AERIAL
PHOTOGRAPHY
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BY HELICOPTER
INTRODUCTION
//INTRODUCTION
This eBook is about aerial photography for helicopter owners - or whoever may be getting ready for their
very first photo shoot from a flying helicopter. Want to capture truly gorgeous images? Then take them
from a helicopter!
This eBook was written for people who are interested in improving their current photography skills,
or simply looking to add a few tricks to their toolbox. You’ll learn about our point of view on aerial
photography through real life scenarios.
This eBook will help you better prepare, understand your PIC (pilot in command) and help you take
the very best pictures. It does requires certain tools and basic photography knowledge, but aerial
photography is always prized by companies, friends and clients!
Enjoy the read,
Mike Boutin
Heli Entrepreneur
Sharing the sky! Never Stop Exploring!
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//INTRODUCTION
HOW TO CAPTURE AERIAL PHOTOS
This eBook is divided into two sections:
Preflight check
Make sure everything’s covered! In here, you’ll find what you
should bring with you (camera, lens, etc.) and how to plan
when should you go, finding the ideal location, considering
focus, sunlight, warnings, the weather, etc.
In flight check
This is the more technical stuff that requires basic photography
knowledge. We’ll look at different settings that produce great
looking photographs.
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PRE FLIG HT CHECK
//PREFLIGHT CHECK
FIND THE BEST TIME
Part of a good preparation requires looking at the weather forecast. If winds are too strong, taking
pictures will be challenging. The Golden Hour remains the best time, early in the morning when the
wind is usually calm. Wind tends to pick up strength as the day moves forward.
While late afternoon can also produce great pictures, depending on your location, it’s usually not the
best time to take off. This is especially true if you’re located in the mountains or flying over dense forests.
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//FIND THE BEST TIME
Something to consider when taking aerial photographs is the haze.
During hot summer days, better schedule your photo session
early in the morning… unless your subject is city pollution.
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//FIND THE BEST TIME
The position of the sun is also important.
In order to determine the sun’s position
at any given time, I use two apps called
The Photographer’s Ephemeris and
Sun Seeker 3D. Both are user friendly,
affordable, and optimal for planning light
conditions, exact positions and the sun’s
altitude. Pretty cool!
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//FIND THE BEST TIME
Clouds can also provide the right background for dramatics photos.
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//PREFLIGHT CHECK
CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMERA
AND THE RIGHT SETTINGS
Proper preparation while still on the ground is important, cost
efficient and saves you time!
No matter what kind of camera you’re using – whether DLSR,
Mirrorless or your iPhone – keep in mind that it’s crucial to
minimize the helicopter vibrations. Unless you have the budget
for a gyrostabilizator, there are very few affordable options
to do so.
Step 1
Minimum shutter speed 1/250 s
Vibration reduction (VR) and image stabilization camera lenses*
Stabilizer system built-in the lens (Nikon & Canon) or camera
(Sony - my personal favorite)
* Allows you to take faster pictures.
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Step 2
Once you choose what camera you will use, you need to pick the
right lens. Keep in mind the longer your lens, the more vibration
you will get. The room for error with a 400mm is close to none!
Keep in mind that the choice is still yours, and the optics depends
on your preferences – whether you plan to do close-ups or a
panoramic view.
Generally, the camera settings are fairly standard. Depending on
the scene, light and depth of field should be set between f5.6 to f8.
We use captors that provide excellent quality, even at 8000 ISO!
They allow us some room for error when the light is hard to gauge
(when taking pictures of a sunset, for example).
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
// CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMERA AND THE RIGHT SETTINGS
Sample settings
*Use camera in manual mode
Here are my settings for a beautiful day:
ISO Between 100 & 200
to minimize the noise
Aperture Between f5.6 AND f8
High speed shutter Try to be around 1/2000s
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
// CHOOSING THE RIGHT CAMERA AND THE RIGHT SETTINGS
Window Issue
If you have ever tried to shoot through
a window, you know there are several
challenges:
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•
Stains
Reflections
Lack of focus
Movement restriction
There is nothing worse than having a
beautiful landscape spoiled by a stain
in the middle of the picture. So why
not take the time to clean the windows,
inside and out, before takeoff?
Enough memory
If you plan on taking a large number of
pictures, bring a few extra SD or micro
SD cards.
