Air to Air Photography in Southern California

An Unexpected Start

Air-to-air photography was never something I expected to get into.

Before I started doing air-to-air photography, most of the photography I did was from the ground. That changed when a pilot invited me to come fly and take photos.

I had a general idea of what to expect, but overall I didn’t really know much about what the shoot would actually be like.

The First Flight

My first air-to-air shoot ended up being a sunset formation with seven aircraft, including the one I was in.

We flew north along the coastline, and once we got up, everything started to come together. The lighting from the sunset, the spacing between the airplanes, and just how smooth everything looked made it completely different from anything I had done before.

After that flight, I knew I wanted to keep doing it.

Flying Along the Coast

So far, all of the air-to-air photography I’ve done has been in Southern California.

One of the things that makes Southern California so good for air-to-air photography is the variety of scenery. Within a relatively short distance, you can have coastline, mountains, sunsets, clouds, and completely different lighting conditions depending on where you are.

Every flight feels a little different because of that.

Different Aircraft and Conditions

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most about air-to-air photography is how different every shoot can be.

Some flights are more relaxed, while others are a lot more fast-paced. A lot of it depends on the aircraft, conditions, and what kind of shots everyone is trying to get.

There are also unexpected things that happen sometimes, which means having a backup plan can be important.

One shoot involved a Cessna 140A photographed from a Cessna 152. The original plan was to fly along the coast at sunset, but it was way too foggy to make it work. Instead, we headed inland toward a lake.

We spent some time flying around and getting photos there instead. The lighting was really nice, and the surrounding terrain gave the shoot a completely different look.

Sunset Along the Coast

One of the shoots that stood out the most was a sunset formation involving a Pitts S-2, a Bonanza C35, and the Cirrus SR20 I was photographing from.

We flew patterns up and down the coastline, turning back around multiple times to set up different shots and formations.

The lighting that evening looked amazing, and the formations were really tight. The Pitts also had smoke, which made the shots stand out even more against the sunset along the coast.

Throughout the flight, I was able to get a mix of individual shots and two-ship photos, which made the shoot feel a lot more dynamic.

One of my favorite parts of air-to-air photography is when everything comes together at the same time — the lighting, the formation, the scenery, and the aircraft all working together in one moment.

Chasing Light and Motion

One thing I always try to focus on is getting prop blur.

It’s a small detail, but it makes a huge difference. Without it, the airplane just looks frozen in the air.

Lighting is just as important. Most of my shoots happen during golden hour, which is definitely my favorite time to shoot. The lighting adds more depth to the photos and completely changes how the aircraft look in the air.

Most of the formations I’ve been part of are also pretty tight, which makes everything feel faster and more intense.

Changing conditions can also make things challenging. Lighting changes quickly, and communication between aircraft can sometimes be difficult depending on the shoot.

Even with that, it’s still something I really enjoy doing.

More Than Just the Photos

Since that first flight, I’ve done around ten air-to-air shoots, all in Southern California.

I’ve shot from a few different airplanes so far, from a Citabria to a Cirrus.

But honestly, the best part of all of this has been the people. I’ve met so many incredible people through air-to-air photography, and everyone I’ve flown with has played a part in making these experiences possible in the first place.

It’s been one of the most enjoyable experiences I’ve had in photography.