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Everyone fortunate enough to have a window seat during a flight knows first-hand how beautiful the world can look from the skies. However, photographers also know how hard it is to actually get good photos from a plane, especially a commercial flight, even if the views are spectacular. Professional photographer Graham Washatka recently traveled from Chicago to San Francisco and then San Francisco to Denver for a commercial photo shoot and took the opportunity to capture some stellar aerial shots, proving that photographers can capture great photos from a commercial airliner. San Francisco, California The same image before Washatka processed it in Adobe Lightroom Lightroom Saves the Day “These are all processed in Lightroom and most of the settings were not different than my normal editing,” Washatka tells PetaPixel. “The big difference from my normal edits are the Dehaze, Texture and Clarity.” The photographer set the Dehaze and Texture sliders in Lightroom to around +50. The Clarity slider was set to around +20.
Before editing Little Potato Slough Bridge in Lodi, California “These photos came out really flat in the RAWs and on the back of the camera. I had no idea I got images of these stunning scenes until the right settings clicked together in Lightroom.” He also used Adobe’s AI-powered LR Denoise for some of the photos. The RAW image straight from the camera lacks a lot of the contrast and detail of the final processed photograph. The Colorado River, just before it merges with the Green River. How to Give Yourself the Best Chance for Success Now that the photographer knows how great images shot from planes can turn out, he has some practical advice for other aspiring aerial photographers. Washatka says to research the airports you’ll visit on your journey and determine which side of the plane will work best for the time of day and location. Although it’s not visible below the clouds, this was shot above the Stanislaus National Forest in California. While Washatka says photographers should try to sit somewhere away from the plane’s wings, the wings can be an interesting compositional element.
Beyond avoiding a seat near the plane’s wings, the photographer also recommends picking a seat on the north side of the plane, if possible, to prevent the sunlight from disturbing others around you and to reduce the glare on the window. Torrey, Utah and the Capitol Reef National Park “You won’t have the dramatic effects of backlighting, but the terrain provided plenty of the drama and the focusing and composing is easier in this direction,” Washatka explains. The Nikon Z8 in a Plane is Different From Washatka’s Typical DJI Drone The commercial photographer is no stranger to aerial photography in general, as he is a licensed drone pilot and does some professional photography work using his DJI Mavic Air 3. “I probably used a drone on 5% of my jobs last year,” Washatka says. Torrey, Utah and the Capitol Reef National Park Torrey, Utah and the Capitol Reef National Park
Since he doesn’t use a drone all that much in his professional work, he can’t justify spending the money on a drone with a very high-end imaging system, like DJI’s Inspire series. Camera Settings and Advice For these new airplane photos, Washatka went with his trusty Nikon Z8 mirrorless camera and the Nikkor Z 24-120mm f/4 S lens. He says about 90% of the photos were shot at ISO 400 with a 1/1250s shutter speed. “But at 120mm, I don’t think the 1/1250s shutter speed was fast enough… I didn’t factor in the 600 MPH speed of the plane enough. I think I missed a decent shot of the merging of the Green and Colorado rivers because of it, and other interesting compositions.” Horseshoe Basin Washatka originally planned to just snap a few photos during takeoff and landing. However, during the flight, he was in awe of the landscape below him and spent more than an hour shooting continuously. Above Paonia, Colorado
Mt. Gunnison in Colorado “I took over 800 photos and was constantly looking for an interesting composition… I had zero idea they would turn out so good!” Washatka says. Your Next Flight Is a Great Chance to Take Photos For any photographer with air travel on the horizon, it is well worth planning, scouting the flight path, and picking an ideal seat. While weather and lighting are unpredictable, it’s immediately apparent that taking great aerial landscape photos from a commercial flight is possible. Bull Hill in Colorado Tarryall Creek near the Tarryal Reservoir in Jefferson, Colorado With thoughtful planning, good compositions, a bit of luck, and some Lightroom magic, it’s amazing what can be accomplished. And hey, the worst-case scenario is that you found a fun way to pass the time on your flight.
Image credits: All photos © Graham Washatka. Graham Washatka is a commercial photographer based in Wisconsin. He also recently founded a non-profit photograph organization, Photo Opp, alongside John Adams and Mark Ferrell. The organization has a large studio, event space, and darkroom in a newly renovated 100-year-old synagogue. The organization hosts events, including photography workshops, photo walks, film development nights, and gallery shows.
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