Lake Tahoe and Truckee Aerial Photography

-My Aerial Photography Adventure (and Photo Tips). 

Happy clients are great. But when they are a pilot and they are so happy with your work they decide to bonus you with a flight around Truckee and Tahoe in a small experimental class amphibious seaplane with the door removed for some photography fun, priceless... 

Scott Thompson after an aerial photo adventure.

Last Saturday morning, I woke up ready to go shoot the "golden hour" from an amphibious airplane. Unfortunately, the fog was so thick, the early morning flight did not happen. But mother nature did it's thing, the fog eventually burnt off, and I got to do something most people will never be able to check off their bucket list:  fly in an amphibious seaplane and touch down on Lake Tahoe!

The whole experience was incredible. The plane was a tiny two seater with no room for even a camera bag, and it was only 80 horsepower. Taking off with the door removed was a little unnerving, but I immediately was presented with photo opportunities and I quickly forgot all feelings of fear. 

"Downtown Truckee Aerial 1" - Downtown Truckee photographed from a small amphibious seaplane with the door removed. Donner Lake can be seen in the distance.

After shooting Downtown Truckee, we made our way slowly to Donner Lake. I had flown with the pilot before in his Cirrus but the "amphib" was a much slower ride. It was a perfect speed for photography.  Donner Lake was looking gorgeous with the fresh little bit of snow we had above it. 

"Seaplane over Donner Lake" - Photograph of Donner Lake in Truckee California. Shot from an amphibious seaplane with the door removed.

Next, we made our way to Lake Tahoe! I got some nice photos along the shore and we eventually made it to our goal, Emerald Bay. Again, incredible photos!  Then Pierre, the pilot, wanted to check out nearby Fallen Leaf Lake, I wasn't going to argue. This is where things got even more interesting. 

"Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe Aerial 5" - Photograph of Emerald Bay in Lake Tahoe, shot from an amphibious seaplane with the door removed. Cascade Lake can be seen on the left.

After getting a few great photos, Pierre decided he would show me what it's like to "touch down" on the water. We couldn't stop because at the elevation we were at, we wouldn't have had enough horse power to take off again with both of us in the plane. So we skimmed along the surface on the plane's pontoons for a few hundred feet. I had no idea I would be getting to experience that when I stepped into the seaplane a little while earlier. The speed, the splashing, the noise... it was an incredible rush, one I would probably never experience again. 

I was wrong. We had a little trouble gaining altitude out of Fallen Leaf, but after corkscrewing our way up out of the little "valley", we were on our way. We headed back to Lake Tahoe, Pierre had so much fun showing a rookie a "touch town", he decided to do it again. This time in Tahoe! I will never forget that moment, not too many people have had that experience. Thank you Pierre!

Here's a short video clip of us touching down on Lake Tahoe:

At this point, I knew I had priceless photos but we weren't done yet. On our way back to the airport,  I was able to get aerial photos of Tahoe City, the Truckee River, and more of Truckee, CA. Landing was a bit scary with the big pontoons and the tiny little wheels on them. But Pierre is an awesome pilot and of course everything went smooth.

I shot over 500 photos during the flight, here's a slide show of some favorites:

Truckee and Tahoe Aerial Gallery - Images by Scott Thompson

Available as fine art prints, gift items, and as stock photography.

Photography tips for shooting Lake Tahoe from an airplane with the door removed, should you ever get the chance:

