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6 Tips For Better Drone Photography

The affordability and the improvement in the quality of drone cameras have led to an explosion of photographers investing in them as part of their equipment. I must confess that until recently I had been reluctant to take the leap into this new area of photography. But having used drone for a while now, there is no doubt of the potential that drones offer a photographer. But capturing good drone photos isn’t straightforward and requires the same consideration and planning as taking photos on the ground with a camera. So here are 6 drone photography tips to help you capture better photos with your drone.

Research and planning

Like any type of photography, successful drone photography also requires the same level of preparation and planning as regular photography on the ground. In fact, in some ways, drone photography requires even more planning as you also have to take into account the safety of other people, your drone and potentially other hazards such as power lines, wildlife and planes.

There is also another reason that research and planning are so important when it comes to drone photography. Drones have limited battery power. For example, the popular DJI Mavic Pro 2 has a battery time of around 30 minutes (less in cold conditions). So if you are not prepared you might waste valuable flight time trying to find the right composition. So before you begin any flight you should have spent a bit of time doing some research and planned your shoot.

Start by checking if you are allowed to fly a drone at the location you are planning. Keep in mind that for example in US National Parks flying a drone is banned. There are also no-fly zones near airports and military areas. There are plenty of apps that can help you but it is down to you to do your research.

Once you have established that where you are planning to fly is safe, have a look on Google earth to find the right spot for your composition. By having the shot in mind it will help you get straight to your location and capture the shot you want.

Know the capabilities of your drone

As advanced as drones have become, they are still some way off the capabilities of high-end DSLR cameras. Unfortunately, the sensor size isn’t as big as a full-frame DSLR and this can have an impact on the quality of your photos. There is also the issue around stability when you are flying. As steady as a drone can remain in the air, it still will not be capable of being steady enough for slow exposures. Even shutter speeds that might normally be fine handholding might be a challenge for a drone as even the slightest gust of wind will move the drone. This would mean that you will have to raise your ISO to keep your shutter speed fast which again can mean poor quality photos.

So to capture good drone photos you need to spend a little bit of time getting to know your drone. Try to practice in different conditions and look at the results on your computer to see how things like ISO and shutter speed impact the quality of the photo. It’s far better to know the implication of raising your ISO in a couple of practice shots than in a photo while you are on location.

When zoomed in you can see that this photo isn’t sharp even when the shutter speed was 1/80 sec due to the wind.

Try pano modes

As mentioned above, drone camera sensors are not as powerful as high-end DSLR cameras. Which can be problematic when for example you want to crop into a photo. Thankfully there is a way that you can get around this issue. Some drones such as the DJI Mavic Pro 2 have really great pano modes. There is a sphere (which I never really use), verticle pano, 180-degree pano and horizontal pano (a normal 4;3 ratio).

The 180-degree and vertical panos are what you would generally see in panoramic photos. In these modes, the drone will take multiple shots and stitch them together to create a wide (or long photo). The Mavic Pro 2 also has another pano mode called “horizontal” in which it takes 9 shots and stitches them together to create a bigger 4:3 photo than you would be able to capture in a single shot using a drone.

The other benefit of this is that it allows a much wider angle of view than would be possible with the 28mm camera on the drone. Because this photo is bigger in size it also allows greater flexibility for cropping your photo.

Note: you can also stitch the photos together yourself in an editing software rather than using the one that the drone stitches together.

Left: verticle pano. Middle: 4:3 horizontal pano. Right: 180-degree pano.

Compose your image carefully

One of the big pitfalls of drone photos is that it is easy to get caught up in the high angle of view and forget to compose your shot correctly. So it is important to still keep in mind some of the composition techniques that you would use for photos on the ground. Things like the rule of thirds or where you place your horizon line are incredibly important. As is thinking about the direction of the light in relation to your subject. Keep in mind that if you are shooting in pano modes such as the ones above, you will have to shoot with any cropping in mind. So, for example, you may have to place your subject slightly to the left or right of the frame.

Don’t just think higher

For me, one of the biggest advantages of having a drone is simply being able to get a slightly different angle of view than might be possible. That doesn’t necessarily mean that you have to take your drone high up. It could just be that you can swing your drone around to a place that wouldn’t be possible otherwise. For example, imagine you are photographing on a cliff. Using a drone will allow you to take photos from over the edge. Or for example, you might be photographing near water like a lake or the beach. Again a drone will allow you to take photos from over the water without getting yourself or your camera equipment wet. These might not need extra height but rather just a different angle. So don’t always think of your drone for height.

This photo is taken with the drone just over the edge of the cliff but at the same height as I was standing.

