I was nearly roasted red when I stood under the hot afternoon sun yesterday to take photographs of fighter planes flying around in the sky. Together with hundreds of photographers, we were all armed with our telephoto lens, trying to "shoot down" the planes with ultra high shutter speed. While many were armed with their big white bazookas, I am just equipped with my little Sony Alpha 200 and a tiny 75-300mm kit lens.

In case you are wondering what Air Show I am talking about, it is the Singapore Air Show 2008, which Singapore is organising for the first time at Changi Exhibition Center after Asian Aerospace had moved out.

My photos didnt turn out as great as I thought it will be, I had made a few mistakes in the settings and planning. Since this is my first try at an Air Show, I had learnt many tips, which I thought it will be good to share around.

Ten Tips for shooting an Air Show

Tip 1: Research before you go

Go to the offical website, find out the timing of the aerobatic displays. More importantly, you must know where the planes are coming from! It is also good to know if it is going to be a solo flight or group flight performance. This will help you decide what kind of lens you should prepare first.