• It seems obvious, but check and re-check your seat belt/harness. I was leaning partway out of the plane for most of the photos, if there would have been a problem, I might not be here to write this post...
• Dress warm. Tahoe can be cold in the morning, flying 60-80 mph at altitude with no door was cold. I wore my ski jacket and that worked well but I wish I had some thin gloves with grip on them. My hands got very cold and stiff, to the point that it was a bit hard to operate the cameras.
• Use your camera strap and think twice about changing your lens. You don't want to end up dropping your lens like this person did. I brought two cameras so I had two lenses ready to go.
• A huge zoom lens is not necessary when flying at low altitudes. I find my 24-105mm lens works great for just about all the shots I want. A 200mm lens could work but the 400mm range is probably overkill. I also used a 17-40mm lens to get some shots of the pilot and interior of the plane. 
• Lens Shade??? I used mine and would again. But the wind was so strong, the lens shade acted like a little parachute. It was actually hard to zoom the lens out and I did get a little nervous that it might fall off the lens.
• Shoot fast. Most of the photos that were shot at a shutter speed of 1/800 of a second were tack sharp, a few weren't. All of the photos I shot at 1/1000 or faster were tack sharp.
• Shoot while on speed priority mode. I tried to shoot on manual mode like I usually do, but the lighting and scenes change so fast, I decided I would get more photos if I switched to speed priority. 
• Polarizer??? I skipped the polarizing filter. The blues were incredibly blue already. A polarizer can often make the blues of Lake Tahoe look fake if it is already a very blue day for the lake. 
• Tissues. I should have brought a tissue of some kind. The cold winds can cause a runny nose, I had to clean the back of my cameras after the shoot. Gross, I know.

Hope you enjoyed my story and aerial photography tips. If you have any questions, please ask in the comments area below. Thank you.

-Scott Thompson

www.ScottShotsPhoto.com

2011 Trails and Vistas Photos and Coupon Code

You can help Trails and Vistas by purchasing photos of the event.  10% Off + 10% to Trails and Vistas (details below)

I recently photographed the 2011 Trails and Vistas Reflections and Rhythms, an incredible art hike in the Tahoe area. The Trails and Vistas hike is filled with different art installations, mostly performance art, and takes place along a mellow hike in a beautiful outdoor setting. This year's event was held at Spooner Lake, near Lake Tahoe. 

2011 Trails and Vistas

Trails and Vistas is a very popular event up here in Tahoe. People travel here just to attend the event and many people volunteer to help make the event a success. I've been lucky to shoot it the last three years. I find myself fascinated by how popular and loved of an event it is. Why is it so loved? 

Do people feel a greater connection with performance art than with most types of art? I produce nice fine art photography but I don't think anyone would ever volunteer to help me out with any of my projects. 

I think it might have to do with being able to look the performer in the eye. The performer can express an artistic idea in a way no 2D or 3D art piece can do. You can look in to the performer's eye and read emotion. You can connect with the performer, feel their feelings. Whether they are telling a story or dancing or playing music, you can connect easier and deeper with a performance artist than you can with someone who creates a piece in a gallery. 

I always find myself buzzing with artistic inspiration after photographing Trails and Vistas. I too want to help the event be a success. Therefore I would like to donate a percentage of any Trails and Vistas print sales on my website to the Trails and Vistas non-profit. I would also like to give you a discount when you purchase them: 

10% of Trails and Vistas print sales from ScottShotsPhoto.com will go to the Trails and Vistas non-profit when you use the coupon code: RHYTHMS when checking out.  This coupon code will also get you a 10% discount on your purchase. (Offer expires December 31, 2011)

Please view photos from the 2009, 2010, and 2011 Trails and Vistas here: Trails and Vistas collection

Here's a slide show of the 2011 Trails and Vistas. It's not as good as actually being there, so be sure to check out www.TrailsAndVistas.org and "like" them on their facebook page so you'll know when tickets go on sale next year.

-Scott Thompson

Trails and Vistas 2011, Reflections and Rhythms - Images by Scott Thompson

Click on an image above for purchasing information. Available as prints and greeting cards. 

2011 Great Reno Balloon Race, media day photos (and photography tips)

Have you ever wanted to fly in a hot air balloon? Unless you're afraid of heights, the answer is of course yes. Probably since you were a kid. Me too. Today I got to live out that dream...

