That's right—air shows. Popular, plentiful (a Google search quickly turned up a country-wide schedule) and decidedly photographer friendly, they're incredible photo opportunities.

We recently spoke with Moose Peterson, the legendary wildlife photographer, who four years ago added aerial imaging to his repertoire. His passion for the subject was immediately evident, and so was his willingness to share some photo tips.

Shooting from the Ground

"What’s so cool about aviation photography is that it's so accessible. There are air shows everywhere, and you really need only one camera and a few lenses to capture some stunning images.

"Aviation photography is a hand-held pursuit, and proper hand-holding technique is no more than your left hand cupped so the lens rests in your palm, elbows brought into your sides and the camera pressed against your head (a Nikon eyecup accessory is a huge help here).

"There are two exposure modes you want to use. For jets, aperture priority works best. I like to shoot at f/5.6 to f/8 and let the camera deal with shutter speed. For propeller planes, I like to use shutter priority with a speed of 1/25 second to 1/125 second so the props blur and the aircraft look like they're really flying, not hanging from a string.

"I set the camera for continuous high speed advance and closest-subject priority autofocus. Typically I'll underexpose using -1/3 to -1 exposure compensation to increase saturation of the image, and I've got my cameras set for vivid color mode.

"If this is your first time at an air show, think of your first day as practice. On the second and third day, you’ll likely see a huge increase in keepers as you get used to photographing the fast-moving planes. To have a great first day, practice before you head to the show by photographing your dog running in the yard or your kids riding their bikes. Just pan and shoot—it’s fun and it's productive.

"While there are all kinds of planes to shoot, there are three basic types of shots: ground-to-air, ground-to-ground and air-to-air. 

"Some of my ground-to-air photos look like air-to-air images—the 11th photo here, for instance. Often the planes performing in air shows are about 90 feet above me, and because they're so low and they're banking and turning, it's all about my vantage point, which sometimes seems to put me in the air above the planes. When the pilot's turning his wing to make a steep bank turn, I can  get a shot that looks like I'm shooting into the plane from above. To pan with the plane, simply twist your body at the trunk, smoothly follow the plane in the viewfinder and continue your motion until the shutter stops firing. It's all about fast autofocus and practice-makes-perfect panning skills."

"Ground-to-ground photos, which you might call portraits of the planes, are all about light and time. Everything you've learned about the great light of early morning and late afternoon applies to aircraft, so show up early and stay late. Take the initiative and find out about the air show before you go. Can you arrive early and take advantage of the light? Can you move around freely, perhaps meet the pilots and owners? Many air shows have early hours for photographers; take advantage of that. If there's a secret to aviation photography, this is it: it's all about the pilots who fly these aircraft and the people who restore and maintain the planes. Even if the people are not in the pictures, their handiwork, their passion and their sense of preserving history is. They'll love to talk to you if you're genuinely interested, and they're very helpful.