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Boeing 737-700 (N455WN)
The dawn light is beginning to brighten up the sky and a bit of sunlight is being reflected from the upper story windows of a downtown Reno casino as Southwest's N455WN accelerates along Runway 16R to end its RON stay and start another revenue day.
Comments
Catching the departures of the 23 aircraft that RON at RNO means arriving at the airport by 5:30 AM, but it's worth the loss of a couple hours of sleep to get the early dawn and daybreak shots.
Alright now, I have to know - what settings are you using in that light to create a good shot? There doesn't appear to be much noise and the aircraft is nice and crisp, the movement is sweetly blurred and the lighting gives the right impression for the early morning.
Excellent shot, Gary.
I am going to take a wild flying guess here. ISO 600, f/4, 1/1000 sec.
I am going to take a wild flying guess here. ISO 600, f/4, 1/1000 sec.
Gavin & Viv ... Hey, guys, howdy! Here's the info re: settings. Viv, 2 out of 3 so very well done. (Grin)
First, to explain a bit, RNO is positioned between two mountain ranges. To the west, the Sierra Nevada; to the east, the Virginia Range. As a result, on clear (non-cloudy) days, both at sunrise and then again at sunset, when the sun is either just appearing or finally disappearing at the earth's horizon, it is "behind" one of those two mountain ranges. Thus, even tho there is some sun, because the mountains are blocking it in its earliest moment of dawn or its final moments of dusk, the airport and the city are in darkness. After several years of "trial and error," I've figured out the settings I need when taking shots at those "first light" and "last light" moments.
ISO? 800. That's the highest I go. Yes, I do get a bit of noise at that setting but it is minimal. PS has an editing tool that performs "REDUCE NOISE." Using that feature does, in fact, reduce the noise that occurs at an ISO 800 setting .... the important thing for you to do is isolate (with the magic wand) just the area you want to use the REDUCE NOISE feature on (such as just the sky). REDUCE NOISE simultaneously degrades the pinpoint clarity of everything it is used on, so if you REDUCE NOISE of the entire photo, the sharp clarity of the main object (the SW in this pic) is also degraded. So use the magic wand to outline and isolate the area you want the noise reduced on, and the main object remains sharp and clear.
f/4.5 for this shot, but I vary it between f/4.0 and f/5.0 depending on how much darkness. My primary problem here at RNO during twilight / nighttime hours are those da_n High Pressure Sodium lights. I've heard that RNO has a retrofit to LED lighting in the plans for the future but I've not heard any date given for that retrofit. When I'm shooting from the east as seen here, those crummy HPS lights backblast every pic with that lousy yellow lighting and turn the aircraft in the foreground into just a shadow. If I adjust to illuminate the aircraft in the foreground, the HPS lights blow out everything in the background. When shooting from the west, the HPS lights give everything in the foreground a yellow "overcast" and the aircraft in the background is always poorly lit ... and the mountains in the distance, from either direction, cannot be discerned at all. As a result of the above circumstances, I need a very, VERY slow shutter.
Shutter: 1/80th for this shot but I vary it from 1/40th to 1/160th. I have no option but to use a slow shutter. If I were to go to ISO 1600 I could use a faster shutter but I'd had more noise and I'd have to increase the % of REDUCE NOISE; thus, simultaneously softening the original clarity too much. If I go higher on the f stop, the combination of those High Pressure Sodiums and the sky getting brighter but the airport not at all illuminated by any sunlight means I lose much (or all) of any interesting background(s). The only way I can get a distinguishable, sharp, and crisp shot of the moving aircraft AND some background with it is with a very slow shutter AND a good steady, straight pan that stays smoothly with the moving aircraft. I fire in burst mode, a minimum of 3 per burst, a max of 4 per burst. Less than 3 cuts the "successful single capture" percentage from 66% to 50%; a burst of 4 seems to result in a "successful single capture" percentage of 50% (BUT with 2 out of 4 chances), and a burst of more than 4 is usually useless because it is really difficult to hold a steady, smooth pan more than four shots on a moving aircraft because human hands are not steady platforms AND backgrounds lighting conditions change rapidly anyway as the aircraft moves along. BTW ... I do NOT use a tripod. My opinion (purely personal, of course) is that putting a camera on a tripod and having the photographer remove his / her hands from the camera (and going off to eat a sandwich, smoke a cigarette or nurse on a vape, or use the restroom) and then returning to say, "Wow, look at the picture I took" is a lie since the photographer was not "hands on" with the camera when the shutter fired. So I never use a tripod.
