Pictures
- Thread starter Maelstrom
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99% luck and 1% skill. 
But seriously. With my digital camera I found that after pressing the button it takes a split second for it to focus and then to finally take the picture. If my timing is wrong the rocket is gone before the picture is taken. So what do I do? I found that I can press the button far enough for it to focus but not take the picture. Then at the 'right moment' I press it the rest of the way.
What is the 'right moment'? This is a little tougher. But in my experience most motors smoke just a little just before igniting. I look for this smoke as a big sign that something is about to happen and the second my eyes and brain register a flame I press the button. My eyes and brain are slow enough to produce just enough of a delay to get the rocket in full thoat of flame and smoke.
Another thing that helps me is that I use the little screen on my digital camera to aim the camera. That way I can look at the rocket over the top of the camera and see the smoke and flame better.
HTH
But seriously. With my digital camera I found that after pressing the button it takes a split second for it to focus and then to finally take the picture. If my timing is wrong the rocket is gone before the picture is taken. So what do I do? I found that I can press the button far enough for it to focus but not take the picture. Then at the 'right moment' I press it the rest of the way.
What is the 'right moment'? This is a little tougher. But in my experience most motors smoke just a little just before igniting. I look for this smoke as a big sign that something is about to happen and the second my eyes and brain register a flame I press the button. My eyes and brain are slow enough to produce just enough of a delay to get the rocket in full thoat of flame and smoke.
Another thing that helps me is that I use the little screen on my digital camera to aim the camera. That way I can look at the rocket over the top of the camera and see the smoke and flame better.
HTH
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ditto, what milo said.
You'll find, after a while, that it's just instinct. That's what I like about digital cams... you don't spend an arm and a leg *getting* this instinct... *S*
You'll find, after a while, that it's just instinct. That's what I like about digital cams... you don't spend an arm and a leg *getting* this instinct... *S*
PGerringer
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At Whitaker's launches with all the different size rockets I find it impossible to anticipate the launch. So I started using the multi-picture function of my digital camera. I just push down on the button when the LCO gets to 2 in the countdown and then delete the pictures I don't want later. Sometimes it works out great, sometimes not.
kgholloway
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Milo just about said it all.
The only thing I can add is a method of getting your finger "programmed" to take the pictures that you want. This trick helped me and it might help you too.
Get a brightly colored ball the size of a baseball and a friend who won't think you've gone out of your mind and practice. Have your friend hold the ball at arms length about 30 feet from you. Your friend should then call out "ready". Once he's called ready he should count down, silently, to zero from any number between 5 and 12. At zero he releases the ball.
While your friend is doing all that you should first depress the shutter release button to force the camera to prefocus on the ball. Then when he releases the ball depress the button the rest of the way to take the picture. The object of the exercise is to photograph the ball before it hits the ground. Once you can do it 8 times or more out of ten you're ready to try it out on the flying field.
Ken
The only thing I can add is a method of getting your finger "programmed" to take the pictures that you want. This trick helped me and it might help you too.
Get a brightly colored ball the size of a baseball and a friend who won't think you've gone out of your mind and practice. Have your friend hold the ball at arms length about 30 feet from you. Your friend should then call out "ready". Once he's called ready he should count down, silently, to zero from any number between 5 and 12. At zero he releases the ball.
While your friend is doing all that you should first depress the shutter release button to force the camera to prefocus on the ball. Then when he releases the ball depress the button the rest of the way to take the picture. The object of the exercise is to photograph the ball before it hits the ground. Once you can do it 8 times or more out of ten you're ready to try it out on the flying field.
Ken
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