, the higher the demand for light. In order to make sure that your picture will not be blurred, a tripod will be necessary, since there will be an extended exposition time. In the picture below, the shutter has been opened for ten seconds, with a 9.0 aperture, 200mm focal and 50 ISO. Only the small branches in the foreground are blurred.
Note: in general, it is better to use a tripod as often as possible, even in daylight, in order to optimize quality. Choose a heavy enough tripod to prevent vibrations under windy conditions. A light tripod is easy to carry but does not allow for acceptable pictures in adverse weather. It’s obvious that this Queen Mary II photo would not have been as precise if a light tripod had been used. In this case, it would have meant that continual vibrations would have been recorded during 10 seconds. The boat would have been totally blurred.
