Archive for November, 2007

23
Nov

Photo shooting out of the helicopter

By JKA 0 Comments
Categories: Photography


Photo from Bruno Huber / Pilot Tiziano Ponti

This has always been a bit a dream to me as it represents a milestone in my learning curve. Not that I have hundreds of hours of experience but in the last two weeks I was up there twice. There are many big guys who know better than me , however I’m happy to share my expirience.

Besides being a great feeling sitting in a chopper with to open door, legs out, headset on and having a excellent position to take pictures I also feel a certain pressure and responsibility of what we are doing.

Time counts so there is no much time to touch setting on the camera and every image should be the one. Sure with the digital cameras you can soot as much as you like but the composition must be ok, the deep of field must fit your image and it have to be sharp.

Over the past I made a little checklist to make sure I don’t forget anything:
1: Expected images and flight plan agreed with the pilot and other photographers
2: Warm cloth, harness on, hooked in, position tested, headset on and working
3: One camera around the neck(70 -200mm lens), the other connected to the chopper (normally the body with the big lens 300mm as this is less used)
4: Settings: ISO value ~250, AF mode, VR on active, lens aperture 6, shutter single, focus priority (it’s a good starting point as the shutter speed should be high)
5: Ready to take off
6: Mental walk trough images composition (normally before shooting you have a few minutes and I use this time concentrate about my expected images)

A few months ago I bought my own climbing harness for top mast shootings and this turned out to be a good deal. I feel comfortable and I can get ready quickly. Sometimes jumping in the chopper and fixing everything has to be efficient.

The shooting itself is always a great experience, I think it’s one of the best photo shooting experience possible, you just go to the position where you need by talking with the pilot.

Vibration is one of the subject who I haven’t really solved, in every shooting I get great images with a outstanding composition but not sharp, specially when I start to work too much with the deep of field by going up with the aperture however I think that the VR functions on my Nikon lens is a big help.

If someone have some more good tipp’s let me know.

Take care and enjoy your airtime

Jürg

PS: Here are a few of my shots out of the chopper

17
Nov

Coaching Sailing Rules

By JKA 0 Comments
Categories: Coaching and Sailing
Tags: , , , , , , , , ,

Today I will join the Swiss Sailing Team in Magglingen and we will spend a 2 days and talk about rules. After several discussions with sailors involved in the Olympic selection, Swiss and some of other Nationalities we realized the knowledge of the medal race details (Addendum Q) is quite poor even among some the top world class sailors aspiring for a medals at the games.

Interesting fact considering that federations and sailors invest a lot of recourses to get sailors to the medal race, and once they are there the hardly understand the rules of the game. Some months ago I was involved with a similar session for another Olympic sailing team, we did the ISAF medal race Quiz which contains about 20 questions. Most of the sailors got right from 7 to 13…..

Normal racing rules will also be discussed and for sure will also talk about rule 42, I think it’s becoming a bit of an emotional issue. The rule 42 is clearly described however there is still some room for interpretation and some judges go harder on the subject as others which may create a bit confusion.

It’s a great way to work with sailors and learn more about their concerns and point of view , will be really curious what will be the key lesson learned for them and me.

Jürg

10
Nov

Should I stay or should I go ?

By JKA 0 Comments
Categories: Photography and Sailing
Tags:

Photo (c) Jürg Kaufmann / Dominique Wavre getting ready to go

Do you rember the song “Should I Stay or Should I Go” from The Clash.

Right now I’m in Barcelona and tomorrow is the start of the Barcelona World Race, 2 persons non stop racing around the world in 60 ft racing yachts. Probably a year ago these guys where thinking about going for the race.
There is no doubt this guys they go in to the adventure.

Last year in these day this was the question for me, should I keep running around as IT Management consultant having every end of month a secure check or should I go and life the passion of photography and sailing?

Some say: stay in your old job some say do it!

Since there I’m sailing and taking pictures, mostly on sailing events? And it starts to pay off, some of my images taken yesterday here in Barcelona are displayed today on many famous sailing websites.

Now the question comes up again…Guess waht? I keep going….

 

Enjoy the pictures:

scuttlebutteurope.com

sailingscuttlebutt.com

sailkarma.com

and thank you for all of you telling me to do it.

Jürg