1.Plan your shoot:
Every aerial photography shoot needs planning, and using drones is no exception. In fact, it requires a bit more planning because you have to ensure that the area where you want to fly is unrestricted, that there are no potential ground obstacles like electrical pylons, and that the weather is appropriate for both flying the camera drone and capturing the shots you want. Effective photography with drones involves careful consideration of these factors to achieve the best results.
You may truly take your time looking for places to fly before you step outdoors. Spending some time researching is vital because drone photography requires knowing where you can fly in the first place.
To begin with, you can utilize Google Earth as a tool to choose the best location for your drone camera flight. One of Google Earth’s best features is its 3D capability, which lets you see fine details on the map, such your exact location.
2.Know when to fly:
Since the weather is constantly changing, it is critical that you keep yourself informed with the most recent data and keep an eye on it when operating your Camera drone.
When there is less wind and good lighting outside, the weather is ideal for drone flying for aerial photography. In addition to making flying extremely challenging, wind can cause your camera drone’s batteries to run out far more quickly as you expend energy trying to keep it steady. Your batteries may also discharge more quickly in colder climates, especially in the winter in areas like Iceland and Greenland.
Unless it is so windy that you can not take off or land at all, or unless your batteries die before you ever get airborne, there is nothing stopping you from flying in these conditions.
Just keep in mind that flying in this kind of weather is not entirely safe. It’s also not a good idea to fly your drone when it’s snowing or pouring, as precipitation might harm the electronics.
That being said, unusual weather can produce some quite stunning drone camera photos. I adore flying through fog because it may have a mystical and alluring quality. Backlighting is another excellent time to fly because it can produce long shadows across the terrain.
3.Shoot in Raw for Aerial Photgraphy:
JPEGs are very versatile in terms of processing aerial photography, and they can save novice photographers from having to work on their photographs. However, shooting in Raw is always the best option if you want the most control and the capacity to make bigger modifications. Higher-end drones are all capable of capturing DNGs, which offers up a ton of possibilities for manipulating photos with programs like Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop.
While certain photos will need more processing than others, it is advisable to make sure your edits are not applied so much that the photos end up seeming overdone. Moreover, it is preferable to avoid over-stylizing photos as this detracts from the natural appearance of the subject and may make or break a stock sale.
4.Use HDR to maintain the detail.
When compared to traditional cameras, one of the issues with using drones for aerial photography is that you cannot utilize ND-grade filters to preserve sky detail in scenes with strong contrast. To address this, take high-dynamic range, or HDR, pictures. Here’s where you bracket three or five exposures to capture information in the highlights, midtones, and
shadows. Then, using Adobe Lightroom or HDR software, combine the three or five exposures to create a single image.
With just one push of the shutter, you may achieve the desired exposures with many camera drones that have AEB (automatic exposure bracketing). The camera will determine the underexposed and overexposed images depending on the middle/correct exposure you chose for the ground.
UAVs.When using AEB, camera drones typically provide users the choice of three or five bracketed exposures; however, as these are only set at one-stop increments, it is usually preferable to choose five exposures.
5.Look for alternative camera angles and viewpoints for aerial Photography:
The ability to get a camera into aerial photography not only means you can enjoy higher vistas to create photographs you could never take from ground level, but it also allows you to look straight down on the world for a bird’s eye view. This kind of perspective is called a top-down shot, and it can be a fruitful strategy for the right type of subject in photography with drones.
While you can photograph typical landscapes using this method, the most visually appealing shots are often those that are straightforward, symmetrical, or feature intriguing lines and shapes. Although the rules of composition still apply, the best outcomes in photography with drones are usually achieved by following the rule of thirds or utilizing a centrally composed theme. Additionally, you may occasionally be able to capture images in low light, allowing you to take advantage of lighting situations that would be unfavorable for more traditionally organized aerial landscape photography with drones.
6.Use compositional devices:
It is all too simple to disregard all of your compositional knowledge when flying a camera drone over a aerial photography and presenting a fresh and intriguing perspective. Because of how great the image is looking on the screen, you take what is effectively a snapshot rather than a more carefully thought-out picture since it seems so good.
Give the shot some careful attention, balancing the scenes with the rule of thirds. When there are aspects in the scene that could serve these purposes, do not forget to use lead-in lines and foreground interest to help direct the viewers’ attention to the scene.
7.High altitudes are not always required in aerial Photography:
Many inexperienced drone operators take their machines right up to the 120-meter legal maximum when they first get them, just to check out the view. This height will be necessary for certain scenes, but merely 50 meters, for example, may be necessary for others. However, using a camera aerial drone does not require you to shoot from a great height all the time.
One of the great things about drones is that they can fly into regions that are generally inaccessible by foot. In situations like aerial photography, you may only need to fly the aerial drone one or two meters over the ground. Flying three or four meters slightly over head height is an additional possibility.