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//PREFLIGHT CHECK
THE SHOT LIST AND PREPARATION
Again, in order to be sharp in the air, you first need
to be sharp on the ground. Preparation is key!
Take the following steps before takeoff to make the most
of your time in the air.
•Tell your intentions to the PIC
•Make and share a shot list of what you plan on shooting
•Mention the different angles you’d like to take. By doing so,
the pilot will know the proper distance and altitude required
for your perfect picture.
•Ask your PIC about the minimal cruising speed on his helicopter
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//PREFLIGHT CHECK
BEING CAREFUL
At all times, keep in mind that you are thousands of feet up in the air, and likely travelling at a speed
over 100 mph. Never forget this is a risky business!
•If you take off the helicopter door (which is generally not recommended by the manufacturer), make
sure the camera is properly attached to the seat belt strap. You don’t want to drop your camera in
the air, then have it fly into the tail rotor… and end the day (possibly along with your life) on that note.
It’s every pilot’s nightmare!
•While you may want to stop mid-air to snap the perfect picture, keep in mind this can cause loss
of tail effectiveness. In our region, this happens to someone about once a year!
•In case of emergency, make sure to hold your camera tight so it doesn’t get in the way of the pilot.
Actually, this is good advice for the whole flight.
Don’t be discouraged from taking great aerial photographs: just remember that if you’re not
a professional photo pilot, it’s better to be safe than sorry!
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//PREFLIGHT CHECK
FOLLOW ALL LOCAL FAA RULES
AND REGULATIONS
Depending on your location, it would be wise to be familiar with
local rules and follow the FAA, JAA, Transport Canada, etc.
For example, this may mean you’re not allowed to fly over
300 ft. above water in order to take pictures of dolphins,
or to be 100 ft. AGL of your city Downtown!
If you come across National Parks, be certain to follow specific
regulations. For example, FAA Advisory Circular AC91-36
defines the surface of a National Park area as the highest
terrain within 2,000 ft. laterally of the route of flight, or the
upper-most rim of a canyon or valley. So essentially, find
the highest ground on your flight path and add 2,000 ft.
to your cruising altitude.
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Some additional advice:
•If you need to fly over people, try to limit
the time you hover above them
•Avoid flying over jammed city streets
or heavy traffic
•Do not disturb wild animals
Obviously, you may ignore some of these
in special cases...
Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
INFLIG HT CHECK
//INFLIGHT CHECK
STABILIZATION
If you’re serious about aerial photography, I would strongly
recommend investing in a stabilization device.
Gimbal is a very good one, and will improve your overall
image greatly. Until recently, only professional photographers
could afford this kind of hardware but nowadays, you can
find a very decent Gimbal for a Go Pro for around $300.
For a DSLR camera, however, plan on a minimal investment
of $2,000.
Photo : GetFPV.com
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//INFLIGHT CHECK
COMPOSITION
Aerial photography is a different skill from ground photography.
Getting the right composition can be a challenge!
Watch for interesting ground shapes.
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Find contrast in colors.
Look at the shape of the clouds.
Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//COMPOSITION
Take more photos than you think! It’s a lot easier to delete
extra photos rather than going back and taking more!
Finally, you can use Lightroom CC to process panoramas:
something that’s very cool to do in a helicopter, and delivers
good results.
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//INFLIGHT CHECK
SUBJECT SUGGESTIONS
If you’re not sure what you want to photograph, here are
a couple of subjects to get started:
Sports stadium
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Natural landmarks
Patterns
Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//INFLIGHT CHECK
SUBJECT SUGGESTIONS
Your helicopter next to an exotic car
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Golf course
Beginning of a race
(bicycle, F1, marathon, speedboat…)
Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
//INFLIGHT CHECK
POST-PRODUCTION
Software such as iPhoto, Lightroom and Photoshop will help
you put the final touches to your photos.
If pictures were taken with the doors on, you can add contrast
and adjust colors to compensate for window reflection.
Of course, cropping pictures is a necessity to achieve
good composition. Pay special attention to the horizon
and remember the 1/3 rule.
Keeping the compass,
panel or just part of
the helicopter visible
will add a nice depth
to the picture.
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Aerial Photography by Helicopter - A free eBook by HeliMob.com
CONCLUSION
ALL DONE!
You now know all the secrets to taking
great-looking aerial photographs!
If you’re looking for a place to show off your
photography skills, share your adventures on
HeliMob.com or join us on social media!
Visit our website
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