Another question about airshows

[tajmahal250]

Just thinking through some more. For airshows, is it better to be on the base/airport at the crowd line or shoot on the side of the road near the end of the runways off-base for airborne shots/flybys?

[Chris Janes]

It really depends on what you are trying to capture and also what type of lighting challenges the airport/base may present.  Davis Monthan is notorious for crap lighting after say 11 a.m. So when the Thunderbirds start flying in the afternoon and I'm shooting on base I will be shooting into the sun thus the result will be some less than desirable shots or I have to spend a lot of time in post processing trying to get a "decent" shot. So I may spend one day on base to get some of the civilian performers in the morning and then suffer through the afternoon and then the other days I will be off base to get the better lighting. If your on base you will get more shots of the top of the aircraft as they pass show center, if your off base you will typically get the bottom of the aircraft, not all bad it's just you have to position yourself in different locations and work to get the top side of the aircraft. Shooting off base you get some different perspectives for more unique shots in my opinion but most of the the time the best lighting is going to dictate where I shoot from. If you are on base shooting at show center is fine but typically the aircraft will be the farthest away from you at that point, if you go to one side of center point or the other you can get some nice shots of the aircraft exiting or entering the show line and they can be closer to you, just depends on the maneuver. The other thing to is the crowd typically thins out the farther away from show center so the less likely hood of getting dirty looks while swinging a telephoto lens around. In the end it just depends on light and what type of shot you are after. Hope this helps.