In this article, I will share with you my first month experience with a new flying camera for drone photography. You will see how learning how to use and fly a drone can help you improve all your photography skills.
Take your time and learn the basics.
The amount of time it takes to learn how to fly a drone depends in part on the drone photographer. With the DJI Mavic Pro, I spend my time reading the manual (which is a little helpful), watching DJI videos (more helpful), and watching other people’s YouTube videos (which is very helpful).
Even if you’re the “Let’s Go” type, take the time to watch these videos. It’s worth it because not all of the drone’s content, especially from a photography perspective, is intuitive. You can also do this while the battery is charging.
Most drones have a controller connected to a smartphone. Your phone screen becomes a remote viewfinder. It may seem obvious, but let me explain a few situations where you have never owned a drone.
You will need a smartphone to fly most drones for taking pictures.
Spent 3 days using the nasty DJI app (read the app reviews, you’ll understand what I mean) and it worked, but I found it to be incompatible with older phones. I switched to my wife’s phone and voila and everything suddenly worked.
If the drone does not connect right after downloading the app, it could be an app/phone combo. My suggestion is to focus on disconnecting the phone/app first.
Starting to fly
When I actually flew a drone for the first time, I was frightened to see it flying so high. The second time, not so much. For the third time, I no longer look at the aircraft (DJI reminds you repeatedly that this is the correct name for the device, not the drone. The drone launches missiles and monitors terrorists. The aircraft is, well, aircraft, I guess, Even this can be folded and put in a wallet).
Instead, I just looked at the screen. This is much easier. In short, although you want the drone to always be in the visible range so that you can understand the danger (this is actually the law in most areas), focus on your screen and you will get more The confidence to fly fast.
Here are some lessons I learned during the first month of flying:
Learn to fly before you learn to shoot
This means finding a truly open space and learning the controls well, so you don’t have to consciously think about every lever and button and their role. You will have enough time to take pictures later. Now let’s get a feel for this aircraft.
Visualize before takeoff
On Mavic Pro, the flight time per battery is approximately 26 minutes (so be sure to consider purchasing an extra). Because of this, try to imagine your lens before taking off so that you don’t waste the precious 26 minutes of battery life and just fly around aimlessly.
However, you must realize that when you first start using drones, everything will be different from the above. do not worry. As you become more experienced, you will learn how to better “read” scenes, and will spend less time searching and more time setting up the shots you want.
Watch the weather
In some areas, wind and humidity are big limiting factors. I recently returned from a trip to the UK (yes, most airlines allow drones to board as long as your battery is in your carry-on luggage) and can only fly the plane 3 times in 10 days.
In most cases, it will either be raining (humidity will ruin your battery) or it will be too windy. But I did learn that I can fly in greater winds than I initially imagined, with wind speeds up to about 8 mph. I received a strong wind warning on the controller (if you are in a restricted area or too close to an object, it will warn you that there is wind), but other than that, there is no problem. But please decide for yourself, because a strong wind may ruin your day and your plane.
Don’t fly too high
When you limit the height, overhead shooting becomes more interesting. As the photo of the couple above reveals (taken at an altitude of about 12 feet/three meters), you can get great images with a drone, but you won’t even know that it was taken with a drone.
Learn how to avoid obstacles
In the early stages, you may be frightened by trees or other objects that seem to reach toward the drone. Personally, I haven’t gotten close enough to the aircraft to use its obstacle avoidance procedures.
Randy tested the sensors by flying the plane directly towards him. He thinks that unlike flying into a tree, if the sensor fails, he can remove it. It turns out that they work very well. The plane stopped a few feet in front of him.
You still want to fly cautiously, but it’s nice to know that your sensor is working for you.
Recognize the limitations of where you can fly
You can fly a drone with some restrictions (no national parks, no crowded areas, no flying near airports, etc.), but there is still a large area that can be explored through the air, which cannot be explored on the ground. In addition, scenes that look boring from the ground (such as wheat fields) will present new possibilities when viewed from above. You just need to rethink what makes a great image.
Learn to shoot at an angle
Angled images are more difficult to shoot at the correct height, distance, and direction than images taken directly above the head. But they will not scream “DRONE SHOT” like some high-altitude direct shots.
In addition, one benefit of oblique shooting is that you can isolate the subject from distracting foreground or background items.
Additional benefits of shooting with drones
For most photographers, high-quality drones are a luxury, not a necessity. But its greatest value is more than just allowing you to take photos that you can’t take without it. Even if you don’t use it, it can help you take better photos because it will make you rethink how you look at the scene and take photos accordingly.
When I was in college, I played on the school tennis team. Part of the training includes lessons on how to teach others to play games. During the course of one month, each participant must use his or her non-dominant hand to play the game. not easy.
Shooting with a drone/aircraft is similar. Because it is very unfamiliar at first, it will reconnect how your brain sees the subject you are shooting and how to compose the picture in the best way. Without a drone, your photography is likely to be two-dimensional, and you may continue to shoot in the same way you always do.
Good Read: Wireless Sensor Network in IoT usage for Law Enforcement
Conclusion
With drones, you must consider the possibility of altitude and different angles. In turn, this will also affect your more ground shots, because you will see more possibilities than before.
I am a professional drone photographer, believe me, it may take time to master drone photography. But in the process, you may capture some surprising and shocking images. Most importantly, you may become a better overall photographer.