Hey, guys, I hope this info helps. Certainly, if you try these settings, you'll find you must adjust for the circumstances at your locations, but perhaps this info will give you (and any other adventurous photogs) a "starting point" .... and maybe save you the "trial & error" stuff I went thru. (Fingers crossed for ya.)
First, to explain a bit, RNO is positioned between two mountain ranges. To the west, the Sierra Nevada; to the east, the Virginia Range. As a result, on clear (non-cloudy) days, both at sunrise and then again at sunset, when the sun is either just appearing or finally disappearing at the earth's horizon, it is "behind" one of those two mountain ranges. Thus, even tho there is some sun, because the mountains are blocking it in its earliest moment of dawn or its final moments of dusk, the airport and the city are in darkness. After several years of "trial and error," I've figured out the settings I need when taking shots at those "first light" and "last light" moments.
ISO? 800. That's the highest I go. Yes, I do get a bit of noise at that setting but it is minimal. PS has an editing tool that performs "REDUCE NOISE." Using that feature does, in fact, reduce the noise that occurs at an ISO 800 setting .... the important thing for you to do is isolate (with the magic wand) just the area you want to use the REDUCE NOISE feature on (such as just the sky). REDUCE NOISE simultaneously degrades the pinpoint clarity of everything it is used on, so if you REDUCE NOISE of the entire photo, the sharp clarity of the main object (the SW in this pic) is also degraded. So use the magic wand to outline and isolate the area you want the noise reduced on, and the main object remains sharp and clear.
f/4.5 for this shot, but I vary it between f/4.0 and f/5.0 depending on how much darkness. My primary problem here at RNO during twilight / nighttime hours are those da_n High Pressure Sodium lights. I've heard that RNO has a retrofit to LED lighting in the plans for the future but I've not heard any date given for that retrofit. When I'm shooting from the east as seen here, those crummy HPS lights backblast every pic with that lousy yellow lighting and turn the aircraft in the foreground into just a shadow. If I adjust to illuminate the aircraft in the foreground, the HPS lights blow out everything in the background. When shooting from the west, the HPS lights give everything in the foreground a yellow "overcast" and the aircraft in the background is always poorly lit ... and the mountains in the distance, from either direction, cannot be discerned at all. As a result of the above circumstances, I need a very, VERY slow shutter.
Shutter: 1/80th for this shot but I vary it from 1/40th to 1/160th. I have no option but to use a slow shutter. If I were to go to ISO 1600 I could use a faster shutter but I'd had more noise and I'd have to increase the % of REDUCE NOISE; thus, simultaneously softening the original clarity too much. If I go higher on the f stop, the combination of those High Pressure Sodiums and the sky getting brighter but the airport not at all illuminated by any sunlight means I lose much (or all) of any interesting background(s). The only way I can get a distinguishable, sharp, and crisp shot of the moving aircraft AND some background with it is with a very slow shutter AND a good steady, straight pan that stays smoothly with the moving aircraft. I fire in burst mode, a minimum of 3 per burst, a max of 4 per burst. Less than 3 cuts the "successful single capture" percentage from 66% to 50%; a burst of 4 seems to result in a "successful single capture" percentage of 50% (BUT with 2 out of 4 chances), and a burst of more than 4 is usually useless because it is really difficult to hold a steady, smooth pan more than four shots on a moving aircraft because human hands are not steady platforms AND backgrounds lighting conditions change rapidly anyway as the aircraft moves along. BTW ... I do NOT use a tripod. My opinion (purely personal, of course) is that putting a camera on a tripod and having the photographer remove his / her hands from the camera (and going off to eat a sandwich, smoke a cigarette or nurse on a vape, or use the restroom) and then returning to say, "Wow, look at the picture I took" is a lie since the photographer was not "hands on" with the camera when the shutter fired. So I never use a tripod.
Hey, guys, I hope this info helps. Certainly, if you try these settings, you'll find you must adjust for the circumstances at your locations, but perhaps this info will give you (and any other adventurous photogs) a "starting point" .... and maybe save you the "trial & error" stuff I went thru. (Fingers crossed for ya.)
