Private Residence Aerial Photo

TangoJuliet

I recently started using a big, light, electric powered R/C airplane with a Canon 350D and 18-55mm Lens to do Aerial Photography. I was able to capture this Private Residence in west Mobile, AL, the other day. From ground level it's very private and can't really be seen. It's location is also a little odd. It's smack dab in the middle of suburbia. The architecture reminds me of something from a James Bond film.

SimpsonBrothers

how do you trigger the camera?

TangoJuliet

SimpsonBrothers wrote:

how do you trigger the camera?

I have an electronic interface with the R/C reciever to the camera's external shutter release jack. When I flick a switch on my transmitter, it trips the shutter. For this type of shooting, I use the Auto Mode of the camera. Perhaps not the "Professionals" choice to shoot anything, but the best choice for consistant results.

SimpsonBrothers

Pretty cool!

mercphoto

Neat view, neat trick! How many shots do you have to try to get a keeper?

TangoJuliet

mercphoto wrote:

Neat view, neat trick! How many shots do you have to try to get a keeper?

Right now, that's the only rub. Until I get a video downlink system, I'm shooting in the blind.

To answer your question though, this property wasn't my primary objective, rather it was my own apartment complex. I think I shot 68 images. Five of them had this property in them, and only two of those were kept. The other is essentially the same shot, but with a roadway in the lower left of the composition. All the "keepers" still needed to be straightened, cropped, and adjusted for levels and sharpness using PSE 8.

Foques

i'm really curious how the plane looks... i'm sorry, i'm a geek at heart

squirl033

very cool! is that sand surrounding that star=shaped building, or just dead grass??

vintagemxr

A buddy and I made a "camera plane" back in the late '70s and it was great fun. I always wanted to try it again now that R/C gear and cameras are a wee bit improved.

Nice site here for tech info and discussion on low level aerial photography using R/C planes and helicopters. AP Landing

Doug

TangoJuliet

The only pictures I have of the airplane are on my desktop at home and I'm on my laptop at the moment. There is, however, some video of it on youtube taken by a friend at our local R/C field one morning about 3 weeks ago while doing the test flights. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6V3uSsZBgJY&playnext_from=TL&videos=-1mMaBnBea0

There are a few videos of it there, including a short one showing the camera mounted on it. The camera sits just below the arc of the propeller between the landing gear. In the video, a small R/C fuel tank, for nitro fuel, was filled with lead shot to the same weight as the camera and held in place with rubber bands for the initial tests. The camera mounts using a 1/4-20 nylon bolt into the bottom just like on a tripod mount.

The design is one of several by Mike Evans, an R/C'er and Photographer in Minnesota. He goes by the name of "Power" on RCGroups.com. All of his designs are purpose designed for Aerial Photography/Videography. Mine is the "Super Solution" and is the only one (currently) designed for the DSLR.

I've heard of APLanding.com, but haven't checked into it yet.

PilotBrad

<<=== That's my house! (see Avatar)

Kewl pic, and what a strange looking place.

pathfinder

TangoJuliet wrote:

I recently started using a big, light, electric powered R/C airplane with a Canon 350D and 18-55mm Lens to do Aerial Photography. I was able to capture this Private Residence in west Mobile, AL, the other day. From ground level it's very private and can't really be seen. It's location is also a little odd. It's smack dab in the middle of suburbia. The architecture reminds me of something from a James Bond film.

Quite impressive.

Have you looked for this place on google maps?

It should be able to be seen if you know the basic location to start from.

schmoo

PilotBrad wrote:

<<=== That's my house! (see Avatar)

Kewl pic, and what a strange looking place.

<img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/rolleyes1.gif&quot; border="0" alt="" >

TangoJuliet

pathfinder wrote:

Have you looked for this place on google maps?

It should be able to be seen if you know the basic location to start from.

No, I haven't, but I'm sure it's there because it's basically across the street from where I live and I've found my apartments, but the quality wouldn't be near as good. I was standing in an open field south of my apartment complex and this place is south of the field.

All things Alpine

thought some of you might be interested in this:

http://www.petapixel.com/2010/04/04/photographer-customizes-helicam-for-7d/