Photography through chain-link fences

[LenD]

Good afternoon all

Last week I attempted for the first time to photograph arriving/departing aircraft through a chain-link fence with mixed results.

My camera/lens was set to auto focus which seemed to work well the majority of the time with the lens only focusing on the fence on a couple of occasions. I attempted to stand as close as possible to the fence while panning which helped to a point. Some of my photos when viewed at full screen size, you could see a slight discolouration where the fence would have been. Can anyone please advise as to possible settings and advice on achieving better results.

Link to photos below.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/193261507 ... 9853308845

Kind regards

Len Dutton

[f-4]

Open the aperture as wide as possible on the lens. Assuming you have a modern SLR use Av mode and make sure you have the lowest number f stop (usually f4 - f5.6 on most lenses). This will up the shutter speed, so avoid for propeller driven aircraft, but fine for jets.

[chrism8]

Can you use a step ladder to shoot over the fence ?

[slogen51]

During the later afternoon at Lakenheath when the sun is over your shoulder , shooting through the fence is my preferred method especially if a jet is landing. Unless you have a tall ladder that gets you over the barbed wire you are battling with the top of the fence and the lower barbed wire.

I stay 4 to 6 inches from the fence to give me room to pan without nudging the fence - my 70-200 F2.8 does not need to be touching the fence. I continue to use my normal settings Auto focus AF-C on a Nikon and Aperture priority but I do select a smaller number of focus points (AF-C D9) so the focus does not inadvertently drift to the shelters behind the runway.

This works fine for fast jets where I can zoom in to 200mm on a crop sensor , effectively 300mm but of course this won't work if I zoom out for a B747 etc!

I have heard people muttering that their Sigma etc won't lock on through a fence but I don't have that problem with my Nikon lense on a Nikon D7200

I meant to say the very best thing to do is to get out there and practice different settings on Lakenheath eagles etc

I used to use a ladder but in some situations two firm feet well planted on the ground is better for me

[tm74sqn]

Two feet on the ground is much safer - I fell off a stepladder at Fairford about 40+ years ago - and have never been the same since!

[Geoff]

I fell off a 40 rung ladder years ago, I was lucky I was only on the 2nd rung, sorry my sense of humour

[LenD]

Open the aperture as wide as possible on the lens. Assuming you have a modern SLR use Av mode and make sure you have the lowest number f stop (usually f4 - f5.6 on most lenses). This will up the shutter speed, so avoid for propeller driven aircraft, but fine for jets.

Many thanks for the advice.

Cheers

Len

[LenD]

During the later afternoon at Lakenheath when the sun is over your shoulder , shooting through the fence is my preferred method especially if a jet is landing. Unless you have a tall ladder that gets you over the barbed wire you are battling with the top of the fence and the lower barbed wire.

I stay 4 to 6 inches from the fence to give me room to pan without nudging the fence - my 70-200 F2.8 does not need to be touching the fence. I continue to use my normal settings Auto focus AF-C on a Nikon and Aperture priority but I do select a smaller number of focus points (AF-C D9) so the focus does not inadvertently drift to the shelters behind the runway.

This works fine for fast jets where I can zoom in to 200mm on a crop sensor , effectively 300mm but of course this won't work if I zoom out for a B747 etc!

I have heard people muttering that their Sigma etc won't lock on through a fence but I don't have that problem with my Nikon lense on a Nikon D7200

I meant to say the very best thing to do is to get out there and practice different settings on Lakenheath eagles etc

I used to use a ladder but in some situations two firm feet well planted on the ground is better for me

That's great, thank you.

Regards

Len

[B58Hustler]

Two schools of thought on this.
The counter argument to the large aperture is to use a slow shutter speed in order to lose the fence in the movement.
Obviously this would mean a small aperture, but as the fence is close it's relative speed would render it invisible.
Be prepared to bin lots of them though.
These were all through the fence at LN with a 300f4 no IS.


F-15E by Jayson Cork, on Flickr


'In the flare' by Jayson Cork, on Flickr


'Aviano Viper' by Jayson Cork, on Flickr

[joe spares]

Having seen someone shooting through the fence at LN on my previous visit, as the weather wasnt brill, l gave it a go on my last visit.....
Nikon 200-500 at 5.6 coped perfectly, focus locked on and all good.... but with 70-200 f4, unexpectedly even at f4 you could see the wires.....no idea how to explain that, but it appears the lens characteristics may have some bearing on the result too....needless to say, smaller lens spent the rest of the afternoon in the bag, and 200-500 did a fab job....

[Nighthawke]

Both at 200mm? Depth of lens hood possibly?

[Mounters]

Set your aperture as wide as possible and stand reasonably close to the fence, you should be ok, dont forget looking for the holes in the gates around the padlocks and bolts, you can often get on the ground shots, but no good for panning