Aerial shots

[hedley]

My son is just about to do his first skydive and landing on a beach. I would appreciate any technical advise you can give me on how to photograph him from the ground without him being a silhouette aginst the sky. What is the best set up. I have a canon 50D, Tamron 18-270 Canon 55-250 f4 and 17-55 f2.8.
Any advise please.
Hedley

[Doug Sundseth]

You're probably going to be shooting something dark and far away against a very bright sky. I would recommend starting with the longest lens you have (preferably with stabilization) and adding some exposure compensation. (The camera will likely expose to make the tone of the sky a neutral gray.) Note that the sky may well blow out when the skydiver is correctly exposed.

I'd recommend checking your exposure on the subject early (by looking at the image on the back of the camera blown up as far as your camera will let you). That way you can adjust the exposure as needed while he is still available as a subject.

[scootermcq]

Shoot in bracket mode. Combine the images of the well exposed skydiver with the well exposed sky & get one well exposed image.....