Using a long lens #photography

Focusing

I used spot focusing for this shot and got the single focus point on the helicopter. I used the middle focus point, that is the most sensitive. I also had my camera set on the largest picture size 6000 px by 4000 px which gave me the option of cropping the photo. With such a large picture size you can crop to get your subject central or zoom in digitally.

Aperture

I used a wide aperture, this gave me a really fast shutter speed that has frozen the action but you can still see slight blur on the rotors. Most shots with a long lens are taken with a wide aperture.

Focusing with a long lens

Focusing on the helicopter was difficult as it became obscured behind a tree. I kept the focus point on the helicopter and took multiple shots just in case I missed. Notice that the foreground blurs but keeps the subject in focus. If I bought another lens, I would like an 18 – 300 mm long lens which would be really useful but they cost around £650 for a DX lens. The 18 – 300 mm is useful for candid shots at events and is the type the paparazzi use.