Aerial Photography Tips: Shooting from a Helicopter in Spring

Flying during this time of year is incredible.

You can go up in a t-shirt and shorts instead of layered to the brim. Afternoon overhead sunlight allowing you to see every inch of the city. The sun hanging around longer for more chances to play with exposure.

We recently sat down with one of our favorite contributors Paul Seibert aka @beholdingeye for insight on what it takes to get those epic springtime shots.

“As photographers, we love shooting during our precious golden hours. We live for the long shadows, the warmth, and for the romance.”

According to Paul, shooting the city when there are high levels of natural light is one of his favorites as it allows for precision and detail. This isn’t always easy however, as harsh daylight can sometimes make shots look washed out or faded.

One of his solutions? Shooting from above. (We didn’t force him to say this, we swear!)

Check out some of Paul’s tips below on how to get awesome shots of the city in Spring Weather:

• The Go-To Cameras: 16-35mm lens & Nikon D7200.
• The Types of Shots: Switch up between wide shots and ones that are up close as they have different values. Play around a bit and find which angle works best for you.
  • Wide shots allow you to get directional lighting as you can see where the light is coming from
  • Close ups allow for you to play with shadows of light when coming from different angles

“Light is moving, always. Why not accentuate that to benefit your photography at anytime of day!”

• The Nice to Have: It’s important to have photo-centric pilot that knows how to angle the helicopter, allowing you to work with them to get the shots you want. (We have some of the best in the business!)

• The Added Challenge: Sometimes shooting in spring means shooting through haze, which is not necessarily a bad thing. It’s all about perspective. Instead of trying to get a detail shot – focus more on the haze itself and play with how it effects the scope of the skyline.

“Life happens between sunrise and sunset…go capture it!!”

That’s a wrap! Shoutout to Paul Seibert (@beholdingeye) for being our resident expert today – our future photos thank you. Make sure you check our blog for more tips like these to come!

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Feel like you’re ready to try your hand at these shots? Book your flight today! We believe in you!