http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/aviation_photography/read.main/377218/
Username: eskillawl
Posted 2012-10-30 09:04:45 and read 3707 times.
Hello, I just took a look for the first time in a long while on my pictures from one of the first spotting trips. The development is huge, even though I've just been a planespotter for around a year. So, here are mine "before-and-after" pictures. Let me and everybody else see your spotting-development.
Booth are edited today, in the exact same way.
Eskil 
Username: airkas1
Posted 2012-10-30 13:13:53 and read 3651 times.
Well, photo-wise you can judge for yourself. The above photo was the first accepted photo with my (then) new Canon 300D. Now if I compare that to a more or less recent photo (the photo below), the difference is HUGE. But of course, the difference between a 300D and 5DMkII is huge aswell. The rest can be contributed to learning how to properly edit/post process a photo.
2004:
Photo © Kas van Zonneveld
2012:
Photo © Kas van Zonneveld
That said, the biggest steps I've made (by far) is in attitude towards the hobby. My point of view towards uploading has changed a lot (from getting worked up over/not understanding a rejection to a much more mellow attitude). Back then I was very enthousiastic about the hobby and that's still there, just in a different shape and I express it differently.
[Edited 2012-10-30 13:16:40]
Username: vikkyvik
Posted 2012-10-30 14:51:17 and read 3614 times.
Quoting eskillawl (Thread starter):
So, here are mine "before-and-after" pictures.
Looks like you haven't managed to change the weather! 
Username: NZ107
Posted 2012-10-30 15:18:55 and read 3600 times.
Quoting airkas1 (Reply 1):
But of course, the difference between a 300D and 5DMkII is huge aswell. The rest can be contributed to learning how to properly edit/post process a photo.
Indeed, having better equipment has helped me quite a bit.. But still, editing plays a major role in how the photos turn out. Also the improvement of the likes of Photoshop itself has helped.
2008/9 (the latter would get rejected for grain today haha)
Photo © Nicholas Young
Photo © Nicholas Young
2011/2
Photo © Nicholas Young
Photo © Nicholas Young
Username: Newark727
Posted 2012-10-30 18:36:29 and read 3561 times.
If my first spotting trip would be defined by "first time I went to an airport for the explicit purpose of photographing airplanes" I think this would be just about Genesis:
Taken with an Olympus point-and-shoot, August 9th, 2008.
First plane spotted with a DSLR, at least that I posted on the web:
Air New Zealand Boeing 747-400 ZK-SUI by jbp274, on Flickr
December 26th, 2009.
First a.net database photo:
Photo © John Price
Added to database January 5th, 2010.
Latest database addition:
Photo © John Price
Added to database October 28th, 2012
Best photo in database as defined by wisdom of crowds:
Photo © John Price
Added to database October 4th, 2011, taken December 30th, 2010.
Username: Silver1SWA
Posted 2012-10-30 18:44:07 and read 3560 times.
Oh this should be fun...lol
1999
Photo © Ryan Pastorino
Photo © Ryan Pastorino
Photo © Ryan Pastorino
2012
 Photo © Ryan Pastorino |  Photo © Ryan Pastorino |
Photo © Ryan Pastorino
Username: NZ107
Posted 2012-10-30 19:00:04 and read 3552 times.
Quoting Newark727 (Reply 4):
Latest database addition:
I was bummed I didn't get a clean shot of that F/A18.. And had the DC9 fly right over my head (without my camera out) a couple of hours earlier!
Quoting Silver1SWA (Reply 5):
Oh this should be fun...lol
1999
Haha.. Things have changed a lot compared to 1999! Heck, I didn't even know about this site until 2002!
Username: eskillawl
Posted 2012-10-31 08:39:42 and read 3497 times.
Quoting vikkyvik (Reply 2):
Quoting eskillawl (Thread starter):
So, here are mine "before-and-after" pictures.
Looks like you haven't managed to change the weather!
Well thats the hardest thing to learn as a planespotter, especially when you live in Sweden :p
Username: JakTrax
Posted 2012-10-31 10:13:25 and read 3480 times.
Quoting eskillawl (Reply 7):
Well thats the hardest thing to learn as a planespotter, especially when you live in Sweden
You should try living in the north-west of England!!!! 
Karl
Username: eskillawl
Posted 2012-10-31 12:24:30 and read 3463 times.
Quoting JakTrax (Reply 8):
Quoting eskillawl (Reply 7):
Well thats the hardest thing to learn as a planespotter, especially when you live in Sweden
You should try living in the north-west of England!!!!
Karl
Well, lets say this. We European (north of Italy) got a hard time trying to planespot 
Username: eskillawl
Posted 2012-10-31 12:26:04 and read 3461 times.
It's btwe really fun to see the pictures!
Username: IL76
Posted 2012-11-02 12:50:30 and read 3307 times.
1996:
Photo © Eduard Brantjes
2012: I stopped. At the moment I don''t have the time and honestly I got stuck in a 'plane photography rut'. I can't be bothered to pick up my camera stuff, burn liters of fuel to drive to the airport, hang around the perimeter for hours, only to come home with more photos that look almost exactly the same as the ones I took a few years ago.
Time moved on, I have other things keeping me busy now. Maybe I'll pick it up again sometime in the future.
Username: planespot
Posted 2012-11-02 13:13:47 and read 3296 times.
