Yes, I am afraid of heights

Paratroopers participating in operation Black Warrior conduct airborne operations in temperatures over 100 degrees onto Sicily Drop Zone at Fort Bragg, N.C. on July 13, 2011. Black Warrior is organized by the U.S. Army Civil Affairs and Psychological Operations Command (Airborne) and includes members from the U.S. Army Special Operations Command, 82nd Airborne Division, and the British 4th Parachute Regiment. (U.S. Army photo by Staff Sgt. Felix R. Fimbres)

   Yes, I was a paratrooper for a few years. Yes, I'm still afraid of heights. No, I don't really want to look over the side of that skyscraper, balcony, cliff or anything more than 2 stories tall. But sometimes, you just have to take the shot.

   In a Blackhawk during an airborne operation there is pretty much only one seat you can be in and that's the gunner seat. The gunner's seat is right on the side of the helicopter. Sure you get a seat belt and you can even lean out and still be attached, it's perfectly safe. Unless you are irrationally afraid of heights like I am. Thoughts of the belts snapping off and plummeting to the earth ran through my head. But sometimes, you just have to suck it up.

   So there I was, a about 1,200 feet off the ground. I had attached my camera strap to my seat belt, I figured it would be safe that way. Yes, I know what you're thinking, "Your camera is safe strapped to the seat belt but you strapped inside the seat belt not safe?" trust me, I don't get it either...

   The major problem with my camera being attached to the seat belt was that it wasn't going very far out the window unless my chest was right alongside it. Bummer.

   So, I breathed. I closed my eyes. I opened my eyes. And then I breathed again.
I put my eye in the viewfinder and tried to get the shot without leaning too far out. That wasn't working. Luckily I had 16-35mm lens (roughly 22mm to 50mm after the Nikon D300's crop factor) so I stuck my hand out an extra foot or so and just aimed roughly in the direction of my subject and took the shot.

   Also, not quite working. It just wasn't what I wanted.

   So I had a choice, lean out and get the shot or just concede defeat.

   I took a deep breath and I leaned out, I'm willing to bet the look on my face was priceless. I extended my arm out some more, I aimed as best as I could judging where the lens was aimed out in relation to the subject and pulled the shutter. Presto.

   Do I recommend taking photos with your eyeball not firmly planted in the view finder? No, of course not. But sometimes you need an extra few feet that your extended arm will get you. Sometimes you just have to pray and spray. I find that sometimes you'll catch those people who don't want their picture taken off guard if you just pull the camera away from your face. They aren't expecting you to take a photo. Then you show them how amazing they look and they are less likely to turn away or hide.

   Sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. It's a neat little trick. It's pretty much guess and check.

If you're interested in seeming more, here's the link to the USACAPOC(A) flickr set: http://www.flickr.com/photos/usacapoc/sets/72157627187676084/