Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
In Your Studio
Put the model airplane into a light tent. A light tent is a small, semi-opaque cube used to soften external light so as to minimize highlights and shadows on your subject.
Mount the model airplane either on its stand or on an elevated surface in the light tent. The extra height will help you to capture angles underneath and straight-on to the model plane.
Arrange external lights around the light tent. If you do not have flash units, ordinary household lamps will work as well. For additional light, place your light tent near an open window. Natural sunlight softened by the light tent is often sufficient to illuminate most products.
Mount your camera on a tripod to reduce camera shake. You will be using narrow apertures to capture the model airplane, which means your shutter speeds will be low. Mounting your camera on a tripod will reduce the effect of camera shake.
Set your camera at a narrow aperture (high f/stop number) such as f/8 or f/12. This will ensure that the entire airplane is in sharp focus and highlight the details on the model.
Shoot from a variety of angles, making sure to capture more than just the top of the plane. Some of the more endearing details of a model plane may be found on the plane's underside. Capture the plane from all angles for a full set of shots.
In Flight
Equip your camera with the longest telephoto lens you have. Lenses that are at least 200mm will work best and will ensure that you can fill as much of your frame as possible due to your longer zooming range.
Set your camera's shutter speed to at least 1/2000th of a second. If you find you are still getting motion blur, as may happen with some fast-moving model plans, increase the shutter speed. Your aperture can safely be at its widest (likely f/2.8 or f/4), but you may have to increase your ISO to 400 or more to compensate for the loss of light with fast shutter speeds.
Set your auto-exposure adjustment a few stops higher than normal, to roughly +1 or +2. Because the model plane will be in the air, your camera's light meter may be confused by the large amount of light. If you do not adjust your exposure compensation, the camera will likely meter for the sky, making your plane look silhouetted.
Fly the plane both high in the sky and near the horizon. While a few shots of your plane surrounded by a blue sky will help to show off its flying abilities, shots that include the ground can be captivating as well.
Take photos in a Burst mode, if your camera supports it. This will tell your camera to continue making exposures as quickly as possible, helping to ensure that at least one of your shots is in focus and not blurred by motion.