Some advice from the pros, please.

[G. van Dyk]

The lineup in unlimited is looking the strongest in a good long time, so I couldn't bear to follow from thousands of miles away again. I ordered my ticket, pit pass, and RV stall this morning, I'm visiting Reno for my first time.

I also picked up my ebayed Bigma 50-500 lens from the post office today. Could you seasoned veterans give us wanabees some advice on filters? I suspect a UV filter up front is a gimmee to keep the grit off the expensive glass, but where would you all land on circular polarizers? Any other thoughts to help us get the good shots?

How about tripods? Use 'em, don't? I've already been playing with the big lense on the D70 and I think working hand-held will be pretty tough.

I appreciate any help you folks care to share. Hope I'm not asking for too many trade secrets.

Thanks
Gerry

[Shawn Aro]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I just bought a 80to 400 and i got a uv filter with that.Polizer and 6 point cross screens filters that my dad s has used in the past are good filters but are very expensive. As for a trypod used it if you can i have one dont used it that much . shawn

[Victor Archer]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Hmmmm... Sigma???

I don't use filters except for on my small lenses. I use to have one on my 100-400 but took it off.
Tripod... not a lot of room for that at Reno and there's always that little kid that's going to trip over it right when your just about to get that shot you've always been waiting for...lol
If you need to, a monopod is good, sometimes I use one when I'm going for those 1/50-1/60 sec shots at the end of the day...

Hmmm... or slower 1/25 on the pod.

That 50-500 lens a is a cute little thing, I just bought one for my boy Jeff. He now has his own camera too, bought him a new Rebel XT Jeff will be there Sat/Sun but I'll be there all week

Anyone interested in a gathering of photographers at Reno???

[MMPerk]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I for one like the idea of a gathering of photographers. As I used to say back in the 80's, that would be way 'cool'.

And many thanks for all your help oh "Alien One'!!

Lonnie

Awesome shot by the way...

[G. van Dyk]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Ah, yes. Points all well taken, thanks Victor. Looking at PM points to the filter question as well. A polarizer will knock off all the glare from the propeller and main gear, it wouldn't be near as interesting an image without that. Even the artifacts down by the right main (that would drive a lens designer nuts) are pretty cool.

My first thought will lifting the lens out of the box was "What a Monster!? Looking at your avitar shows us your frame of reference, and hand-held at that. I wish I could justify 500mm of Nikkor glass, but my photography hobby is a little too modest for that.

Sounds to me Jeff is one lucky young man to have you for a Dad! Care to adopt a middle aged engineer?

I'd be up for a gathering, I expect it would be a hoot. Hopefully some of the excellence we've seen here will rub off on us mere mortals.

Cheers
Gerry

[Sky Critter]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Gerry,
Congrats on the Sigma 50-500. I just picked one up for my 30D and I really like it. I know is not an airplane but here's a shot I took a couple of weeks ago with the lens. It's handheld @ 500mm/F11 with a Hoya UV filter.



Victor,
I'm just getting started in photography but would love to get together with all of you guys this September! Hmmmm.....I've never met an alien before....what to wear?....what to wear?....

[Victor Archer]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Nice shot Sky!!!

What too wear??? It's Reno man... you better be wearing a racing shirt (with an airplane) ...

Just thought it might be a fun idea to have a little get together. Share a few ideas... make sure we all have our cameras set halfway correct...
Nothing worse than at the end of the day finding out for some reason you were shooting with ISO 800 or your WB was set for floursent lightning...

[Sky Critter]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Thanks Victor,
I will definitely be wearing a race shirt! I just need to decide on which one

Have you ever considered putting on a clinic during race week? I'd pay good money to get schooled in alien technology and technique

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Nothing worse than at the end of the day finding out for some reason you were shooting with ISO 800 or your WB was set for floursent lightning...

Pylon 7, tuesday morning session during the movie shoot... I'd been asked by the director to get a shot in the hangar no flash of the pilots going through their "walkaround" rehearsal.

Set ISO to 800 shot into the bright doorway... almost nothing came of it...

Time to go...

I totally forgot to change out the ISO... I managed to shoot MOST of that session at that setting.

Aaarrrrrgggguuuuhhhhh!!!!

Shots are salvageable with Neat Image Pro but, not nearly as nice as they might have been.

Like wingman ALWAYS says... ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS Pre-Flight your camera!!!!!!!!

[fenceliner01]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

If y'all are truly interested in a get-together, I'd be happy to host an evening soiree/barbeque/get together at my house near Stead. I can offer the following amenities.
1. Five minute drive from the Ramp.
2. Room to spread out equipment in a clean indoor enviroment for cleaning/maint.
3. Broadband internet access w/wireless router
4. Computer editing station w/ Photoshop CS2, Wacom Pen Tablet, and Rawshooter.
5. Indoor facilities for those that would like to clean up themselves.
6. Barbeque grill.

The way I see it, we could make this get-together as large or as small as we want to, and schedule it so it best fits eveyones schedule. Perhaps a pre-weekend gathering would be good, so eveyone can check their images on a computer screen, burn/download all of their in-progress work to CD/DVD/internet, get the bugs out of their equipment, and pick up tips from some of the more experienced folks.

I'd love to host such an event even if we expand it to the AAFO community at large. I just need a consensus from everybody as to when to hold it and some kind of a head-count. Everybody, let me know how you feel about this proposition, and I'll try to put it together.

Mike Arnold

[Victor Archer]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Hi Mike,
That is an awesome inventation!
I already have a room for the week but I would love to stop bye and hang out for a while... When??? not sure on that. I haven't herd offically but there's usually a gathering at Parkers hanger and also the infamous Warlock pit party...

Victor

[fenceliner01]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Victor - "When" is a good question. I spend most of the Air Race weekdays @ work, or on the Fenceline, so I don't know the rest of the hospitality schedule for the week. I think maybe Wayne could set up a poll for scheduling purposes - I'm very flexible. There's a lot of time before the races to work something out - since I'm so close to the pits, maybe we could do something prior to or after one of the other parties? Whatever works out the best for everyone is fine with me.

Wayne, if you see this, do you think I should post this topic as a new thread?

Mike

[Sky Critter]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Wow Mike...That's just an incredible offer. I'd be interested in going just to meet some of you. The photo stuff would be icing on the cake!

My wife and I are flying in on Wednesday morning and heading to Tahoe for the day. ANYTIME from that evening on is fine with me.

I'm in Tucson but, if there's anything I can do to help, just let me know.

Mike

[G. van Dyk]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

I totally forgot to change out the ISO... I managed to shoot MOST of that session at that setting.

Aaarrrrrgggguuuuhhhhh!!!!

Shots are salvageable with Neat Image Pro but, not nearly as nice as they might have been.

Like wingman ALWAYS says... ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS Pre-Flight your camera!!!!!!!!

Very good point also Wayne. I think I'll set up a checklist card with all my preferred settings. to throw in the camera bag. NOw I've just got to figure out what my preferred settings will be.

Mike thats a very generous offer, you can count me in whenever it happens, I'll be on site all week.

Gerry

[AAFO_WSagar]

Re: Some advice from the pros, please.

Wayne, if you see this, do you think I should post this topic as a new thread?

Mike

Yea Mike, go ahead... you can also do a poll I think... Once you post the first message, it'll give you the option of making the post a poll...

Pretty sure anyone can do polls...

Wayne