Following on the success of our weekly “10 Questions With” segment, our team at APP have started up a new Monthly Spotter Feature on our website and Instagram profile, showcasing aviation enthusiasts based in Singapore and abroad. The concept and motivation behind this project is to bring the community closer together, and to shine a light on the community we coexist in with hopes of raising awareness with regards to our hobby and to provide a chance for all spotters to be seen both locally & internationally.
Our last Featured Spotter for 2022 is 15 year old Cayden Ng. We had the pleasure to meet Cayden last year and wanted to do a feature spot to showcase his fantastic works. Cayden showcases his aviation photos mainly on Instagram (@charliespacenovember), so do check out his profile as well!
Self Introduction
Hello, you are..?
Hello! I am Cayden, a 15 year old aviation photographer in the works.
Share some fun facts about yourself!
When it comes to aviation photography, or photography in general, I try to prioritise quality over quantity. Countless times I would find myself editing a photo close to completion only to give up on it in the end just because I feel like it isn’t as refined as I imagined it to be. Though it may seem dumb, this is how I manage to push out content that I deem worthy of posting on Instagram, which is exactly why the number of likes on my post doesn’t really affect me. As long as I put out content that I take pride in, all is fine.
When did you begin spotting?
I first began spotting on the 9th of August 2021. Earlier that year, a friend of mine in school introduced me to the world of aviation. From then on, I had taken a keen interest into planes, especially our air force’s fighter jets at the time. With National Day coming around, I decided to borrow my dad’s old DSLR, and it’s kit lens, to give photographing the F15SG formation flyby a shot, and man was it an experience. Shortly after, my father drove me to a street near the runway of the airbase on a whim. I still can’t get the roars of the F15’s engines out of my head from when they flew directly over me that day. That was what kickstarted my planespotting journey.
What is your motivation you behind spotting? What keeps you interested in plane spotting?
Well I use the photos I take of the planes as a platform to express my creativity through photo editing. So I don’t really mind if I miss any specials or what not.
Gear Talk
What gear (camera + lens) do you use?
Okay, on to the important stuff.
As of now, I use my trusty mirrorless Canon EOS R6, along with my RF 100-500mm telephoto lens for plane-spotting. Though it may not be the best in the megapixel department, I find the smaller file sizes from the 20 MP sensor much more convenient to edit and store.
What photo editing tools do you use, which is your favourite?
As for editing softwares, I use the basics: Adobe Lightroom, Adobe Photoshop, Topaz Denoise, and if I’m feeling a little creative, ibis paint x (on my phone).
Personally, I spend most of my time editing on Adobe Photoshop. Being able to accurately mask out an aircraft using photoshop’s lasso tool has been super useful to me. Other than that, I feel like photoshop gives me the opportunity to perfectly put out the content I’d imagined in my head.
Love for Airplanes
What is your favourite:
Aircraft : Airbus’ lovely A350-1000
Airline: Our local Singapore Airlines
Livery: Lufthansa’s new livery
Airport and spotting location: Changi International Airport
Which are some of your favourite shots ?
To Round Of...
What tips would you give to aspiring spotters?
Do whatever you want, as long as it’s legal. No need to make a fuss out of spotting, its a hobby that’s meant to be enjoyed, not one that should be toxic and discouraging towards its members.
