  The integral field spectrograph configuration of the LMIRCam science camera
within the Large Binocular Telescope Interferometer (LBTI) facilitates 2 to 5
$\mu$m spectroscopy of directly imaged gas-giant exoplanets. The mode, dubbed
ALES, comprises magnification optics, a lenslet array, and direct-vision
prisms, all of which are included within filter wheels in LMIRCam. Our
observing approach includes manual adjustments to filter wheel positions to
optimize alignment, on/off nodding to track sky-background variations, and
wavelength calibration using narrow band filters in series with ALES optics.
For planets with separations outside our 1"x1" field of view, we use a
three-point nod pattern to visit the primary, secondary and sky. To minimize
overheads we select the longest exposure times and nod periods given observing
conditions, especially sky brightness and variability. Using this strategy we
collected several datasets of low-mass companions to nearby stars.