Put yourself in the shot

A drone can also be useful for those occasions when you want to put yourself in the photo. These types of photos can be really sellable as you are adding a point of interest to the shot. But you also benefit from having a model released photo (which is always far more valuable than an unreleased photo). You can, of course, do this with a normal DSLR camera but a drone does make it a lot easier as you don’t have to constantly move the camera around. So you can find your spot and move the drone while you are standing there for the perfect composition.

Drones are a fantastic tool for photographers. They open up a whole host of new shooting opportunities that were not possible previously. As long as you do your research and planning and have an understanding of the capabilities of your drone, you can end up with some truly stunning photos. Use these drone photography tips and you will be on your way to capturing great drone photos.

The First Things You’ll Learn When You Buy A Drone

There is no doubt about it, drones have become an integral part of many photographers kit list. They offer never before opportunities of being able to capture angles and locations that were not possible before. If used sensibly and safely drones have the potential to deliver some of the most truly stunning photos that you would be able to take. But buying a drone and using it is a big investment and requires some level of learning. In time you will be able to use your drone more effectively and you will be sure to learn a lot in those first few flights that you have. So here are 6 things that you will learn when you first start using a drone.

Your first flight will be scary

Regardless of what you think you know about drones, it is natural to be a little bit apprehensive on your first flight. In fact, it’s probably a good thing to ensure that you are keeping safe and not injuring people or even damaging your own drone. The first flight that you take with your drone is going to be scary and you are probably going to be keeping things simple and safe. That’s not a bad thing so don’t feel like you have to push your drone to its limit in its first flight. Use that first time to get a handle of things and understand how the drone controls work. Then when you slowly build more confidence in yourself you will be able to go higher or further away.

It will be over quickly

Drone batteries don’t last very long and so what you will notice very quickly on your first flight is how fast the battery runs out. So it’s a good idea (if you can afford), to invest in a couple of spare batteries. These will allow you to fly a little bit longer rather than having to constantly charge your battery which can take some time. This will allow you to be able to practice for more extended periods of time to become more accustomed to the drone and its controls.

But remember that your maximum flight time on each flight will still be relatively short as batteries will only last for a short period of time. So you will have to land your drone and change the battery to lift off again. Also, keep in mind that flying in strong winds and cold temperatures will drain the battery of your drone even faster than normal. So those spare batteries can come in really handy.

You still need to compose your image

Even though drones can give you never before seen shots, you will still need to use your own photography knowledge to be able to compose your shots carefully. Just getting higher in the sky will not give you a good shot. You have to use the same techniques as you would do for photography on the ground and compose your image to get the best shot possible. So before lifting off, try to have the shot in your mind that you would like to take so that you can spend less time flying around looking for the composition and capture the shots that you want to take quickly without having to waste battery power.

Mishaps will happen

No matter how careful you are when you first start flying your drone there is a possibility that mishaps will happen. So it’s really important that your first few flights are conducted in a safe environment away from people, animals, vehicles, buildings and roads. This will allow you to get a handle on things to ensure you know what to do if something does go wrong midflight. For example, on one of my first flights with my drone, my controller lost connection with the drone. This did set a little bit of panic inside me. However, by keeping calm and returning the drone to home (as was indicated on the controller) and restarting the app I was able to gain control of the drone again and land safely. Fortunately, on this occasion, the mishap was only a lost connection for a few seconds. Once I got reconnected to the drone I was able to land the drone safely as I was on a beach very early in the morning by myself. So try to learn what to do and how to react if things do go wrong because at some point they might do.

It doesn’t always mean high

One of the things that you quickly realise when you have a drone is that you don’t necessarily always have to fly it incredibly high to capture great photos. One of the best attributes of a drone is that allows you to get shots From the same level that you’re standing on but from just a different angle. For example, you may be standing on the clifftop and to get that perfect shot you just need to be a little bit closer to the edge or even over the edge. A drone allows you to be able to capture the shots like this without risking your life or in other cases where it may not be possible at all. You quickly realise when you’re flying a drone that sometimes it’s just a slight change of angle is needed rather than the height that can make all the difference.

These are just some of the things that you will experience on your first few weeks of owning a drone. Drones are a great new tool for photographers. If used correctly and safely they can provide wonderful photos that would not be possible with a normal camera. Pay attention to the points above and you’ll be prepared for your early drone experience.

Take your Photography to New Heights

As the autumn leaves fall gently by the wayside and winter sets in, I would like to share a few personal thoughts about why flying small drones to take your photography to new heights is something photographers should consider. The time of year you choose to learn can most certainly add to the attraction.

