DSLR Photography Forum

The last time I flew into Hobart, the plane banked sharply while descending over seven-mile beach near Hobart just before landing and I got the most amazing view of a mother whale and her calf just a few hundred meters below! :o Unfortunately my camera was tucked away in the overhead locker at the time... but this time I was determined to have it ready just in case something like that happened again.

Anyway, nothing that exciting happened on this flight. But I did get a few shots to document the flight all the same.


1. Sunrise at Terminal Five, Melbourne Airport. EF-S 17-85 @85mm, f/6.3, 400 ISO, 1/13sec.


2. Clouds and a wing. Sigma 28mm EG DG, 28mm, f/1.8, 100 ISO, 1/6400sec.


3. Morning sun through thick cloud. EF 70-200 f/4L @ 70mm, f/6.3, 200 ISO, 1/5000sec.


4. Winter morning on hills. EF 70-200 f/4L @ 91mm, f/4.5, 400 ISO, 1/400sec. Note that the blur at the bottom of this image isn't OOF, it was caused by the heat of the jet exhaust.


5. Mountain range and wing reflection. EF 70-200 f/4L @ 94mm, f/8, 400 ISO, 1/2000sec. I was trying to get a clear shot of the mountain range in the background, but the plane kept banking at the wrong angle to give me a clear shot. Then a nice reflection appeared on the wing and I decided to shoot that instead.

Nice shots, all of them. But #4 is special, it looks like a minature shot, somewhat it look unreal. Great shot.

Thanx for sharing.

/Paul L.

Kombi - these are the best pictures I have seen from an aeroplane window. They look like you had nothing between you and the scene you were photographing. Sure you didn't opne the emergency escape for a few quick shots

I really like number 1 and 5 the best - but all are great. I agree with Paul on the miniture look.

Wow ..... No.4 looks like tis from a Model train set ...incredible

another great series.......echo the above

I am glad you added the explanation with #4. I would have thought it was the technique that's going round for making pics look like a shots of a model. (you know what I mean) geat shot!

#'s 1 & 3 are also standouts for me

Having flown recently to melbourne i really liked looking at the airport shot. I flew during the day or night, so I didn't get to see a side of it like you.

Great series always well presented with a flowing story behind them

I also really liked the "minature shot" of #4.
I'm planning my next lens to be a tilt/shift lens (probably a russian-made 35mm f/2.8) which will give me the ability to tilt the focal plane to take these kind of shots whenever I like (among the other cool stuff t/s lenses can do).

WS Wrote:Kombi - these are the best pictures I have seen from an aeroplane window. They look like you had nothing between you and the scene you were photographing.

Thanks Chris. I was happy with them too. The plane window does reduce contrast a lot, but it can be pumped back in with photoshop. There are a couple of useful points I can think of though.
1. Clean the window. Obviously you might have trouble cleaning the outside of the window, but get those annoying finger marks and smudges off the inside of the glass.
2. Be wary of polarising filters. I know at least some plane windows seem to have some strange coating or property that produces slight rainbow-like flare across every shot. This seems to be made much worse by using a polariser, so test it out before you ruin all your shots.
3. Eliminate reflections on the window. Try to use your body in front of the window to prevent bright light and things inside the plane from being reflected off the glass. You'll still lose contrast through the glass, but try to make it even across the whole image so you can easily put it back in later.
4. Wear dark/plain/non-reflective clothes and stuff. Try to reduce the amount of reflection you will cast on the window too.
5. Get a window seat.

Thats about all I can think of for the moment. Feel free to add more tips if you can think of them.

Great tips Adrian - did you work all that out before you got on the plane I can just see you dressing in your non reflective clothing before the flight

The last shot of the wing looks like it was painted - something to do with the reflections and contrast.

Yes... Thanks for the tips Kombi... Your pictures are beautiful...

I am always so afraid of flying... but this time I got my camera with me so I asked permision to take some pictures and I took some I found the taking off even enjoyable... My window in my flight to Mexico was not so dirty and I could take some pictures of the airport and clouds... in my way back I didn't know in which side I could take pictures of the sunrise... Now I know I have to ask for a seat to the left ...

In my flight from London to Hamburg the flight attendant told me I couldn't take pictures during the landing.... I don't know why... I never thought my camera could interfere with the electronic devices of the plane...

These look really good - I like #1 and #5 the best.