Light aircraft and CPL

Having spent a week in the Outback of NSW & SA, I've come back with some photos that include Lake Eyre - with water in it. It's been wet there two years running (pardon the pun) - that is rare in European history AFAIK.

Given it's isolated and remote, the only way I could take pictures of it was to fly and shoot at the same time. I had a CPL fitted to the 16-45, in front of the K5.

As can be seen, the CPL cannot compensate for the many reflections inside the cockpit on a harshly-lit Outback day (however it is rotated). Thus, these photos will not be posted on the 'Your Photos' forum - the quality just isn't there.

Pics taken below 10,000'.

[IMG]http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy9/i_berg/Lake%20Eyre/IMGP2443.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy9/i_berg/Lake%20Eyre/IMGP2365.jpg[/IMG]

[IMG]http://i772.photobucket.com/albums/yy9/i_berg/Lake%20Eyre/IMGP2389.jpg[/IMG]

While the images didn't turn out as I had hoped, at least I was privileged to see the Lake as something other than a dry salt pan - and it's worth seeing given it's size (9,500 sq km).

Hi i-Berg,

Your shots are still pretty good,A slight tweak in Photoshop (or other photo software) should have them look sparkling!
The best way to take aerial shots from your Cessna is to shoot through an open window. Failing that fit a soft rubber lens hood and get as close to the perspex the perspex as you can without touching (so as not to pick up vibration from the airframe.
Polarising Filters can reduce glare from reflections and intensify blue sky if used at the optimum angle but they cannot always make reflections disappear completely.

Best Regards - Pete

Cheers Pete, some p-p may work as you say.

Strategically placed bits of black card, moving reflective ojects so they don't reflect in the windows, and in your case the luxury of being able to turn the aircraft in order to minimise reflections can all help to improve the shots.. That being said, the pics are pretty good anyway! Using longer focal lenths and taking the same image through different parts of the window, so you have a number of images to choose from, can also help. I rarely shoot below 24mm.