Hello,

This would be my first thread. I would like to share these photos. I have been browsing this site and it has been very enlightening despite a smaller community. I am NASIOC transplant and I don't think I would've bought a DSLR if it were not for the photog nuts there

I recently aquired a new EF-S 17-55mm f/2.8 lens, and these photos are the first ones I've taken. For one thing, it is my first IS lens and I would never thought I could handhold anything lower than 1/100. Awesome!

The photos below are from an incentive ride that my AFROTC unit was offered by McChord AFB in Washington State. We flew with the 7th Airlift SQ., and they were a fun bunch to be with.

Did a bunch of low level flying (the best part, never knew something that big could be THAT maneuverable) and in-air refueling, even dove at a 45 degree angle and felt weightless for a few seconds (camera was actually in the air). A very inspiring and exciting event for everybody.

Here are a select few:















More @
http://pakin.smugmug.com/gallery/5061588_o5DFK


As you can see, these photos at best are casual. However, when taking pictures in the cockpit, I absolutely could not get both the inside and the outside exposed at the right lighting conditions. Either have the background overexposed and the foreground right, or have the foreground underexposed and have the background right. I tried flash for the fore and focus on background, it helped a tad and the onboard flash is obstructed by the new lens now. Just wondering if there another way.

All comments/suggestions/critique welcome.

Thank you for looking.

-phill

Originally Posted by user errors

Nice shots Phil, I like the lighting in the 4th one.

Ah me too! #4 definitely sticks out as my favorite, but #6 is good as well.

Thanks everyone!

Originally Posted by ride5000

the only other way to do it involves multiple exposures, one of which is taken for the highlights and another for the shadows.

then the exposures are knit together either by manual masking and blending or by using a global contrast compressor (ie, tonemapper). the latter is what most people typically call "HDR" although both are viable methods of increasing the effective dynamic range.

Good info. And even better since there is a thread or two on NSOP. I'll be looking into that that. Thanks!

Originally Posted by ride5000

the only other way to do it involves multiple exposures, one of which is taken for the highlights and another for the shadows.

then the exposures are knit together either by manual masking and blending or by using a global contrast compressor (ie, tonemapper). the latter is what most people typically call "HDR" although both are viable methods of increasing the effective dynamic range.

How about an external flash instead of the built-in one? But instead of pointing it forward and have the lense obstruct it, bounce it up or behind you?

Yes, it seems a flash would work better in rougher conditions now that you mention it. The low level flying was shaky and there were times where the plane would be banking left and right; one second I would be staring at the ground, and at another I seeing blue. It would prove difficult to get three shots off AEB.

Though thats more money, I'll probably keep looking at a used 430EX on craigslist. That 17-55 EF-S just sucked up all my stuff money. My 350D is growing bigger :/

With the flash use a diffuser in the cockpit - flashes have fresnels in 'em to focus the light into a beam - too directional for what you are shooting.

Originally Posted by uncle_git

With the flash use a diffuser in the cockpit - flashes have fresnels in 'em to focus the light into a beam - too directional for what you are shooting.

Thanks, I'll keep that in mind. Still flash shopping