TECHNIQUE ASSESSMENT

SHUTTER PRIORITY

Darren says… I use Shutter Priority mode so that I have full control over my shutter speed. Aperture doesn’t matter much, because the focal plane is so tight. I usually shoot a propeller plane at 1/60 to 1/80 sec, but I got Wayne to start at 1/125 sec to give him space to adjust to the movement and vibrations in the plane.

METERING & EXPOSURE

Darren says… I tend to use Matrix Metering so that I can expose for the whole frame, which helps to ensure that clouds don’t get blown out, and use exposure compensation to refine my exposure, which comes in particularly handy when shooting a dark plane like the Pitts, or if I encounter a mirror finish.

FOCUSING

Darren says… I use single-point AF so that I can precisely focus on the cockpit. The subject doesn’t move much, since I’m usually travelling at the same speed, so AF-S is sufficient. I’ll switch to AF-C for a manoeuvre like the underpass, where the subject actually moves, and shoot a sequence in short, controlled bursts.

Our shoot was based at the Shuttleworth Collection at Old Warden Airfield in Bedfordshire UK. It was founded by Richard