El Centro Photocall - Lessons Learned.

[Joe Copalman]

Just to do something different and get us thinking critically and constructively about our own and each others' shots, I want to start a thread in which we can post some of our lessons-learned from this past photocall.  Please post anything you wish you would have done differently or that you would have done more of if you had the chance. Hopefully this will get us thinking in advance of things we would like to do at the next photocall and to become more deliberate shooters.  If you have photos that you feel illustrate the point you are trying to make, please post them to this thread as well.

[Joe Copalman]

Here are mine.

1. For as much as I moved around, I really wish I had spent more time at the east end of our "engagement zone."  It was only later in the day when I got some shots of aircraft in the "go" phase of a touch-and-go that I realized what a good spot that was.  The light was much better from there than it was back in February, so its not like I would have paid a big light penalty by being down there.  This also seemed to be a good spot for clutter-free shots, as spots further west typically had the shack and the Fresnel lens in the background.  (The far west end was equally clutter-free).  

2. I really needed a good, intermediate zoom.  Last year I rented a 24-105 that was pretty good for touchdown shots, but this time around, I shot with my 150-500, which was too long for close-up touchdown shots, and the 18-55mm kit lens (I'm LONG overdue for a glass upgrade on the wide end), which was adequate for some of those shots, but with a limited zone of engagement and obviously diminished image quality (though I must say, the 50D makes that lens look way better than the XTi ever did).  The sizeable gap in available focal lengths meant that I missed out on some good shots.

3. Pretty much standard self-critique here, but I tried to be a rotor-blur hero on that Apache pass at 1/100.  I got one kinda-sorta passable shot, but knowing that it was only making one pass, I should have set up at 1/200 or 1/250 for a good, sharp shot of it and saved the slower shutter speeds for any follow-up passes.  

4. I should have taken more shots of jets landing with slower shutter speeds.  I actually planned to do this, but that plan, as they say, fell apart upon first contact.  It would have yielded even more dramatic shots and could have mitigated the clutter factor somewhat by blurring the shack and lens into the background.

I'm sure I'll come up with more as I get deeper into my edits from this trip, but those are the four big ones that stand out for me.  

[Paul Dumm]

Let see here.

1. Move around a lot more then I did. I was looking at the shots other took and as much as the Aircraft were doing touch and go's, I should have move more. I got way to many of the same shots.
2. I used my 24-70mm lens and it worked great, but, I whis that I had a 18-200mm or some thing in that range. as the shots of A/C on glide slope were too far away. It's get a new lens or get a new "back up camera" with the bigger lens.
3. PANTS!! Damn ANTS!!
4. Camal back. Drink on the run.
5. It's hard to say if staying the night in Yuma was a good thinking or I should have left early AM and then spend the night in Yuma?? I know the weather took some out of me out there even thou I was drinking H2O.
6. Move around a lot more. (or did I say that)

[Jbong]

#1 I should wore shorts. Jeans was a big mistake.
#2 sleep I should of slept after I got off work at 2am
prior to Matt picking me up.
#3 move around more.

[Stephen Marshall]

Joe, if you thought you were trying to be a rotor blur hero you should have seen my pictures... at 1/80...

1) I used fast shutter speeds all day long on the jets. So I would want to slow it down a bit to grab some motion blur in the background.
2) Mid zoom lens would be perfect in this situation. may look into renting one sometime.
3) Hat with a strap. Amazingly I didn't get sunburned but a hat would have still been nice.

And to add a bit of positive to this thread.

What are some things you did right and would suggest for others?

1) Camelback was absolutely perfect. 2 liters of water was plenty for the time we were out there and there was no concern for FOD with the plastic bottles.
2) Kept moving around. Looked for open spots to get angles others weren't at the time.
3) Got low. Standing is nice, but the difference in angle you get when you sit down, albeit small, really can make the difference in an image.

[John B.]

As a first timer these are the things that stick in my mind:

1.  The most important thing for me to remember is that for most of our subjects, we had multiple passes.  This should have allowed me a bit more flexibility knowing that the same F-18 was likely to come around again.  Often, the "Oh wow!" excitement made me forget this and I ended up with the same basic shot of the same jet on multiple landings.

2.  The most frustrating part for me was lenses.  I made three lens changes in the first 20 minutes we were there.  My 70-300mm was not useful for anything but the approaches and departures down the runway, the 55-200mm was great for impact, and the 18-55mm was great one a jet was closer--but I had nothing for catching everything.  When I was using the 18-55mm I wanted the 70-300mm, when I was using the 70-300mm I wanted the 55-200mm, etc., etc.  Of course, this didn't ruin my day, but I did realize a single more flexible lens would have made me a bit more mentally flexible and willing to move up and down the strip knowing I wouldn't miss an opportunity.  I learned really quickly that a second camera could be useful (but not necessarily my first option!).

3.  Because I was a first-timer, I did a lot of shooting set on "shutter speed priority."  The "Oh Wow" factor and adrenalin combined with not wanting to blow an opportunity left me on shutter priority most of the day when I had more than enough time to learn the light.  I really should have done a hell of a lot more manual shooting.  Again, mental flexibility.

