Welcome to Charlotte

[FrankMi]

I went out to the airport observation area the other day to test out a Red Dot Laser for my camera on aircraft as they have a predictable flight pattern. Hopefully the Red Dot will help me improve my BIF framing but more on that in later posts after I get some practice on something more unpredictable than aircraft!

While I was working on my Red Dot tests I became frustrated, not at the Red Dot, but rather because I found myself trying to get a particular shot of a landing aircraft with the Charlotte city skyline in the background. At first the skyline was much too hazy and the middle-ground way to busy. But the really frustrating part was that these pilots were usually right on the money and touching down too soon to get the composition I wanted!

I finally opted to 'make' the image I was trying to get by merging a shot of an aircraft, a middle-ground shot that wasn't too busy, and a skyline from late in the day when the haze in the air had pretty much dissipated.

I'm sure that this will be grossly indecent for the purist 'SOOC Only' group but it was a fun exercise, so if you are a purist - - - don't look!



The kind of comments I am looking for here are those that will make the image look as realistic as possible and more like a single image photograph. Of course, any other comments and critiques are welcome as well.

[Shadowman]

I think what you have looks fine. Are you saying you want more vivid colors in the skyline? How did the skyline look to you with your own eyes?

In addition, pointing any laser device at an airplane would be nerve wracking enough, let alone trying to get the shot.

[FrankMi]

I think what you have looks fine. Are you saying you want more vivid colors in the skyline? How did the skyline look to you with your own eyes?

In addition, pointing any laser device at an airplane would be nerve wracking enough, let alone trying to get the shot.

The original skyline was quite hazy and difficult to make out the building details. Although not as sharp and clear as it could be, the skyline here is sufficient, particularly as it is not the prime object in this scene.

The Red Dot does NOT emit any light. It simply puts a 'dot' on the device's lens. Because of the optics involved, the 'dot' is the exact center of where the camera lens is pointing. This allows you to hold the camera at arm's length with both eyes open so that, particularly with telephoto lenses, you don't loose track of fast moving objects with erratic movements. Well, that's the theory at any rate!

[IzzieK]

You know, I would have just taken the shot without anything but my camera and my zoom lens...the more you fiddle with stuffs, the quicker you lose a shot. Anyway, your shot is good and sharp from my point of view here, I just do not like those blue city buildings. Maybe you can do selective mix B/W and colour and add some haze to the background? That will make your airplane shot pop out. Just a suggestion...

[Shadowman]

You know, I would have just taken the shot without anything but my camera and my zoom lens...the more you fiddle with stuffs, the quicker you lose a shot. Anyway, your shot is good and sharp from my point of view here, I just do not like those blue city buildings. Maybe you can do selective mix B/W and colour and add some haze to the background? That will make your airplane shot pop out. Just a suggestion...

An artist would deliberately paint the skyline with cool (blue) hues to give the image depth. Which is why I asked Frank if it (the skyline) appeared as he saw it. I too would have added a bit of warmth to the skyline, with the assumption that the size relationship between the jet and the buildings would provide enough appearance of depth. However, adding to much tone or color to the buildings would probably compete with the subject which is the jet as it lands.

[Glenn NK]

Looks good to me.

I wonder what term they used for SOOC in the film days?

Aren't most airports near cities - the skyline seems a pretty typical BG.

[Shadowman]

Looks good to me.

Aren't most airports near cities - the skyline seems a pretty typical BG.

Depends on the city. The Dallas airport is so far away from the city it's probably in another time zone.

SOOC in film days was probably called WYSIWYG.

[Stagecoach]

Frank,

The problem I have with this image is that although you have the runway perfectly parallel to the camera the landing gear seems way off parallel to the runway at that height from the ground, it does not look right to me.

Grahame

[FrankMi]

You know, I would have just taken the shot without anything but my camera and my zoom lens...the more you fiddle with stuffs, the quicker you lose a shot. Anyway, your shot is good and sharp from my point of view here, I just do not like those blue city buildings. Maybe you can do selective mix B/W and colour and add some haze to the background? That will make your airplane shot pop out. Just a suggestion...

Now that I look closer at it Izzie, it does look quite blue. I hadn't tried to change the color at all, my goal was to get the skyline as clear as I could get it. This is what the skyline looked like earlier in the day.



This is also the image used for the foreground and middle-ground. It may be worth a shot to warm the skyline background up a bit. Thank you for sharing your view!

[FrankMi]

Aren't most airports near cities - the skyline seems a pretty typical BG.

Where I'm standing at the CLT airport is just over 6 miles from the buildings you see in the background Glenn. Certainly enough for atmospheric haze to play a part in the color of the skyline.

Thank you for viewing and commenting!

[FrankMi]

Frank,

The problem I have with this image is that although you have the runway perfectly parallel to the camera the landing gear seems way off parallel to the runway at that height from the ground, it does not look right to me.

Grahame

Great catch Graham!

The aircraft image I had was slightly left of this position in the original so the main gear doesn't line up! I should have noticed that when I selected this particular aircraft. That is something I'll need to be on the lookout for if I ever try this kind of composite again. Thank you for the keen eye and sharing your impressions!

Although it was fun to play with, it's also heading for the trash or, if I get bored, at least a rework!

[FrankMi]

Thanks John for chipping in with additional replies and comments!

