Planning a shoot and shooting to the plan

Here I was asked to create an advertising press add promoting a new Beechcraft King Air 250 aircraft. The image had to also show a new GMC Denali 4x4 SUV which was to be offered free if you purchased a new King Air!. Quite often I try and visualise the setup with small models to find the right angle, but in this case I just sketched out some scenarios as I knew the airfield at Jandakot quite well. Then on the day we arrived early to look for suitable locations.
The main consideration was that we had to have the setting sun against an uncluttered rural looking background. We tried a few different positions and favoured this one below. So that was it, the aircraft once moved to its location was not to be moved again. I wanted the aircraft interior and wing lights illuminated, but unfortunately there was no APU to provide power for an extended period, and the aircrafts own power was limited. So I took one frame with the nose wheel light illuminated then turned the power off. I knew I could do the interior and wing lights in post production. Once I had worked out the position of the two subjects to minimise the Photoshop work later, I knew what I had to work with, so we set the shot up. We used no lights at all, apart from the sunset and its scattering effect on the airport terminal behind me, illuminating the aircraft and truck. When working with natural light the time of day you shoot is critical, so all your set up and planning must be finished before the right light arrives. I took 2 frames and job finished, then a few hours in post production and job done. All in all it was about a days work to cover planning, location and post.
Grateful thanks to Beechcraft Textron Aviation USA, Jandakot Airport WA, Jackson Davison.

All photography and text © Jon Davison 2022.

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