Experience counts, doesn't it?

[aerialphoto]

I'm in the aerial photography business.

The people I do work for have had trouble finding a company that will go to certain out of the way places outside the country. Places we've reluctantly gone to, and without the benefit of additional pay for it to make sense I've pretty much refused to deal with it anymore (there are more issues involved but a lot of it boils down to money).

This fall they've found someone that will go for an extended period of time, has his own equipment, and is experienced in our line of work.

Sounds like a good deal for everyone, right?

Today he called me and wanted to know (and I kid you not), "...what settings do I use on my camera to make good exposures?" And then, "...should I use a filter?" And...this one is priceless, "...oh, those numbers on the film are film speeds?"

On one hand I hope they get the images they want. On the other I hope he fails miserably. Maybe someone will wake up and realize shooting pictures isn't something you can train a monkey to do overnight. There's an element of skill involved, and a lot of that comes with experience.

A "professional" asking what settings to use in his camera? Oh man. :rofl

[dangin]

On one hand I hope they get the images they want. On the other I hope he fails miserably. Maybe someone will wake up and realize shooting pictures isn't something you can train a monkey to do overnight. There's an element of skill involved, and a lot of that comes with experience.


no, it takes a few days to train a monkey. :rolleyes
maybe he'll fall out of the plane while taking the pictures... :D
just out of curiosity, how do you take your aerial shots? a cop acqauintence of mine hitches rides occassionally on one of the county's copters and he'll shoot with one of the doors open. yeah, and they gave him a gun and a badge... go figure.

[ivar]

...he'll shoot with one of the doors open.I've done many flights with people doing just that :D

[aerialphoto]

just out of curiosity, how do you take your aerial shots?

The stuff we do is mostly technical work, straight down, using cameras bolted over top of a hole in the floor. There's no composition to worry about, but the basic principles of exposure remain. It's far easier to train someone to do this work than it is to train them to hand-hold a Nikon or Canon camera, but when you have to make judgement calls (especially with the older equipment), experience is a huge factor sometimes.

For the hand-held stuff I have a modified window that stays open on the airplane and we just shoot that way using a D70 or D200. On rare occasion I lift the big camera out of the floor and shoot straight down using digital, but I haven't had that need in years.

[claudermilk]

:rofl After all that, it makes me wonder how a guy who has to ask you how to set his camera thinks he can pull the assignment off. "Gee, just leave it on the green box & you won't have to worry about it." :wink:flush