4.  I messed up the Apache, too.  Adrenalin!  I shoot enough choppers to know better than too mess around with lower shutter speeds--the rotor blade blur is usually so slight that it rarely pays off for me.  I should have zapped it at 1/320 and been happy.

Of course this is just my experience as a first timer and it might not match up with anybody else's experience!  But, despite any of those things, I had a blast and wouldn't trade the day for anything! 

[jslugman]

With this being trip number three for me I have to say it was the most productive because of all the things I screwed up learned on the first two. This thread will really help in trying to cut that down for many of us, great idea Joe.

1. Photovest- have worn it in the past but did the camera bag this time. Everything I used could have been in the vest, much easier to deal with.

2. Ditto the helo-hero comments.

[Jay Beckman]

Couple of thoughts from my little corner of the world:

1) Going back to the bus a couple times = Good Thing.  Getting some A/C and a water was smart.  Felt fresher near the end than I have in the past.
2) Should have gone wider sooner.  The 500mm is a great tool and it can yield some unique perspectives but I should have migrated wider when there was more bouncing going on.
2a) Should have used the 300mm @ f/2.8 more.  Could have had better subject isolation in some.
3) Should have tried shooting from the area to the rear of the bus more.  I'm not a huge fan of shots that are dead on from the side, but I came back with virtually none at all.  Bad thing.  Poor documentation of the Canadian birds.  Kicking myself for not coming back with a better look at their Color Bird.
4) Should have schlepped down by the arresting gear at least once.  Probably missed some good Harrier stuff but Thursday afternoon's arrivals shot with Ned and James kind of makes up for it.
5) Should have committed better to some slow shutter attempts.  Only tried about eight yielding two keepers.
6) Next time, get a room IN El Centro for the night before and the night after.  The drive home solo was a little rugged and the section from Gila Bend to Maricopa in the dark is especially unnerving.

Overall, I'll give my day a B Minus.  Images that hit, hit well but too many simple misses due to sloppy framing or not anticipating well enough.

[Paul Dumm]

Just a few second thoughts,
Going wide open with the Apt. gave me the DoF I was looking for and useing the neutral grey filter w/ changeing my EV so I could try and keep the Histogram as center as I could gave me the look I was looking for. I shot in Apt. mode the whole time I was out there.

Sun Screen!! Use it next time. I know you all had and sheared, good thing I had a hat w/ cord that help a lot.

Video, Next time will also take video so other can see what it is like.

[Joe Copalman]

Lots of good stuff here, thanks to all that have posted so far.

I agree with Stephen that going low more often would have yielded some more interesting shots.  I'm surprised I didn't do any prone shots, since I tend to be a huge fan of that angle, but I know I was hesitant since it's much easier to move quickly from a kneeling position than from the prone, and if something ridiculous and dangerous happened, a split second can make a big difference.

Totally agree with Jay on using the bus for shelter.  I was pretty dogged from all my ping-ponging back and forth (and that choppy dirt was rough to walk fast in), and having the bus there to sit in and recharge my batteries got me through the arrivals and departures later in the day.  And big thanks to Pasley for the peanut butter crackers.  Total lifesavers. 

Jay, the rear of the bus was decent.  I shot there for two reasons - the light really seemed to favor shots from that angle (front obliques were somewhat backlit and glarey), and I had let Stephen Marshall borrow my 75-300, so with 150mm on the wide end, I was forced back a bit.  It was a great spot for the Canadians since most of them put the mains down between the piano keys and the numbers.  I did end up with a few more side-profile shots than I wanted, but again, I was chasing the light.  All my front-oblique shots from February were lit pretty harshly, and I didn't want to repeat that too much.  Got some killer results from near the cable with those later Prowler departures.  Looks like you did too.

And James, I really think a vest would have helped out.  I wound up just ditching my bag toward the end of the day and it made a world of difference in terms of mobility. 

[F-16_fixer]

I learned that I should put in my leave request at work earlier then the other guy who got to take the time off and forced me to work while you were all out having fun. 

[Joe Copalman]

So the moral of this story is that the early worm gets the birds?   

[Ned Harris]

Here are a few of my Lessons Learned:
1. A shutter speed of 1/200 worked great for the RAF Apache Longbow.
2. Need to be more aware of glint off the canopies.
3. Need to be more aware of the backgounds.
4. Don't crop too tight. Leave room to level the horizon if necessarty.
5. Two camera bodies with a short (24-105) and a medium (70-200) zoom worked well.

Excellent experience. Thanks to Joe, Matt and Dave for all you did to make it the success it was.

[jslugman]

Joe,

Can you remind me (and I'm sure a few others) what size Michelle wants our images at? We should all be working on sending her our top few images as a way to say THANKS for giving us the opportunity. It's the least we can do, especially since she wants to see them.

[Joe Copalman]

She said anything will do, as long as she gets them.  1800x1200 is my default edit size - makes good prints of almost any size, but can be resized if needed.  Better to give her too much photo than not enough.