Photographer Scott Thompson in front of the
 Darth Vader balloon. Scott ran into local photographer
 Stan White and traded quick portraits. 
Photo  © Stan White of RenoTahoe.About.com

3:30 am alarm clock buzzers are hard to do, but today I woke right up and didn't feel tired at all. Shooting the Great Reno Balloon Race from a hot air balloon was on my to-do list. But right when I walked out the front door, FLASH... roooaaar, lightning and thunder. OH NO. I got in my 4Runner and headed down the hill to Reno anyway. 15 minutes later it was pouring rain. What was I thinking, I wanted to turn my vehicle around and go back to bed, this was a disappointing waste of time. 

When I got to San Rafael Park in Reno, it was still dark and slightly raining. The topics of conversation among the pilots and crew were mostly weather related and whether or not they would fly.  A little helium balloon with a glow stick attached to it was sent up into the air and seemed to be moving along more horizontal than vertical. Sigh. 

But after a while, the sun started to rise, the weather calmed down, the clouds started to clear and it was announced that the balloons could launch, if they wanted to... The pilot I was matched up with told me right away he wasn't sure if he was comfortable flying in the winds we were still having. He had a frog shaped balloon that was a little harder to fly and land in questionable conditions. 

A little while later, he made the call, we would not fly today. NOOO!!! I thought but said "I understand and thank you for keeping me safe." Then I quickly found the event organizer I was shooting for and told her I would not be able to get her the photos she wanted unless she could find me another ride. She worked her magic and found me a balloon that the CNN crew was supposed to be in. It was a maybe, if the crew showed up, I was out of luck.  

Standing around waiting, I was able to get some photos of the famous Darth Vader balloon. It's the first time it has been in the Great Reno Balloon Race. A stormtrooper stood guard, I don't think he liked me getting pictures of it, I might be a spy for the Jedi...

"Stormtrooper and Darth Vader Balloon 1" - This Star Wars stormtrooper and Darth Vader hot air balloon were photographed at the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race in Reno, Nevada.

After what seemed like an eternity, my new pilot said we needed to get going and I was in the balloon!!!  YES! As we took off, I looked at my two cameras, looked at the balloon lifting off, and I felt one of those child like feelings you get on your birthday or Christmas morning. We were floating.

"Take Off" - This photograph of a hot air balloon firing up and taking off was photographed at the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race. Photographed from inside the hot air balloon basket.

We floated around for about a half hour. Stan, a Reno resident and my pilot, explained how he could navigate a bit by flying in different air currents at different heights. He told me how he had trained and certified a bunch of the pilots out there that day and I suddenly felt a lot more relaxed. I had plenty of time to get some really fun photos:

"Balloon Over Downtown Reno" - This hot air balloon was photographed from a balloon during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race.

"Balloon Over Reno 2" - This hot air balloon was photographed over Reno, Nevada during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race. The "toy" like effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

"Ballon Over Reno 4" - This hot air balloon was photographed from a balloon during the 2011 Great Reno Balloon Race.

The Great Reno Balloon Race is incredible from the air, but it is just as incredible from the ground. Hot air balloons provide some fun colorful images like these I shot of the event in 2008: 2008 Great Reno Balloon Race.  I'm planning on taking my family out this Saturday to catch the Dawn Patrol and for more balloon photos.  You should get there as well!

Here's some of my photography tips for shooting hot air balloons:

• Getting up early is worth it. The photos at the Glow Show and Dawn Patrol can be incredible. And parking can be a nightmare later in the morning. 
• A tripod can help capture the Glow Show and Dawn Patrol but remember the balloons are moving. Too slow of a shutter speed can create a blurry balloon. 
• Dress in layers, you'll probably be cold when it's dark and hot as soon as the sun comes out. 
• If you arrive when it's dark, have a flashlight. Not just to see your camera but there is little mud holes and mini streams throughout the park. 
• A tilt-shift lens can be a lot of fun and can give you a "toy" like look to your balloon photos. 
• Don't be afraid to go right up to the balloons for photos or to talk to the pilots and crew when they are on the ground. That's one of the things that makes this event so cool. But move out of the way if they need you to. 
• Reflections on nearby ponds can double the amount of balloons in your photo like this balloon photo from 2008. 
• Only pack your photography gear, there are food booths available. They could use the support and your spine wants to support a lighter backpack. 
• If you get to shoot from a hot air balloon, pack minimal gear. Most of the baskets are small, I'm glad I left my big backpack style camera bag in the 4Runner. 
• Also, the landing can be a little rough, protect your gear. My cameras bumped around a bit when I crawled out of the basket that ended up on it's side. 
• Have fun!

