How to Take Better Pictures Through an Airplane Window

Flying on a commercial airplane can offer photographers excellent opportunities to take amazing landscape photos with their digital cameras. Planes take us over terrain we would not normally be able to see and through areas we may never get to visit otherwise. The only problem is, we have to take our pictures through a thick dirty airplane window. Fortunately, there are easy steps we can adopt to take better airplane pictures.

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• A digital camera
• An airplane
• A window seat
• A landscape

1. 
   Greenland from an airplane

   After you book your flight, see if you can find out ahead of time which route your airplane might be taking. That way you can plan ahead and anticipate some of the landscapes you might be able to take pictures of with your digital camera.

2. 
   Airplane window seat

   Try to get a window seat on the plane. See if you can switch with family members or other passengers if you are not officially assigned a window seat.

3. 
   Airplane wing

   Try to get a seat on the plane that is not near a wing or an engine. You don’t likely want those airplane elements in your landscape shots.

4. After the plane takes off, watch for good scenery to take pictures of with your digital camera.

5. When you fly over a landscape you want to shoot, get out your camera and set a few functions. First you want your focus to be infinity because everything you are taking a picture of is very far away. Second you need to decide how much you want to zoom in on the landscape.

6. When your camera is ready to take a picture, you need to get in position. Find an area of the window that is clear and clean (or as clear and clean as possible).

7. Press the lens of your camera up to the window so it is touching the window. This way you will minimize the chance of seeing any dirt or scratches.

8. Adjust the angle of your lens to minimize glare from light.

9. Take several pictures with your digital camera to ensure you have some that turn out.

Tips & Warnings

• When pressing your camera lens up to the window, be sure not to press too hard or to try this when there is turbulence. You do not want to break your lens!

[sneedc]

on 1/1/2009 Awesome tips at taking prized photos from the plane. I'll remember this if I ever get to go to Hawaii!

[StarrySkye]

on 12/5/2008 I love taking pics from the plane...great tips!

[jimdris]

on 12/4/2008 Wow, I'm glad you wrote this. I always take some photos out the airplane windows with my small digital camera. Now, if only you were friends with the pilot, you could get some really gret shots!

[cynvela]

on 12/4/2008 Great tips for taking great areal shots from a plane. :)

[slphilbrick]

on 12/3/2008 Number 7 is where I went wrong last time I tried this. Thanks for the great tips ! 5*