1997...oh my...
Photo © Cary Liao - AeroPX
2012...
Photo © Cary Liao - AeroPX
These days, I usually delete any photos that aren't tack sharp at 100%.
Username: Kaphias
Posted 2012-11-02 14:52:57 and read 3275 times.
One of my earliest shots, from 2007, taken with a Olympus Camedia C-3020:
I think I'll always regret not getting a better shot of this plane before it disappeared. Rumor has it that it's in someone's hangar now, but I'm not in a place to ask around and find out for sure.
Compared with some of today's stuff:
Photo © Kaphias
Photo © Kaphias
It's a long way to come in 5 years, hopefully soon I'll be able to take the next step up to a DSLR and learn "real" photography.
Username: riflex
Posted 2012-11-02 18:12:53 and read 3246 times.
Interesting topic this one!
I started my spotting activity at around 11 years ago using a Canon Powershot camera, not exacly the best for movement pictures such as landing but still way better than nothing
My first "aircraft" shot(2nd in airliners):
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Helia...d=65bf0b0be9af839dd873d1f97d4bd3f6
Last image accepted:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Flybe...d=38283cabbd3bf026decc21cf267a9f70
Username: Dehowie
Posted 2012-11-03 23:15:50 and read 3177 times.
These days it's all about pushing my gear and and what I can get.
It's a pleasant feeling to be out shooting knowing 99% of people are at home missing out on spectacular shooting great fun and something that's a true photography challenge.
Shooting on a beautiful afternoon is still good fun but with today's gear there are no excuses for only firing during the day..
Username: NZ107
Posted 2012-11-04 01:23:38 and read 3166 times.
Quoting Dehowie (Reply 15):
but with today's gear there are no excuses for only firing during the day..
That's if you're fortunate enough to have such gear!
I'll certainly be attempting those shots again once I get a 5DIII.. Though you've probably used a 1D something attached with a f/2.8 prime lens - in other words, no match for a 5DIII with a 100-400!
Username: Dehowie
Posted 2012-11-04 05:16:43 and read 3140 times.
That's true but when you get your Mk3 it will open up a new door to what you can get.
Once you have it get a 2.8 lens...then you have freedom to shoot what and when you like..
Username: walter2222
Posted 2012-11-04 08:28:41 and read 3112 times.
Hi All,
I started photography using the equipment from my father during the late sixties/early seventies. I hope to be able to make some decent scans - during the coming winter-season - from the first slides I took, together with my father, during that start-up period. The oldest scans I have - for the moment - on here are from the late-seventies. Here's one of them:
Photo © Walter Van Bel
Here's another one from this year:
Photo © Walter Van Bel
PS: I am still using a 40D (sometimes still using my old 300D), in most cases with my 100-400L IS USM.
Best regards,
Walter
Username: vzlet
Posted 2012-11-05 05:37:34 and read 3031 times.
My first uploaded shot (taken in 1994 with equipment totaling less than $400):
Photo © Mark Carlisle
My oldest accepted shots are from 1978, taken with a borrowed camera:
 Photo © Mark Carlisle |  Photo © Mark Carlisle |
Most recent upload (taken with equipment totaling about $2500):
Photo © Mark Carlisle
Username: ptrjong
Posted 2012-11-05 16:08:19 and read 3031 times.
Nice thread.
My oldest photos in the database date from a visit to the RAAF Museum at Point Cook in 1991. I must have used a Pentax SLR.
Photo © Peter de Jong
My oldest addition to the database is this rather lucky shot. I re-uploaded it to bring it to standard width, it was originally accepted in a larger size.
Photo © Peter de Jong
This one is more typical of my early uploads.
Photo © Peter de Jong
One of my latest uploads is this shot that I'm personally very happy with. It's also typical of the subjects I like best now. The camera isn't vastly different from the 2004 shots, a Nikon D90 rather than a D70. My long lenses are much better now than the crappy 70-300G, although both the 757 and the Galeb were shot with short kit lenses.
Photo © Peter de Jong
Peter
Username: eskillawl
Posted 2012-11-06 01:50:36 and read 3031 times.
I'm actually suprised of the quality on the photos before the DSLR time. Really great photos and funny to see.
Username: ptrjong
Posted 2012-11-06 02:20:12 and read 3031 times.
Quoting ptrjong (Reply 20):
lthough both the 757 and the Galeb were shot with short kit lenses.
Small correction, the Galeb was shot with my 70-200.
Username: megatop412
Posted 2012-11-06 18:02:57 and read 3031 times.
How strange. My shots from 1997 when I started make me smile(thinking about carriers and aircraft I can no longer capture), despite that they are 'technically' poor, yet I now take multitudes of technically 'proficient' shots of dime-a-dozen carriers and types. Interesting how it is the older, less proficient shots that give me greater satisfaction. Ain't nostalgia grand
Username: Tupolevtu154
Posted 2012-11-14 13:35:13 and read 3011 times.
2004, when I started with my fathers point and shoot...
Photo © Tom Lowther
Photo © Tom Lowther
2012, with my own equipment and my first L glass lens that I absolutely LOVE 
Photo © Tom Lowther
Photo © Tom Lowther
Needless to say things have changed alot. I try to stay away from the side-on in cloudless skies sort of shot, I hope to make every shot different and I dislike uploading common subjects.
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