Thanks Gary. I can't even pan well enough in good light to get a result at that shutter speed - never have actually even when I was young and fresh. I don't use a tripod either, (or monopod, as one guy I know does), more a hindrance than a help I reckon. I used PS 'reduce noise' on a few of my recent uploaded pics to get them to at least a reasonable standard for posting - very handy tool.
Gavin ... Those shutter speed ranges I mentioned were only for night and twilight pics. And actually, panning in low light at those slow speeds isn't all that difficult. I'm an old f--t with old man shakes but I can get 'em OK. Give it a try. (The beauty of digital is that it costs nothing but time to try something and if it doesn't work just hit the TRASH button.) Try it with the sun down below the horizon but still early to mid twilight (not total darkness). Try two bursts of 4. That gives you 8 chances of getting one good one. ISO 800, f/4.0, 1/100 shutter, aim (thru the eyepiece, NOT via the screen) and get a focal point, smooth pan with it, SNAP< SNAP< SNAP< SNAP<, finger off the shutter, then refocus, SNAP< SNAP< SNAP< SNAP<. Viewing thru the eyepiece results in a far, FAR smoother and more steady pan. Use autofocus. BTW, your camera's autofocus works best when you aim it at some area of contrast on the plane (such as a place where there is colorful paint on a light color background). Let's use the titles on the Southwest in my pic. The title SOUTHWEST is in white on dark blue fuselage paint. Because I was trying to snap this in very low light, everything is rather dark and A/F works best with light/dark contrast, so I needed to give my A/F as much "help" as possible by finding a strong area of light/dark contrast. Autofocus works best when it is aimed at distinctive contrast. So I aimed at the bottom of one of the white letters in the SOUTHWEST title, where the white meets the dark blue. Even tho the side of the jet facing me was not highly illuminated by daylight, the A/F easily detected the stark contrast between white and dark blue, "read" the distance, focused, and I panned as I snapped a 3-shot burst. As the plane swept by, I re-aimed at an area with strong contrast, the A/F refocused, and I clicked another burst. I ended up with 3 3-shot bursts; a total of 9 pics, which gave me very good odds of getting at least one keeper. (I ended up trashing 4 and keeping 5 and of those 5 I posted one here and sent the best one to an extremely important recipient agency. I don't get paid with $ for my pics because I refuse to accept $ which makes me an amateur photographer, but I do receive other forms of compensation that are, let's just say, "quite valuable.")
That's a really nice looking shot, Gary!
Thanks Greg. I suspect from your words we may be somewhere in the same age group but I've rarely been able to make a steady enough pan at low shutter speeds, younger or now. Got no probs with A/F and understanding contrast and I NEVER use the monitor screen for this type of photography. I photograph trams (streetcars as you'd call them) and I use it when necessary (over fences) but that's presetting the focus, holding it, and just let the camera run as the tram passes. I can generally get two or three then that are useful but for aircraft, viewfinder is the only way to go. All that said tho, I will keep trying panning because all the work that higher ISOs cause is a grind:)
Beautiful photo!
Thanx, BigAl. (Wave)
wow
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Date | Avion | Provenance | Destination | Départ | Arrivée | Durée |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
20-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | Sacramento Intl (KSMF) | 17h15 PDT | 18h30 PDT | Planifié |
20-04-2024 | B737 | Fresno Yosemite Intl (KFAT) | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | 15h00 PDT | 15h55 PDT | Planifié |
20-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | Fresno Yosemite Intl (KFAT) | 13h05 MDT | 14h05 PDT | Planifié |
20-04-2024 | B737 | Reno/Tahoe Intl (KRNO) | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | 09h05 PDT | 11h55 MDT | Planifié |
19-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | Reno/Tahoe Intl (KRNO) | 21h55 MDT | 22h55 PDT | Planifié |
