truetolifephotography

The road to hell

Fissure 8 cone and channelised lava flow shot from a fixed wing plane at 3000 feet at twilight. While shooting the 2018 Kilauea eruption over 2 months. ...
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Fissure 8 cone and channelised lava flow shot from a fixed wing plane at 3000 feet at twilight. While shooting the 2018 Kilauea eruption over 2 months.
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NIKON D850

settings

Aperture f/2.8 ISO 6400 Shutter 1/1600 Focal Length 700/10

upload_date

Sep, 2018

Views

2760

Likes

+616

Awards

Contest Finalist in Night Wonders Photo Contest

Contest Finalist in Monthly Pro Photo Contest Vol 45

Contest Finalist in Color Extravaganza Photo Contest

Community Choice Award

Staff Favorite

Peer Award

+739

Absolute Masterpiece

+45

Top Choice

+25

Superb Composition

+24

Magnificent Capture

+15

Outstanding Creativity

+14

All Star

Superior Skill

Virtuoso

Genius

Emotions

Impressed

Top Ranks

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Behind The Lens

Location

I captured this on an flight in a light aircraft over Leilani Estates Hawai'i during the recent historic Kilauea eruption.

Time

I had been shooting in the build up to sunset. This was one of the last images I captured in twilight light just as we were departing the area.

Lighting

It was nearly dark I had to push the settings get this shot. The most compelling aspect was of course the intense glow of the lava coming from fissure 8 and the channelised lava river.

Equipment

I used my Nikon D850 with Nikon 70-200mm lens

Inspiration

As I documented this eruption over two months, when the channelised flow developed on an epic scale it became evident that the compelling view point was going to be from the air. I had been close to the lava channel and fissure 8 from the ground but when I got in the air I could really appreciate the scale of what was unfolding before my eyes. Even at 3000 feet altitude I could feel the heat from the lava through the open window of the cessna I was shooting from. It was this feeling of intense heat that I wanted to convey in the photograph through the colours and also the graphic nature and textures of the fissure and channelised flow. Honoured that it was recently published as the National Geographic Top Shot across their social media channels with Editors Spotlight article on the National Geographic Your Shot website.

Editing

Due to the low light and being in a moving aircraft with some turbulence generated by the heat coming from below, I shot this at ISO 6400. Some noise control was applied and standard RAW processing. Otherwise it was shot as seen.

In my camera bag

I have an all Nikon kit bag aside from one Sigma lens. I have a full range of glass giving me coverage from 14mm up to 400mm plus tele converters as well. I also use the Lee Filter system with a range of NDs and graduated NDs as well as the Big and Little Stopper. I also have Nikon circular polarisers. I have a battery grip for my D850 which has transformed the camera into an all around work horse allowing me to shoot with a battery that seems to last forever and gives me 9fps when I need it for fast moving subjects whether I am shooting wildlife or sports photography.

Feedback

Aerial photography from a plane or helicopter requires some thought. The main advice is watch your shutter speed. You need higher than normal shutter speeds to ensure sharp photos due to vibration and turbulence. Keep the lens out the wind and also make sure all your equipment is secure and can't fly out the window! You can shoot with shallow depth of field more often if you need to depending on the angle as you have a big distance between you and your subject and if shooting directly overhead the depth of the image is almost flat anyway. Airborne haze might be your enemy due to the distance to your subject and with volcanic imagery this becomes an even worse problem! Not a lot you can do about it depending on the circumstances but in that situation shooting from an upwind position can help mitigate haze effects if you are looking for clear shots. Work closely with your pilot to get into position effectively.

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The road to hell