Need help with bright/cloudy background

Anyone able to offer advice on best settings for taking pics of Aircraft and Paratroopers when their background will be bright/cloudy skies?

Back Story: On Sunday I am taking my family to watch soldiers in my unit conduct an Airborne operations (Jump from planes) and would like to take pictures.
I've done this in the past, similar weather and conditions we expect on Sunday, with limited results. The pictures usually leave the plane too dark and the sky to bright... but all my fiddling with the settings usually increases Blur in the activity. So I tend to take them in Auto or Sport mode.

For tools... I am shooting with a D5100 and have the standard kit lenses: 18-55 & 55-300...

Here are two examples from the past that show what I ended up with:




And a different day/jump with different aircraft: (This one turned out better... I think)



2nd question: How much would I have been able to save the 1st two if I had taken them in RAW as oposed to JPEG?
the 3rd pic (C17) was taken in raw and while I can manuiplate it to get better lighting... it was pretty well lit properly to begin with...

Appreciate anything you can offer.

Have you tried spot metering? Forgot about center-weighted, which may be more ideal.

I'm not familiar with the 5100, but I would evaluate one of your sky shots with the 'play' button and go to histogram. You need to know how to read a histogram, but basically you want to "expose to the right", ie. change the exposure (ev compensation) so that the histogram is loaded to the right side, but not too much. Then, by looking at your shots I would think maybe you would need to increase the shadows in post processing.
Proper exposure is a big subject, as is post processing. (duh)

AC016 said:

Have you tried spot metering? Forgot about center-weighted, which may be more ideal.

Click to expand...

My opinion is that spot metering would just be extremely unpredictable in a situation like this. One would be better to go manual, do a few test shots while increasing the exposure with opening the aperture or slowing the shutter speed until you get a nicely exposed picture and a workable histogram. Shooting in raw would also give you a lot more leeway when the post processing time comes. On a cloudy day like this, since you will be shooting to get details in the shadows, once you are satisfied with your settings, you could go and shoot all day and all your shots will be fine.

All. Thanks!!!
Will post results Sunday night.

It took me a long time to be persuaded to shoot raw,now i wouldn't go back, although there is no better alternative to correct exposure so follow the tips given.To give you an idea the chances of saving a under exposed image vastly increase with raw,even a quick adjustment on your Jpegs show the detail that is still there,shot in raw they would have been seriously more detail to bring out.

All,
Here is the initial results of my taking your advice. Cant thank you all enough!

*Looks better when you click to enlarge.*

I shoot a number of aircraft flying overhead and this is my technique.

To parrot Marcel, take test shots until you dial it in. All of the metering will be off. I try cut down the middle. Light enough that I can see into the shadows, but keeping an eye that I don't blow out the sky. By shooting in raw you will be able to bring down the highlight and bring up the shadows.

Keep in mind that light hitting the sensor changes bases on how much you zoom in or out.

Absolutely raw! This gets easier the better the camera ( larger the sensor). Obviously this would most easily be shot with a D800 with the auto motion focus turned on. You can probably pull the detail out of.the clouds and plane and jumpers. rent one?