19-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Los Angeles (KLAX) | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | 17h55 PDT | 21h00 MDT | Planifié |
19-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Oakland (KOAK) | Int'l de Los Angeles (KLAX) | 15h35 PDT | 16h45 PDT | Planifié |
19-04-2024 | B737 | John-Wayne (KSNA) | Int'l d'Oakland (KOAK) | 12h44 PDT | 13h45 PDT | 1:00 |
19-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | John-Wayne (KSNA) | 11h13 PDT | 11h53 PDT | 0:40 |
19-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Salt Lake City (KSLC) | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | 09h50 MDT | 09h50 PDT | 0:59 |
19-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | Int'l de Salt Lake City (KSLC) | 06h46 PDT | 08h40 MDT | 0:53 |
18-04-2024 | B737 | Nashville Intl (KBNA) | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | 22h10 CDT | 23h59 PDT | 3:49 |
18-04-2024 | B737 | Charleston Intl/AFB (KCHS) | Nashville Intl (KBNA) | 20h50 EDT | 21h03 CDT | 1:12 |
18-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | Charleston Intl/AFB (KCHS) | 14h55 MDT | 19h47 EDT | 2:52 |
18-04-2024 | B737 | Boise (KBOI) | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | 11h52 MDT | 13h13 MDT | 1:20 |
18-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Oakland (KOAK) | Boise (KBOI) | 08h48 PDT | 10h56 MDT | 1:07 |
18-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Seattle-Tacoma (KSEA) | Int'l d'Oakland (KOAK) | 05h55 PDT | 07h36 PDT | 1:41 |
17-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Oakland (KOAK) | Int'l de Seattle-Tacoma (KSEA) | 20h01 PDT | 21h37 PDT | 1:36 |
17-04-2024 | B737 | Palm Springs Intl (KPSP) | Int'l d'Oakland (KOAK) | 17h57 PDT | 19h04 PDT | 1:06 |
17-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | Palm Springs Intl (KPSP) | 15h58 MDT | 16h48 PDT | 1:50 |
17-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Kansas City (KMCI) | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | 13h47 CDT | 14h13 MDT | 1:25 |
17-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | Int'l de Kansas City (KMCI) | 11h19 CDT | 12h48 CDT | 1:29 |
17-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Albuquerque (KABQ) | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | 08h01 MDT | 10h19 CDT | 1:18 |
16-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | Int'l d'Albuquerque (KABQ) | 20h07 CDT | 20h43 MDT | 1:35 |
16-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Tampa (KTPA) | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | 17h34 EDT | 18h51 CDT | 2:17 |
16-04-2024 | B737 | national Ronald Reagan (KDCA) | Int'l de Tampa (KTPA) | 14h44 EDT | 16h37 EDT | 1:52 |
16-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Louis Armstrong de La Nouvelle-Orléans (KMSY) | national Ronald Reagan (KDCA) | 10h18 CDT | 13h29 EDT | 2:11 |
16-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | Int'l Louis Armstrong de La Nouvelle-Orléans (KMSY) | 08h58 EDT | 09h09 CDT | 1:10 |
16-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Raleigh-Durham (KRDU) | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | 06h40 EDT | 07h36 EDT | 0:56 |
15-04-2024 | B737 | Nashville Intl (KBNA) | Int'l de Raleigh-Durham (KRDU) | 19h59 CDT | 22h07 EDT | 1:07 |
15-04-2024 | B737 | Northwest Florida Beaches Intl (KECP) | Nashville Intl (KBNA) | 17h31 CDT | 18h37 CDT | 1:05 |
15-04-2024 | B737 | William P Hobby (KHOU) | Northwest Florida Beaches Intl (KECP) | 15h14 CDT | 16h29 CDT | 1:14 |
15-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Midway de Chicago (KMDW) | William P Hobby (KHOU) | 11h43 CDT | 13h55 CDT | 2:11 |
15-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | Int'l Midway de Chicago (KMDW) | 05h19 PDT | 10h11 CDT | 2:52 |
14-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | Int'l McCarran (KLAS) | 22h24 CDT | 23h04 PDT | 2:40 |
14-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | 20h08 EDT | 21h08 CDT | 1:59 |
14-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | 14h23 MDT | 18h41 EDT | 2:18 |
14-04-2024 | B737 | Clinton National (KLIT) | Int'l de Denver (KDEN) | 12h10 CDT | 13h03 MDT | 1:52 |
14-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Lambert-Saint Louis (KSTL) | Clinton National (KLIT) | 10h35 CDT | 11h20 CDT | 0:45 |
14-04-2024 | B737 | Southwest Florida Intl (KRSW) | Int'l de Lambert-Saint Louis (KSTL) | 08h16 EDT | 09h45 CDT | 2:29 |