[IzzieK]

Please do not be offended....When I suggested to change the skyline to B/W, I was thinking of haze, not the way it looked in the first photo. The second photo of the more hazy skyline is more to it without changing it to B/W because it will emphasize the airplane. I am not suggesting to add too much tone nor colour, in fact what I was thinking is to blur the skyline a bit like the second photo or turn it to subtle B/W to make the airplane pop up. I am not an expert but to my eyes, if you are taking a shot of the airplane, it should be the main focus and not the skyline much though sometimes it depends on the shot whether the clouds are there or not. Since it is not and the temperature was hazy to begin with, why not blur the skyline a little bit more like the second photo. If it is blue, then make it blue, but not that sharp blue as in the first photo. Am I making any sense? (English is not my first language if you must know...I will probably be thrown out of court if I have to testify because I cannot for the life of me explain myself properly. But that is the real me, believe me, not joking this time.) The way I look at it, the skyline and the airplane are fighting for position on who is the main subject.

An artist would deliberately paint the skyline with cool (blue) hues to give the image depth. Which is why I asked Frank if it (the skyline) appeared as he saw it. I too would have added a bit of warmth to the skyline, with the assumption that the size relationship between the jet and the buildings would provide enough appearance of depth. However, adding to much tone or color to the buildings would probably compete with the subject which is the jet as it lands.

[Colin Southern]

I went out to the airport observation area the other day to test out a Red Dot Laser for my camera on aircraft as they have a predictable flight pattern. Hopefully the Red Dot will help me improve my BIF framing but more on that in later posts after I get some practice on something more unpredictable than aircraft!

While I was working on my Red Dot tests I became frustrated, not at the Red Dot, but rather because I found myself trying to get a particular shot of a landing aircraft with the Charlotte city skyline in the background. At first the skyline was much too hazy and the middle-ground way to busy. But the really frustrating part was that these pilots were usually right on the money and touching down too soon to get the composition I wanted!

I finally opted to 'make' the image I was trying to get by merging a shot of an aircraft, a middle-ground shot that wasn't too busy, and a skyline from late in the day when the haze in the air had pretty much dissipated.

I'm sure that this will be grossly indecent for the purist 'SOOC Only' group but it was a fun exercise, so if you are a purist - - - don't look!



The kind of comments I am looking for here are those that will make the image look as realistic as possible and more like a single image photograph. Of course, any other comments and critiques are welcome as well.

If the aircraft and the skyline weren't there - so all you had was the runway, the grass, and the taxiway, you'd have the foundations of a shot worth millions.

Anyone else see the potential for the synergy with the worlds most expensive photo (Rhine II)?

[Richard Lundberg]

some work in an app I won't mention for obvious reasons

[Stagecoach]

Richard,

I'm intrigued at your reasoning for taking a very well PPd image (forgetting the landing geometry) and making it worse?

Grahame

[Colin Southern]

Richard,

I'm intrigued at your reasoning for taking a very well PPd image (forgetting the landing geometry) and making it worse?

Grahame

I'm was wondering exactly the same thing to be honest.

[FrankMi]

One more try but in reality, I've gone about as far as I can with this set of images. It is definitely time to take what I have learned from the kind folks here at CiC and go back for a re-shoot!

I'll leave the skyline much as it was and although I didn't have an aircraft image that lined up with the runway it shouldn't look as bad as the runway alignment is not visible in this image.

Let's call this one "Wings Over Charlotte".

[Stagecoach]

Frank,

I had a thought If you take the original background layer and distort the horizontal perspective (I used the PSE lens distortion tools) you can get the runway sloping down towards the right hand corner. Just an idea and may be something you have not considered.

Grahame

[FrankMi]

Frank,

I had a thought If you take the original background layer and distort the horizontal perspective (I used the PSE lens distortion tools) you can get the runway sloping down towards the right hand corner. Just an idea and may be something you have not considered.

Grahame

Thank you for your insight, Grahame! I tried sloping the runway and unfortunately, it made it look like the runway wasn't level but rather ran down hill to the right. BUT - you put me onto looking closer at the issue and I realized that although it wasn't obvious at a glance, it was the concrete seams and runway lights that were the problem! So, I flipped just the runway horizontally so that the seams and the wheels were running in the same diagonal direction. Take a look and see if this makes a positive difference?

Please do not be offended....When I suggested to change the skyline to B/W, I was thinking of haze, not the way it looked in the first photo. The second photo of the more hazy skyline is more to it without changing it to B/W because it will emphasize the airplane. I am not suggesting to add too much tone nor colour, in fact what I was thinking is to blur the skyline a bit like the second photo or turn it to subtle B/W to make the airplane pop up. I am not an expert but to my eyes, if you are taking a shot of the airplane, it should be the main focus and not the skyline much though sometimes it depends on the shot whether the clouds are there or not. Since it is not and the temperature was hazy to begin with, why not blur the skyline a little bit more like the second photo. If it is blue, then make it blue, but not that sharp blue as in the first photo. Am I making any sense? (English is not my first language if you must know...I will probably be thrown out of court if I have to testify because I cannot for the life of me explain myself properly. But that is the real me, believe me, not joking this time.) The way I look at it, the skyline and the airplane are fighting for position on who is the main subject.

I appreciate your comments Izzie and I have been thinking for a while now about what you are experiencing as a viewer. Now that I've been nudged into giving this image one more try, I decided to also incorporate your thoughts and decrease the intensity of the blue in the skyline and try to get it to be less in competition with the aircraft. At the same time, I boosted the aircraft's contrast a hair to make it stand out better against the background. Hopefully I haven't gone too far (a failing I experience all too often) and the results are now a little more realistic. I hope this looks better to you!