Aircraft Shots 11
It had been about a month and half since I last headed out to take photos at the airport, and I also heard that there was a new spotting location, so I decided to head out that way yesterday morning to take a look around. Getting up around 0500, the weather report was indicating that there were northerly to north-easterly winds, which would hopefully help with shooting from the new location: the new boat ramp area off Foreshore Road. I made my way there, and sure enough, there was a boat ramp area with a shortish breakwater that jutted a little outwards. It was located roughly in line with the start of runway 34L and halfway down runway 34R, but unfortunately, it really is a bit too far for photos. With my Sigma 135-400 lens coupled with a 1.5x TC, giving me a focal length of 600mm, I would still have to do some cropping to get shots of the arrivals to 34L. Runway 34R is within reach, but since that runway is mostly domestic traffic with little aircraft like 737s, A320/1s and the odd 767 or so, I'm not that interested. The weather wasn't cooperating either, and with clouds everywhere, it was a dark and gloomy start to the day and that meant bad light, making it hard to take photos.
I could have waited until the light got better, but with the conditions, it seemed that I might have had to wait a while, so I decided to cut my loses and head elsewhere. The radar field was nearby, and since I've never had a proper look at that area, that was my next stop. I followed Ulm road all the way to the end, noticed there was open gate and drove though until I got near the radar mound. There are actually two mound areas, one adjacent to taxiway Bravo 10 and I did go up there for a bit to take a look, and there is also a mound area adjacent to taxiway Charlie, which is where I ended up since I believed it offered a better view. And damn was the view awesome. I was at an elevated position, off taxiway Charlie and with basically a view overlooking any activity from the start to about the centre of the 34L and its adjacent taxiways. There wasn't as much international traffic as I would have liked, but I caught arrivals and departures from 34L, and a slew of activity on taxiway Charlie. At one point, it was hard deciding where to shoot since there was so much movement everywhere.
Somehow, it seemed too good to be true, and after about half an hour or so of being at that location, it was too good to be true. One of the security patrols within the perimeter of the airport stopped by the fence, sounded his siren and motioned me over. After hiking though the long overgrown grass down to the fence, I was then advised that the area I was on was restricted property and under the Inclosed Lands Act (if I remember correctly), I could face persecution by the AFP and that I was being asked to move on. Grudgingly I complied with the instructions, and made my way back towards my vehicle. As I got near my vehicle, I noticed that there was yet another security vehicle hovering around it, as if it was there to make sure I was leaving. Well, with the fun over, I headed over to the familiar place of the Beach fenceline.
However, having just had a taste of an awesome view, the fenceline really really paled in comparison, and because it was morning, meaning bad backlighting, I decided to call and end to my little shoot. I had intended to give my Sigma 135-400mm as well as Kenko 1.5x TC some use to get familiar with their characteristics, but the light at the boat ramp was too bad to allow any shots that could produce a meaningful result. Once I moved over to the radar field though, I was close to the action, in fact, a bit too close for the 135-400, so I swapped over to the 55-300, and the Sigma and Kenko went back into the bag. All photos are up in my aircraft shots set, with a little taste here:
Untitled Boeing 747 freighter
There was quite a bit of activity on taxiway Charlie
It was a good chance to practice some panning
I could have waited until the light got better, but with the conditions, it seemed that I might have had to wait a while, so I decided to cut my loses and head elsewhere. The radar field was nearby, and since I've never had a proper look at that area, that was my next stop. I followed Ulm road all the way to the end, noticed there was open gate and drove though until I got near the radar mound. There are actually two mound areas, one adjacent to taxiway Bravo 10 and I did go up there for a bit to take a look, and there is also a mound area adjacent to taxiway Charlie, which is where I ended up since I believed it offered a better view. And damn was the view awesome. I was at an elevated position, off taxiway Charlie and with basically a view overlooking any activity from the start to about the centre of the 34L and its adjacent taxiways. There wasn't as much international traffic as I would have liked, but I caught arrivals and departures from 34L, and a slew of activity on taxiway Charlie. At one point, it was hard deciding where to shoot since there was so much movement everywhere.
Somehow, it seemed too good to be true, and after about half an hour or so of being at that location, it was too good to be true. One of the security patrols within the perimeter of the airport stopped by the fence, sounded his siren and motioned me over. After hiking though the long overgrown grass down to the fence, I was then advised that the area I was on was restricted property and under the Inclosed Lands Act (if I remember correctly), I could face persecution by the AFP and that I was being asked to move on. Grudgingly I complied with the instructions, and made my way back towards my vehicle. As I got near my vehicle, I noticed that there was yet another security vehicle hovering around it, as if it was there to make sure I was leaving. Well, with the fun over, I headed over to the familiar place of the Beach fenceline.
However, having just had a taste of an awesome view, the fenceline really really paled in comparison, and because it was morning, meaning bad backlighting, I decided to call and end to my little shoot. I had intended to give my Sigma 135-400mm as well as Kenko 1.5x TC some use to get familiar with their characteristics, but the light at the boat ramp was too bad to allow any shots that could produce a meaningful result. Once I moved over to the radar field though, I was close to the action, in fact, a bit too close for the 135-400, so I swapped over to the 55-300, and the Sigma and Kenko went back into the bag. All photos are up in my aircraft shots set, with a little taste here:
Untitled Boeing 747 freighter
There was quite a bit of activity on taxiway Charlie
It was a good chance to practice some panning