Duxford Battle of Britain Air Show. Sept 5th 2010.

I'd be grateful for constructive comments on the compositions here. I am aware of the technical deficiencies, (camera shake, poor focussing, incorrect shutter/aperture choice to name but three), my main excuse is that I don't normally 'do' moving things - especially when they are going like the clappers at 400mph!
The weather was nearly perfect, with the sun over my right shoulder, and in the BBMF pair I think the patches of blue sky make the pictures.
All with the K10D and Sigma 18-200.

Spitfire MkVb from the BBMF.



The BBMF, Hurricane, Lancaster, Spitfire.



The Aerostars Yak Display Team.

I had a look at the EXIF detail immediately because the first one in particular looked over-sharpened to me. You've wound up the in-camera sharpness, contrast and saturation to the max. My advice, if you are shooting JPEG is to set contrast and saturation back to the default and sharpness to +1. If you are shooting RAW I'd set them all to the default.

You can then adjust to your heart's content in the comfort of your home later.

There are some very experienced aircraft shooters here who will be able to offer more specific advice.

I cant help thinking that the first and last might actually be improved by rotating them 90 degrees.

Interesting comments, thanks, just the sort of thing I was looking for.

No. 1 is a crop and like 3 is orientated as I shot them.
No. 2 is one of a sequence of 25. The aircraft did indeen continue to cross in front of me. I chose this one as it has the aircraft in a good position to the blue sky, but here's a later one and I see what you mean. A tighter drop still might distract from the etherial image that I was trying to achieve. (The focus is also going to pot). Even later in the sequence there is too much reflection on the Lancaster fuselage and it burns out.




Here also is a tighter crop on the Yaks, any more and I think you'd lose the context given by the smoke trails.




gartmore, thanks for the tips on sharpness, contrast & saturation.

David

I love the Spitfire image. I saw it at Chartwell last Saturday.....it has been busy!