Behind the Lens #2

The Needles from the air

Shooting from a light aircraft

I was traveling around the Isle of Wight for 10 days in 2021 and wanted to capture some interesting photos from different perspectives.

I took a boat trip out around the needles and yes, I enjoyed it and got some nice photos, but I wanted to try to get an aerial view. I didn’t have a drone at the time and a drone wouldn’t have the range or altitude I was looking for.

I found a company (Wingly) on the Internet that offers sightseeing tours in Helicopters and light aircraft in various places around the UK. The trip lasted around an hour, took off from Bembridge aerodrome then flew across the Solent to Portsmouth then back and around the entire Isle of Wight.

I met Steve the pilot at the aerodrome and he asked what I would like to see and said he would try to get the aircraft into the best position for me to get my photographs.

We took off and headed over to Portsmouth then back over to the island passing Bembridge, Sandown, Shanklin, Ventnor, and Freshwater Bay at 2,000 feet. As we passed Freshwater Bay I could see the needles appearing to my front right, Snapping photos all the way along the coast, Steve started turning the aircraft around above the needles, and with the aircraft rolled over slightly I managed to get this shot of the needles and the rest of the island behind. The clouds had just lifted enough for the view.

The trip carried on past Yarmouth, Cowes, and Ryde before landing back at Bembridge.

The whole trip was amazing. I have to say a big thank you to Steve, who put the aircraft exactly where it was needed for me to get the shots that morning.