Raw Power – Photographer Andreas In Focus

Experienced aviation photographer, Andreas Zeitler, doesn’t like to spend hours on Photoshop to come up with the ‘perfect’ image. For him it’s about trying to ‘show their performance and raw power’ but in a realistic way.?

How did you get into aviation photography? When did it turn into a career?

It started in the late 1990s, when I got interested both in aviation, and aviation photography. I was inspired to take some photos myself.

Around 2004 it became more serious when I bought my first digital DSLR camera. Initially, I was mocked by some photographers who laughed at my ‘expensive brick’ that could only deliver a mere 3MP. But digital photography offered a steep learning curve – and I was easily able to provide my images to magazines.

This is when it started turning into a serious hobby. I would not call it a career, but it is a (very) serious hobby – one that has professional aspects. But I also have a full-time job in the aviation industry. Nevertheless, I invest a great amount of time and effort into my aviation photography.

What are the main challenges involved in getting a good shot?

With military aircraft photography the main challenge is access. Photojournalist Robert Capa famously said: “If your pictures aren't good enough, you aren't close enough.” Of course, getting close is not easy as Air Forces are very reluctant to give access to their airbases.

Over the years, I have been able to establish some very good relationships, which makes this part a bit easier. But it doesn’t work every time.

Even once you are granted access, it’s not always possible to do everything you might have hoped. More than once I have been unable to make a shot happen because of safety constraints. Safety stands above everything.?

Another challenge is availability. There might have a certain setup in mind but typically, you face lots of hurdles. For example, you may have lots of people involved or very tight time limits.

Getting the right shot depends on trying to orchestrate many different moving parts. If one piece is blocked, the whole thing doesn't work. It happens.

On special days, everything works out. You always need a bit of luck too – along with weeks, sometimes even months of preparation – but that's quickly forgotten once you get that one shot.

Do you have a certain style of photography?

Not really, I try to shoot a lot of variety, because that’s usually what my customers want. I am quite flexible. With fast jets, my aim is to try to show their performance and raw power. I would say I’m technically oriented, and realistic. I want people to see and experience the same scene as I have seen it.

I don’t like spending too much time on my computer, tweaking photos to match a style, or applying filters. My aim is to produce a technically perfect photo, which will fit the need of its future use. Some of my photos are printed on walls or tents, 4m wide, so need to be sharp.

If I am doing a magazine article for example about night flying, the editor expects photos that will show this aspect. So, I get a pilot with his NVGs in the cockpit at night. Model builders will need detail photos, other users prefer the traditional side-on shot. But for a jet, you always want to have some action in the picture. It should at least be in the air, even if it's only during landing or take-off.

I also aim for technically difficult photos and here it’s amazing how camera technology has evolved. Nowadays you can mount small action cameras on the outside of an aircraft that provide image?

quality which is good enough for magazine double spreads. The autofocus is ridiculously good. Likewise, the image sensors are so sensitive that it has opened up a whole new world of night photography. Even in pitch black you can take great results if your exposure time is long enough.

The biggest compliment I get is when people don’t believe I have taken certain photos, but 'photoshopped' them.

What makes Eurofighter a good subject for your work? What do you like about the aircraft?

At every Luftwaffe Squadron everyone is proud to work on the aircraft and wants to show off the aircraft. If you come up with a nice idea for some cool photos, they try to go the extra mile to help.

For me, I like Eurofighter’s power. The two engines in reheat look very good on photos, especially when it's dark. It can also pull a lot of G force, and during an airshow display under the right conditions you see a lot of 'vapor clouds'.

The delta wing is a very nice feature which on photos makes the aircraft look very fast, and you can work with that. It can also change its look quite a bit. You can have a slim and sleek jet, built for air superiority. But then if you load it up with tanks, bombs and missiles, then it really becomes a truck, which is an interesting aspect as well.

Who do you typically work for?

My images are widely distributed. I have a well-established relationship with several international magazines such as Flug Revue, Air Forces Monthly, J-Wings out of Japan, and Flugzeug Classic. Other clients include model companies, books publishers and calendar publishers use my photos, as well as aviation-related companies.

I have also published two of my own publications. One was a bookazine ‘10 Years of Eurofighter On Luftwaffe Service’, the other a book on airworthy war-birds worldwide. Plus, I regularly support book projects from other enthusiasts worldwide.

Where has the work taken you?

To five continents, and more than 70 countries. Even if it is just a ‘regular holiday', I try to come back with aircraft photos on my camera. Obviously, not all countries are open-minded about aviation photography, let alone of military subjects!

But in most I have met similar-minded enthusiasts, which is always cool, and I’ve made some good and lasting friendships through it.

It has also taken me to 40,000ft several times, with Eurofighters posing in front of a perfectly clear and deep blue sky. It has been a real pleasure to work with them in this 3rd dimension! I would be very happy to repeat this anytime.