I am doing an engagement shoot for a couple I went to college with on Saturday The groom is a pilot and recently bought a plane. They are flying down from NJ (to MD) for their engagement shoot. They want mainly photos of them with the plane and we are going to go up in the air as well, if nothing else to fly over Baltimore. Ideas... suggestions?

The groom also mentioned that he and a buddy would love a photos of them flying their planes in the air. So I would ride with one while taking photos, land and switch. I mentioned these ideas to a mentor photographer who also does arial photographer and all he said was that it was very dangerous and tricky, that is a real art to take photos of planes in the air. Soo... any suggestions? Is this something I should kindly opt out of doing? Has anyone done this before?

Unless they're flying a personal jet, and not a cessna or other small planne i may be impossible to get a decent picture of them while you're in the air with them. Maybe some artistic shots of their hands but unless you're goingto be in front of them you won't get much. Shot with the planes and them in flightgear that'll be fine. Just bring a flash cord so you can pull your flash off camera and direct it better in that tight of a space.

my .02

Formation flying can be dangerous if the pilots are not used to doing it. I myself would opt out of the being in the plane with them and just do all photos on the ground with their planes. I have a hard time just hopping into a plane with someone who I know nothing about their skill level, and I fly all the time.

planes are tight inside, and if you get car sick, a few shots will make you really sick looking though the view finder.

shoot a session on the ground by the hangers, that would be cool

Warnings aside, if you are going to do it anyway:
VR/IS lens is good
Gyro Stabilizer is FAR better
Rent one, they are well worth it.
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Plan on high ISO for short shutter times in the air.

Use a small airport during a very slow time. A good way to get both ships in the shot is to have one doing touch and go landings with the second holding short of the active on a taxiway. Shoot from ahead of the second angled back towards it and snap when they are both in the frame. You will get a few feet off the strip with the other clearely in the frame.

You may need some serious permission to be anywhere on the ground near the runway to shoot.

An uncontroled small field is your second best friend. Clear thinking is your first.

Thanks everyone for the advice. I will see how the engagement shoot goes before I commit to the plane shots.

I don't think he was looking for crazy formation shots, just a photo of his plane in the air/clouds. I guess as long as he knows he was in it, he'd be happy.

Nice pics Jeff....that Pilatus is my dream plane!!

Thanks. Should that Lotto thing work out for me, I have my eye on:
http://www.aso.com/i.aso3/aircraft_view.js...xxxxregionid=-1
Just so I could put a bumper sticker on it that says "My other Saab is a car"

The Globe Swift is always beautiful

And if the money really came rolling in...a custom WW II PBY Catalina outfitted like a yacht. Travel the world.

And if I had the budget of a small country...A civilian version of the V-22 Osprey
http://www.bellagusta.com/air_ba_main.cfm

You can get that Saab for only $2,440.30 a month.

Sure, but does it have OnStar?

at mach 2.0 who cares!

I 100% agree. Being a 1000+ Hour pilot myself, I'm cautious about who I get in a plane with (or get in formation with) for Air-to-air shoots. I fly a lot of formation with two very good friends of mine, and they are the only people I really truly trust and know their skills, because we do formation practice all the time.

Just hopping in your clients' brand new plane leaves a few questions for me.... does he have enough experience in the "new plane" to begin with? well legally he should, but that didn't seem to stop JFK from taking his family to martha's vineyard and augering into the Atlantic Ocean. Does he have formation practice? Most pilots think they can do it, but don't have practice. This is extremely dangerous if they are not experienced, especially when you add the distraction/excitement of a photographer in the cockpit.

I'd personally stick with images of them on the ground... there are tons of things you can do, even have them sitting in the plane and (depending on the size of the airplane) you can be in there with them. Just have fun, get a feel for it and maybe next time you can go flying with them.

Whatever you do, just use your best judgment. I guess thats what I'm trying to say.

And as for the globe swift.... here's one of my good friends who I spoke about flying formation with.... in his newest addition to the family (taken with my P&S... lol)

See...now I am envious. All I did was rent C172s and Piper Warriors (who were they battling anyway? That thing was not exactly high performance!).

The Swift is just such a nice machine from old tyme aviation. And they polish up real nice! I think I saw one painted up as a war bird once...that looked cool.

Nice shots!

These days, I don't do much flying...unless I am flying a hull on my Hobiecat. Fun, not not the same. The $100 hamburgers get all wet.