Aerial photography is a professional skill or hobby like no other. The thrill of capturing photos with a drone ranks high on the bucket list of photographers. Its expansive nature can be breathtaking. A solid understanding of taking pictures from the sky is vital.
The accommodations that make aerial pre wedding photography possible must be considered. Aerial photography is a technique used to photograph the surface and atmosphere of the Earth with a camera mounted to an aircraft, such as a drone.
Photos from the air look amazing when beautifully captured. They attract the eye immediately. Photography is an art. As such, there is no written guide to help capture the best photos. There are no drone photography rules that help take stunning pictures.
There are techniques to learn and tips to follow that aerial photographers should use to avoid the product photography mistakes. Most attractive photographs are the result of consistency, dedication, and practice. Here are five tips that photographers must know.
Lighting
When taking photographs, the time of day matters. A significant factor in capturing excellent photos is light. You work with natural light during the day. The sun is the light source best for quality photos. At night, take advantage of oversized lamps, pole lights, flashlights, and other sources.
You must consider a wide-angle of the sun and the flight path. There are no obstructions that block the sun with aerial photography. You must be selective to get the desired results. Nature produces sidelight at dawn and dusk. Keep the sun on either side of the drone rather than in front or back.
Light is softer and creates more contrast during the beginning and end of the day. Avoid flights at midday. The golden hour is when the color in the sky changes from red or orange to yellow. Lighting is soft and diffused with little contrast. It is perfect for landscape photography.
A deep blue hue in the sky, known as the blue hour, is perfect for city and urban photography. The sky becomes darker during the astronomical hour. Constellations are visible. Moonlight replaces sunlight. It is ideal for observing and photographing astronomical objects, such as galaxies and planets. The golden, blue, or astronomical hour is the favorite of some photographers.
Editing
The key to creating extraordinary results is editing. Commercial aerial photography always captures raw photos and edits them before publishing on a blog or delivering to clients. You can use multiple editing software packages.
Even when all the settings are correct, some distortion may occur in captured aerial images. Perspective is a common distortion that results from the altitude in the sky when taking photos. Editing software makes it easy to fix distortions and make other image adjustments.
Some software has automatic perspective distortion tools. They take the guesswork and time out of photo editing. Cropping a shot with a photo editor is a simple action that dramatically affects images. All photos benefit from it. Following the rule of thirds places the focal point along a horizontal or vertical line and an intersection point. Intense colors help make a photo look more vibrant.
Take Multiple Shots
Because you edit the photos, taking multiple shots of a scene helps in adding shadows and effects. Drone cameras have live or bracketing photo features that allow taking various pictures of a scene. Present the subject from multiple angles that highlight the scene’s importance in a narrative.
Most 4K camera drones have intelligent flight modes that allow capturing aerial photographs from various perspectives. Overlapping objects helps the viewer reconstruct the three-dimensional scene in their mind. It will enable them to be ‘in’ the scene rather than simply seeing a photo. Overlapping creates a stronger sense of depth.
If a camera does not have a panorama mode, taking several shots to capture a scene can be done while panning the camera. The photos are stitched together with the editing software to create one high-quality panoramic image. This technique allows capturing higher resolution images and retaining essential image details.
Camera Mode
Most beginning photographers opt for the camera’s auto mode when they start taking pictures. The auto mode limits settings. You can change the ISO settings of a camera in manual mode for better aerial shots while using drones for real estate photography.
It also allows controlling the shutter speed and other settings. Because the camera moves around quickly, it is difficult to stay in focus. It is critical to use a fast shutter speed for aerial photography. Anything above 1/1000 of a second is recommended.
The longer the focal length is, the faster you need to shoot. High shutter speeds require high ISO to maintain a proper depth of field and develop sharp images. Aim for an aperture of at least f/2.8 to achieve the greatest clarity across the image. It takes some adjustment to get a balance between ISO, aperture, and shutter speed. There are no limits for practicing shots with manual mode.
Stability
A factor in capturing stunning aerial drone photography photos is the quality of the drone and camera. High-quality drones have stable flying abilities that produce outstanding results. The speed of travel and light conditions change rapidly when taking aerial photos.
A camera should support a high ISO range. An ISO of 2000 or more ensures the camera can handle fluctuating light conditions. It also makes it more forgiving for higher shutter speeds and aperture needed for focusing on beautiful photos.
Most drones have a gyroscope integrated or encompassed within the Inertial Measurement Unit (IMU). The function of gyroscope technology is to improve the flight capabilities of a drone. A drone’s algorithms, software, and hardware work together to improve every aspect of the flight, including taking steep angled turns and hovering perfectly still. A drone with six-axis gyro stabilization is useful for beginners and seasoned pros.
Recap
Using drones aerial photography is an intriguing prospect. It is not for the faint of heart. Seeing from a bird’s-eye view can be exhilarating. It also has its challenges to face, such as weather conditions and time limits.
For those who have never used a drone to take pictures, this is a collection of tips meant to help the planning phase of aerial photography drone usage. You do not have to make assumptions about what works.
Editing images is of equal importance as capturing them. Commercial photography, especially, requires precision and an acute understanding of the dynamics. With some practice and a quality drone and camera, you will become a drone photographer with an eye for the best camera settings, perspectives, and aerial angles.
An excellent tour from the sky begins with the proper preparation on the ground. These tips help prepare for an enjoyable and productive photoshoot. Click on the links in this article for further information about the various tips.
Author Bio:
Chris Hoefner is a landscape and portrait/street photography enthusiast from Germany and working at Alex Drone Photography. He has a keen interest in photo editing and technology. When he’s not out in the wild with his camera, he can be found trying to master the art of making flavorful coffee.
