Taking pictures of model aircraft can be quite difficult. Often they're flying quite fast which means they tend to be hard to track... resulting in blurry photos. Even when sitting still, you don't always get that professional vibe that you see on the RC hobby websites. So, here are a few Flite Test tips to up your RC photography game.
What You'll Need
It's become somewhat of a cliché in internet circles, and it's by no means original to say this, but all you really need to take great photos these days is an ordinary smartphone. You don't need to take break the bank buying a special DSLR. Most of the time, I just use a phone to grab general shots when I'm out and about and it does the job just fine. Hopefully, you already have one of these, so great! You're halfway there.
Taking it to the Next Level
Okay, so if find you really like taking photos and video, you may want to up your game by getting yourself a proper camera. The advantages of something like this Sony a6000 mirrorless camera is that you can change a ton of settings and shoot completely manual if you like. A camera like this also allows you to switch the lenses out meaning that you can use one that can better zoom in on a flying airplane and get some closer shots. Even with the stabilised kit lens, you can achieve stunning results.
Using a tripod to stabilise shots also opens up another world, but accessories like this are really are just extra. A tripod, in particular, could be helpful for taking a long exposure night flying shot to capture light trails. Again though, using one is not all that necessary for RC photography.
Okay, we've sorted the gear, so here are some other things to consider.
Light
When taking pictures of your plane outside, it's always best to choose a nice day when the sun is out. This is because this usually means that there's a ton of light available to bounce off your model, through your lens and onto the sensor of your camera.
This makes for better-looking photos where you can see the whole model in its best light (my apologies for that awful pun). It's easier to see all of those details. A helpful benefit of having lots of light is that your camera can use faster shutter speeds resulting in less blur in the final image. When you're tracking a particularly fast plane, this is always helpful.
This shot (below) was taken in less than ideal conditions under heavy clouds. It still made for a nice photo even though the airplane was silhouetted.
Framing
Ever heard of the rule-of-thirds? If you haven't, its a really simple and extremely useful tool you can use to compose your photos. Here's a link to a photography website that lets you in on this essential 'rule' of composition. In general, when it comes to taking photos of RC planes, just make sure you get the whole plane in flying shots. When taking photos of models on the ground, getting well-framed close-ups is a great way to show off detail and sleek lines.
Background
If you're taking a shot of a model sitting on the ground or on a table, try your best to eliminate clutter that detracts from the overall composition. You want the focus to be on the airplane. If you're shooting indoors, a nice wooden table often lends itself to being a simple yet interesting background that doesn't distract. We often use wooden tables as backgrounds here at Flite Test.
Let us see your beautiful RC pictures by posting them on the Facebook Flite Test Fans Group. It's a great place to share that sort of thing. If you want to know more about this topic, simply post a comment on this article or ask a question in the Forums.
We're looking forward to seeing your airplanes come to life!
Article by James Whomsley
FliteTest.com Editor
Log In to reply