[PHOTOS] One was from the sky, shooting air
Hello everyone! I'm not very prolific on the blog and I'm sorry. This will not work out, because 2012 will be very busy for me 
I wanted to share a project I had in mind for a few years photographing the sky from the beaches of southern France. Not at 45 ° as most aerial photographs, but in a more original 90 ° to create patterns with different landscapes. I grant you, some kind of Earth from above as "urban-summer"
After a week of preparation and scooting, I learned by heart my road map through Google Maps and Flickr. In flight, if your budget is limited, we must move very fast, every minute counts. I also spent some time looking for a driver available for such projects. Not a single aerial photograph that I could have done by plane, because the project asked that I be at 90 ° ground so slightly outside the unit. So I found the ideal the Hughes 300 helicopter (now Schweizer 300 or Sikorsky S-300C). Small, light, and especially an accessible ramp to put my feet on the outside!
For equipment, I was asked to travel light. Hard knowing me. So I chose three optical. The 70-200mm on 5Dmark II, the 24-70mm f / 2.8 in backup, the 24mm TSE (Tilt Shift) on 1div to have a 31mm TSE. I tried to rent a 45mm TSE in vain. When will a real site rental gear picture in France.
Departure of the helicopter
Initial tests with the 24mm TSE to refine my settings.
Yeah, I still prefer my fiddle case
Hovering above the harbor. I get off on the trek of the chopper, while keeping a portion of the seat (it looks but it is not high . Even hanging by the seat belt (same as on airplanes!), I remained obsessed with this simple little hook that held my life
OK, we dash! I'm going to throw
Go! Here we go! CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK, CLICK ...
STOP.
A beautiful series of photos all white!
After staying the finger like a nutcase for at least 4 long (and expensive) minutes, I look at my screen and the tragedy of all white pictures 5s ....... ....... 10s 20s ..... go there and tilt! This Wheel's **** 5D mark II was still switchée program while I was hanging on the progress of the chopper! I understand why Canon offers a locking wheel three years after the release of this box ... Well no time to hate Canon (this time , I take the shot, quick check on the screen and not totally satisfied with the settings. With the speed of the helicopter, even at 1/1200s I was getting blurry light (M mode). So I live past 400 ISO to get a correct expo to 1/2500s, while asking the driver to slow its speed. Opening level I was at f / 3.5 on the 70-200mm 2.8 IS II. f / 3.5 for the more closed, I would lose exposure to light. Unable to open either, as to my depth of field 2.8 and the edges of images, might give soft things. A real headache that I had happily anticipated.
Another inconvenience of time darkening the viewfinder on the 5D mark II, long enough between each burst. We all know this is not a sport that 5D, but it had never much bothered me! With the speed of the helicopter, the wind that made me cry, I need all the availability of the viewfinder.
Beach sunset
Range through the Grand
Beach of La Grande Motte
Swimming in the ocean, Playa de la Grande Motte
Relaxing summer beach of La Grande Motte
Relaxing summer beach of La Grande Motte
Relaxing summer beach of La Grande Motte
Volleyball players, beach of La Grande Motte
Private beach, Plage de la Grande Motte
Playground, beach of La Grande Motte
Kayak, Le Ponant, Grande Motte
Port La Grande Motte
The west, La Grande Motte
Water Park of La Grande Motte
Water Park of La Grande Motte
Photo made on 1D 24mm TSE. That's when I realized investment do in this case. The viewfinder was more comfortable, better protected from the wind, more widely available between each burst, and bursts ... yummy!. brief a pleasure compared to 5D mark II. If I had known.
Villa neighborhood in Canon 24mm (1.3 x the 1D) tilt and shift, the Grande Motte Golf
The last putt, Golf de la Grande Motte
Golf de la Grande Motte
Tennis Grande Motte
A big thank you to Mr. Godard Helisud for his outstanding steering and sympathy
And here's a video unpretentious (shame ...):
I welcome your comments on this series. Tomorrow I leave for Guyana for a few shoots I hope to share soon in March 2012
@ Soon!
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17 reactions
Nice shots well colored. It's refreshing! This is reminiscent of Vincent Laforet photos taken from helicopter.
Thank you for this feedback and impressions. Beautiful pictures Merwen
Superb! I'm uber fan!
Superb and very contemporary
merwen super project! it's great!
Good morning. I love this kind of pictures that I realized for me with a kite that allows the aerial photo at very low altitude in complete discretion.
This is splendid, as dab, I'm a fan squarely. It's colorful, original, I never tire of watching! Incredible. Bravo!
It's just too much! It gives a toy's effect from beginning to end I find, even at 70-200mm. You did something about it or it's just the magic of the 90 ° + TV? I love it. I want to do the same!
You have most of the crop your photos and then you managed to fit perfectly for your position in the chopper?
Fan of the fifth with the bike and towels on the tracks of a vehicle and that of the water park with the girl in the slide.
Congratulations my friend. I like it, and without criticism for once! lol
The images are graphic and colored to perfection! It is a vision more than original that you offer us! (I think of watching the skies this summer on my towel
! ), And as usual, your idea is implemented perfectly! 
My favorites are going to the beach from the main mound and two towels on their amoureu violet and pink, alone in the world
Top views! I love, very graphic, colorful and of course, that unusual. These towels, which is great, and tennis.
@ Olivier: Thanks for your opinion!
@ Yes watch out next summer
I love the lovers also ..
@ BLG: Yes magic of 90 °
very little light or cropping. I tried using the zoom to get the desired result when shooting. For the water park have you noticed the parents below, near the slide 
@ Agnes: Thank you!
@ Philip: Hard to find the kite angle and the desired topic, but it's cheaper and faster I confess. I contacted a photographer who used this technique and another with an airship; But I would absolutely have the 90 degree angle while having the opportunity to accurately frame my subjects.
@ Dexter971: Thank you
The Hedgehog @ Alain: Thank you
@ Alex: Thank you
@ Gotcha: cool is cool.
@ Vincent: One of my mentors, of course.
No no, it is not pure it hard to be completely at 90 °. For my part I have no onboard camera video and then a return which allows me to precisely control my angle of view.
@ Merwen: they seem to properly monitor their children!
Whaow! Really great! I always wanted to try!
I like the one with the slide!
Question, when you say 90 degrees, you're upright and you're hooked? Not be afraid!
@ BLG: yeah lol
@ David: Thank you! As I'm hanging by the seatbelt issue, let's say I'm leaning slightly in the vacuum, with a foot outward.