My first drone was a DJI Phantom 3 back in 2015. It was a challenging experience, but at the time, it was incredibly revolutionary. This drone offered me a glimpse into what I could create as a photographer on a small budget. The ability to capture photos from the sky was groundbreaking, a completely new perspective.
Fast forward nine years, and drones have become much more powerful, compact, and travel-friendly. Not only are they available in various sizes, but they're also more affordable and accessible, making drones easier to use than ever.
However, I often see photographers, especially hobbyists, making simple mistakes when flying their drones.
Weather plays a crucial role in drone photography. It is such a simple mistake but planning your shoots ahead of time is essential, and you’ll need to get used to waking up early.
While sunrises are beautiful, if you're aiming to capture the ocean, a cloudy sky can wash out the colours. It's best to shoot on a clear morning to retain the vibrant hues.
It's important to set your white balance manually so the colours remain consistent across your photos. Drones often attempt to adjust to true white automatically, but during the golden hour, this can diminish the warm tones you want to capture. Get in the habit of adjusting your white balance manually.
Remember, if something appears warm, lower the Kelvin value to cool it down, and if something is cool, raise the Kelvin value to warm it up. This adjustment compensates for the cooler temperature.
Shooting in 48MP allows you to capture more detail in your photos, as it records more data.
This is especially useful if you plan to print your work. While most DJI drones have a 12MP sensor, DJI's technology can digitally enhance the image by four times, resulting in a 48MP photo.
Many photographers tend to shoot top-down or straight on. To add depth to your photos, try tilting the camera slightly downward.
Start by considering what elements can be placed in the foreground, and use the rule of thirds to create a better composition.
AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) mode takes 3-5 photos at different exposure levels—one stop higher, one mid, and one lower.
This method captures more detail in the shadows and highlights, giving you more flexibility when merging the images in Lightroom. You'll have more room to edit and bring out the details in your photos.
If you need help editing your photos, I’ve spent the last decade perfecting my editing skills, and I’ve poured all that knowledge into The Deluxe Collection. With these presets, you can achieve professional-level edits in just minutes.
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