My colleague, Scott Strimple and I spend a few weeks a year teaching drone flight during our ‘Earth to Sky’ workshops at the Maine Media Workshops and College. With the birth of the Part 107 rules, we can be very specific about the regulations, and help point our students down the right path to passing their Remote Pilot Certificate. This naturally involves some fairly intensive ground school training prior to even touching the controls of the small drone. These lessons are quite overwhelming for someone who has not had any type of pilot training, but there is nothing like opening the door of the classroom and setting off to embark upon your first flight. Most students with no experience are a little nervous, and anxious to do as well as their compatriots. What is especially exciting is when the first flight is above the astonishing Maine beauty with the colors of fall at their peak. The images displayed were taken on the DJI Phantom 4. the link will provide you with all the information on the machine, along with camera specs.

This image was captured by one of our students with our help. He was amazed to see what can be achieved from a small camera lens attached to a flying machine!

Once everyone feels comfortable flying, the next step is to learn to operate the camera and combine flying with photography. The camera on virtual sticks enables the photographer to obtain stunning images from the campus lawn! The concerns and thoughts emanating from a considerable amount of negative press melt away as you capture a bird’s eye view of the beauty surrounding you, and you are ensconced in an explosion of color.

Part of our class involves preparing our students to answer questions, and deal with unhappy bystanders. Even within the drone community, there is generally a huge amount of debate surrounding the legalities. When images are posted, there is always someone who wants to either question the authenticity of an image or pose the thought that the aforementioned image was taken while violating the rules of engagement. It is easy to consider throwing in the towel and moving on to a different form of photography. So what are we to do? Firstly, don’t give up! If you are at all cautious (and it is good to always be cautious) consider what it is you can do without sending your small drone too far away.

Top down, or nadir images are becoming extremely popular (and are among my favorites) as well as panoramas – all of which can be taken from where you are standing. This way you maintain the maximum amount of control of your drone and can easily land if you feel the weather conditions are changing, or you simply don’t feel comfortable anymore. I rarely feel the need to compete when I am flying and will concentrate on my end goals, frequently ignoring any strong suggestion that I should become a little more adventurous. When I learned to fly a Cessna 182 I soon found out the limits of my flying ability, and because my rear end was strapped to the seat, it was easy to comply with my inner voice!

If all you feel compelled to do is use a small drone to hover above you as a tripod in the air, or virtual tripod, you have done more than most. Think about it, when we go out with our cameras, we are limited to the lens we choose. The lens dictates what it is that we see, and how we compose our photograph. The drone enables us to take our images to new heights. While we are still restricted by our choice of lens in the air, we are seeing everything from a new perspective. How adventurous you become is up to your confidence, your flying prowess, and your photographic vision. Remember not so long ago, Photoshop shocked the world with the ability to manipulate images. Photoshop is a powerful tool in the right hands, as is your small drone. Don’t get discouraged by scaremongers – go out and discover what you can create using this wonderful technology.

Nowadays, people generally don’t tend to question a photographer. There is no assumption of impropriety unless the lens is particularly long and the photographer is hiding in the bushes. The same does not apply to those using drones to capture aerial images. It is likely that you may be questioned, and even if there is little doubt about what you are up to, the question will frequently be asked: “what about privacy.” Given time, I believe the curiosity will die down, and there will be less fear involved. While there are many questions and assumptions of nefarious behavior, I would suggest overcoming the obstacles and at least finding a local group of flyers with whom you can spend a bit of time.

I am equally as obsessed with all methods of capture when it comes to taking images. I love experimenting with IR as much as I enjoy flying my small drones. I simply love the flexibility these many forms of creative expression offer me and encourage everyone to keep an open mind when it comes to new technology.

The wonderful thing about attending a photographic workshop is full emersion in one area of choice. Our drone workshops enable our students to learn so very much and by the end of the week, we are able to present an example of the work completed and the challenges overcome. Scott and I will be running several workshops at MMW next year. The dates will be announced in January. We will also be teaching for the first time at Madeline Island School of the Arts, located on the largest of the Apostle Islands in Lake Superior, from September the 18^th to the 22^nd of 2017.

To sum up, it has been quite a year for the drone industry, with technology tripping over itself to be released. Flying a small drone is becoming simpler, and the rules are becoming more clearly defined. I want to encourage those of you with an interest, to try your hand at flying and letting go of the anxiety so that you can simply have fun. Find a mentor in the industry if you have questions. To that end, I am happy to chat with anyone who wants to explore the possibilities. The end goal does not have to be to make money, although I highly recommend taking the remote pilot airman certificate so that you have the flexibility to sell your images or work commercially should you so desire.