13-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Thurgood Marshall de Baltimore-Washington (KBWI) | Southwest Florida Intl (KRSW) | 15h22 EDT | 17h31 EDT | 2:08 |
13-04-2024 | B737 | régional de Manchester (KMHT) | Int'l Thurgood Marshall de Baltimore-Washington (KBWI) | 12h39 EDT | 13h45 EDT | 1:06 |
13-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Midway de Chicago (KMDW) | régional de Manchester (KMHT) | 09h00 CDT | 11h46 EDT | 1:45 |
13-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Memphis (KMEM) | Int'l Midway de Chicago (KMDW) | 06h04 CDT | 07h21 CDT | 1:16 |
12-04-2024 | B737 | William P Hobby (KHOU) | Int'l de Memphis (KMEM) | 20h02 CDT | 21h08 CDT | 1:05 |
12-04-2024 | B737 | Los Cabos Int'l (SJD / MMSD) | William P Hobby (KHOU) | 13h57 MST | 17h51 CDT | 1:53 |
12-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Sky Harbor de Phoenix (KPHX) | Los Cabos Int'l (SJD / MMSD) | 10h57 MST | 12h45 MST | 1:47 |
12-04-2024 | B737 | El Paso Intl (KELP) | Int'l Sky Harbor de Phoenix (KPHX) | 09h37 MDT | 09h32 MST | 0:55 |
12-04-2024 | B737 | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | El Paso Intl (KELP) | 08h06 CDT | 08h33 MDT | 1:26 |
11-04-2024 | B737 | El Paso Intl (KELP) | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | 18h31 MDT | 20h43 CDT | 1:12 |
11-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | El Paso Intl (KELP) | 17h30 CDT | 17h47 MDT | 1:16 |
11-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | Int'l Austin-Bergstrom (KAUS) | 15h08 EDT | 16h15 CDT | 2:06 |
11-04-2024 | B737 | national Ronald Reagan (KDCA) | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | 12h12 EDT | 13h41 EDT | 1:29 |
11-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l General Mitchell de Milwaukee (KMKE) | national Ronald Reagan (KDCA) | 08h24 CDT | 10h56 EDT | 1:31 |
10-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | Int'l General Mitchell de Milwaukee (KMKE) | 19h48 EDT | 20h17 CDT | 1:28 |
10-04-2024 | B737 | Southwest Florida Intl (KRSW) | Int'l Hartsfield-Jackson d'Atlanta (KATL) | 16h44 EDT | 18h00 EDT | 1:15 |
10-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l Thurgood Marshall de Baltimore-Washington (KBWI) | Southwest Florida Intl (KRSW) | 13h16 EDT | 15h24 EDT | 2:07 |
10-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Buffalo-Niagara (KBUF) | Int'l Thurgood Marshall de Baltimore-Washington (KBWI) | 10h41 EDT | 11h33 EDT | 0:51 |
10-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Orlando (KMCO) | Int'l de Buffalo-Niagara (KBUF) | 07h13 EDT | 09h28 EDT | 2:15 |
09-04-2024 | B737 | John Glenn Columbus Intl Airport (KCMH) | Int'l d'Orlando (KMCO) | 19h45 EDT | 21h36 EDT | 1:50 |
09-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Orlando (KMCO) | John Glenn Columbus Intl Airport (KCMH) | 16h52 EDT | 18h39 EDT | 1:46 |
09-04-2024 | B737 | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | Int'l d'Orlando (KMCO) | 11h16 CDT | 14h24 EDT | 2:07 |
09-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l d'Orlando (KMCO) | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | 07h01 EDT | 09h28 CDT | 3:27 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | Int'l d'Orlando (KMCO) | 19h47 CDT | 23h12 EDT | 2:24 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | Colorado Sprgs Muni (KCOS) | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | 16h14 MDT | 18h40 CDT | 1:25 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | Colorado Sprgs Muni (KCOS) | 14h47 CDT | 15h23 MDT | 1:36 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | William P Hobby (KHOU) | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | 12h43 CDT | 13h26 CDT | 0:43 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | Corpus Christi Intl (KCRP) | William P Hobby (KHOU) | 10h47 CDT | 11h18 CDT | 0:30 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | William P Hobby (KHOU) | Corpus Christi Intl (KCRP) | 09h05 CDT | 09h45 CDT | 0:39 |
08-04-2024 | B737 | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | William P Hobby (KHOU) | 07h10 CDT | 07h54 CDT | 0:44 |
07-04-2024 | B737 | Int'l de Lambert-Saint Louis (KSTL) | Dallas Love Fld (KDAL) | 21h53 CDT | 23h19 CDT | 1:25 |
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