Hope you enjoyed my story and tips. Please enjoy the slide show below. If you have any questions about shooting the event, please ask in the comments area. More info about the event can be found at www.RenoBalloon.com Thank you!

-Scott Thompson

2011 Great Reno Balloon Race - Images by Scott Thompson

Click on any image above to order fine art prints, gift items, or to license and download as stock photography. 

2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance Photography

"Tahoe Concours d'Elegance Sunset 1" - Photograph of classic wooden boats from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance at sunset.

Last weekend I had the great experience of getting to photograph the Tahoe Concours d'Elegance for TahoeTV and the event organizers. The Concours d'Elegance is North Americas premier classic wooden boat show put on by the Tahoe Yacht Club Foundation. I've been wanting to photograph the event since I moved to Tahoe but just never made it out. I'm sure I'll be back every year now...

I was lucky to have special access to the event, which made photos like the one above possible. The event was "closed" before sunset. You can shoot the boats from outside the event, over railing for free. But you're better off paying the entrance fee and getting up close and personal with the boats. Getting up close can provide some interesting "abstract" type shots of the beautiful craftsmanship that went into the making of the boats.

"Wooden Boat on Lake Tahoe 1" - This abstract photo of a classic wood boat was taken at the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

"Boat Steering Wheel 1" - This classic wooden boat steering wheel was photographed at the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

A tilt-shift lens is a big bonus at this event. I had a ton of fun getting shots that provided a "toy boat" look. There was also a lot going on in the background at the event so blurring it out heavily with the tilt-shift lens helped simplify the shots. Below are a couple tilt-shift shots, if you click on the images, you will see a larger version that makes it easier to see the effect.

"Toy Boats at the Concours d'Elegance 2" - Photograph of classic wooden boats from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance. The toy boat effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

"Toy Boats at the Concours d'Elegance 3" - Photograph of classic wooden boats from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance. The toy boat effect was achieved using a tilt-shift lens.

On the third and last day of shooting, I was asked to shoot the grand finale, the Roar Off! This is where many of the boats pull out of the marina and show off their speed (and noise). They have to wait to pull out past all of the buoyed boats near the shore before they can make the boats "roar". I could tell when I scouted out a location that I was not going to be happy with the shots from the shore or a dock. So... I unloaded my kayak from my truck and braved dozens of spectator and exhibitor boats to get the shot.

I would NOT recommend shooting this part of the event from a kayak. There were plenty of smart photographers shooting from ski boats but I worked with what I had. There were many boats with lots of partying going on and I felt a little vulnerable in my easy to run over kayak. But I kept looking over my shoulders and raised my paddle if I could see a boat driver was paying more attention to the wood boats than what was around him.  Big waves were also a problem when the Roar Off boats started having fun. A dry bag is a must for your gear if you do decide to shoot the event from a kayak, I got soaked. But it was worth the risk of sinking $18k in camera gear and I got many great shots like these:

"The Hornet II on Lake Tahoe" - Photograph of the Hornet II, a classic wood and aluminum Gar Wood special racing boat from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

"Miss De Meanor on Lake Tahoe" - Photograph of the Miss De Meanor classic wooden boat from the 2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance.

Above are some of my favorites from the event. But I shot many many more. Please enjoy this slideshow below. Many more photos will be added to it in the upcoming days so check back. Thank you!

-Scott Thompson

2011 Tahoe Concours d'Elegance - Images by Scott Thompson

All of the images above are available as fine are prints, gift items, and as stock photography. Please click on an image or view the 2011 Concours d'Elegance gallery for more info.

Any questions about the event? Please ask in the comments!