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How to shoot a rocket launch

Microsiervos
Microsiervos

1) The document provides advice for photographing a rocket launch from a distance of a few kilometers away. It recommends using a tripod, DSLR camera, lens of at least moderate zoom, and remote shutter to take multiple shots without disturbing the view. 2) The photographer should arrive early to set up equipment, compose the shot with level horizon and rocket in lower frame third, focus the lens, and set exposure before the launch. 3) During launch, the photographer should trigger the remote, forget the camera, and enjoy the event, then later process the RAW files to share the best photos online for others to enjoy as well.

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Howa roc to ph aun ket l otog ch raph #NASATweetup FTW! Good morning. As you might have noticed by my t-shirt I got to go to a NASA tweetup. As a matter of fact it was the launch of Atlantis in STS-135, the last shuttle mission ever.
HIT Camera - CC Swiss James Of course I wanted to photograph it, but most of the advice I found about it said dont do it. Enjoy the launch and dont spend it behind your camera.
Equipment But being a bit stubborn and a photo nut I just wasnt able to do that. So heres what equipment I used and what I did to both enjoy the launch and take photos.
First of all, youll need a tripod. Any reasonably sturdy one will do as long as it has an movable head so you can point your camera were you want to.
http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canon_EOS_7D_front_04.jpg / CC Maksim Sidorov Then, of course, youll need a camera. It doesnt have to be digital or auto-anything provided it has a motor drive. And dont forget memory cards, batteries, 鍖lm and so.
Youll be a few kilometres from the launch pad, so youll also need a longish lens, but not necessarily a 12 hundred mm one. You can always crop later. And besides, the rocket will bet out of frame sooner the longer the lens you use.
And, last but not least, youll need a lockable remote switch. A wired one will be better to avoid possible interferences with other potographers equipment.
Launch day Of course you can carry as much backup equipment with you as you can. And heres what to do on launch day.
Set up the early. Maybe not necesarily the day before as I did with my tripod, but you really dont want to be fumbling with it at the last minute.
Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Subject-Matter Composition: A Highly Overrated Endeavour. And then compose your image. Choose a focal lenght and what to show in the photos. Of course composition is a quite subjective matter,
Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Subject-Matter Composition: A Highly Overrated Endeavour. but when in doubt, just make sure the horizon is level and in the bottom third of the frame. You cant go very wrong with that.
Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Out of This World - Literally Then focus your camera, either using AF or manually, check focus, and when set, if the camera has AF, turn it off.
Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Out of This World - Literally The last thing you want is the AF hunting for focus during launch. And if you zoom the lens afterwards, remember to re-check focus.
Totally jacked up aircraft photos: "...And He Had A Shiny Nose.." Set exposure. ISO 100 at f/8 or f/11, which give a greater depth of 鍖eld, should be OK for a daytime launch, although youll need higher ISO for a dawn, dusk, or night launch.
Totally jacked up aircraft photos: "...And He Had A Shiny Nose.." Then set the camera to manual mode with the values youve just used or youll end with a bunch of shots with different exposures, many of them underexposed.
And the last step should be making sure that the motor drive is set on its higher setting. Dont worry about 鍖lling up your memory cards, you wont have time, but make sure theyre fast enough to cope.
STS-135 Atlantis Launch (201107080013HQ) - CC NASA An then, a few seconds before launch, press and lock the button on the remote, forget about the camere, and enjoy the awesomeness of a rocket lauch. Its OK if you tear up a bit.
With any luck, youll have a bunch of RAW 鍖les -because you always use RAW, dont you? to process and produce photos, time-lapses, etc.
Go, Atlantis! [#1 in Explore on july, 8, 2011] And then share those images. Flickr. Pinterest. Twitter. Your blog. Anywhere. For me, sharing is half the fun of it.
@wicho And you might even make it to the top spot on Flickr, or get retweeted by NASA. Thank you very much.

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How to shoot a rocket launch

  • 1. Howa roc to ph aun ket l otog ch raph #NASATweetup FTW! Good morning. As you might have noticed by my t-shirt I got to go to a NASA tweetup. As a matter of fact it was the launch of Atlantis in STS-135, the last shuttle mission ever.
  • 2. HIT Camera - CC Swiss James Of course I wanted to photograph it, but most of the advice I found about it said dont do it. Enjoy the launch and dont spend it behind your camera.
  • 3. Equipment But being a bit stubborn and a photo nut I just wasnt able to do that. So heres what equipment I used and what I did to both enjoy the launch and take photos.
  • 4. First of all, youll need a tripod. Any reasonably sturdy one will do as long as it has an movable head so you can point your camera were you want to.
  • 5. http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Canon_EOS_7D_front_04.jpg / CC Maksim Sidorov Then, of course, youll need a camera. It doesnt have to be digital or auto-anything provided it has a motor drive. And dont forget memory cards, batteries, 鍖lm and so.
  • 6. Youll be a few kilometres from the launch pad, so youll also need a longish lens, but not necessarily a 12 hundred mm one. You can always crop later. And besides, the rocket will bet out of frame sooner the longer the lens you use.
  • 7. And, last but not least, youll need a lockable remote switch. A wired one will be better to avoid possible interferences with other potographers equipment.
  • 8. Launch day Of course you can carry as much backup equipment with you as you can. And heres what to do on launch day.
  • 9. Set up the early. Maybe not necesarily the day before as I did with my tripod, but you really dont want to be fumbling with it at the last minute.
  • 10. Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Subject-Matter Composition: A Highly Overrated Endeavour. And then compose your image. Choose a focal lenght and what to show in the photos. Of course composition is a quite subjective matter,
  • 11. Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Subject-Matter Composition: A Highly Overrated Endeavour. but when in doubt, just make sure the horizon is level and in the bottom third of the frame. You cant go very wrong with that.
  • 12. Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Out of This World - Literally Then focus your camera, either using AF or manually, check focus, and when set, if the camera has AF, turn it off.
  • 13. Totally jacked up aircraft photos: Out of This World - Literally The last thing you want is the AF hunting for focus during launch. And if you zoom the lens afterwards, remember to re-check focus.
  • 14. Totally jacked up aircraft photos: "...And He Had A Shiny Nose.." Set exposure. ISO 100 at f/8 or f/11, which give a greater depth of 鍖eld, should be OK for a daytime launch, although youll need higher ISO for a dawn, dusk, or night launch.
  • 15. Totally jacked up aircraft photos: "...And He Had A Shiny Nose.." Then set the camera to manual mode with the values youve just used or youll end with a bunch of shots with different exposures, many of them underexposed.
  • 16. And the last step should be making sure that the motor drive is set on its higher setting. Dont worry about 鍖lling up your memory cards, you wont have time, but make sure theyre fast enough to cope.
  • 17. STS-135 Atlantis Launch (201107080013HQ) - CC NASA An then, a few seconds before launch, press and lock the button on the remote, forget about the camere, and enjoy the awesomeness of a rocket lauch. Its OK if you tear up a bit.
  • 18. With any luck, youll have a bunch of RAW 鍖les -because you always use RAW, dont you? to process and produce photos, time-lapses, etc.
  • 19. Go, Atlantis! [#1 in Explore on july, 8, 2011] And then share those images. Flickr. Pinterest. Twitter. Your blog. Anywhere. For me, sharing is half the fun of it.
  • 20. @wicho And you might even make it to the top spot on Flickr, or get retweeted by NASA. Thank you very much.