Heat Haze

[SteveC]

Hi all,

I have been shooting recently at my local international airport and seem to be having some haze issues, and I'm not sure exactly why.

Yesterday, air temp was 21deg C, (70deg F) 20-25 knot wind.  Image shot of aircraft on the taxiway seem sharp, but just after t/o they start to shimmer.  Seems as though there was a band of hot air at around the 50-100 ft mark.

Also, the traffic was quite busy, so I suspect jet exhausts may have still been hanging around.

Landing aircraft also reported slight wind shear at altitudes from 50-300ft.

Thoughts anyone?

Steve

 

[Mickey]

Thoughts on what ? Atmospheric conditions?

There is only one way to counter heat-haze and that's be closer to your subject, unfortunately .

Mickey

[SteveC]

Thanks Mickey,

Perhaps I should have been clearer.  What I meant was would my assumptions of a haze band at around the 100ft mark been correct?

I am posting a couple of samples on my website for opinions, I think they show the issue.  I agree the only way to beat haze is to move closer, they are 6Mb files, converted from the raw files to jpeg, exposure adjustments and cropping only so far.

http://castleimages.helpwise.com.au/gallery/uploads/_LND4320HR.jpg
http://castleimages.helpwise.com.au/gallery/uploads/_LND4291HR.jpg

Steve

[M.M.]

The head-on shot seems to have a bit of heat shimmer on the tail but not on the fuselage.  Is that what you're talking about?  I don't think it's objectionable.

The A330 is all shimmer, but it'd attribute that to it being further away -- ergo, more surfaces radiating heat between you and the subject.  The only solutions I can offer are (a) get closer, as Mickey said, or (b) try again on a cooler day.  (Or (c), shoot film, since heat distortion doesn't seem quite as obvious on slides.)

-M.M.

[Rob Guess]

like Mark said the head on shot of the MD-11 does not look too bad the A330 is a total loss. One thing i have noticed is if there are bands of different surface temperatures between the subject and you the more likely that heat haze will happen. I have seen this happen a lot in San Francisco when i have to shoot over the bay to the runway i get real bad heat haze even on some cool days when the sun is being reflected off of the runways. on an over cast day when the suns reflection is not as bad i dont have as much heat haze issues.

Now when i lived in Phoenix i found heat haze was less of an issue on a 100+ degree day than on a 70 degree sunny day. So what i am trying to say there are more factors involved in heat haze other than distance and temperature.

[aerophoto]

Personally there are time that Heat Haze can also set a great mood into a photo.

[SteveC]

Thanks guys.

Interestingly enough, here is another shot of an A330 a few feet higher at almost exactly the same place on the runway, with much less heat haze effect, shot about 25 minutes later.  Once again, a 6Mb file, so please don't click the link, copy paste the link to another browser window so we don't use up bandwidth on the board.

http://castleimages.helpwise.com.au/gallery/uploads/_LND4310HR.jpg.

I think the apparent haze on the MD11 may be a DOF issue, I was using a 300mm F4 nikon lens at probably a distance of around 400 yards.

Steve