A not quite unusual journey in photography is that it starts with a creative vein and a camera that ends in a full-time job and maybe even your own company. In this article, we will accompany you on such a journey and share tips that can help you along the way.
Many professional photographers started as an Instagram community for drone images. Then, after investing in several drones. Today, Drone takes pictures and records videos for, among other things, hotel chains, and holiday resorts.
Here we are going to share some expert tips to best tips for successfully producing fantastic images while traveling.
Equipment is important
A good camera does not make you a good photographer, but good equipment is important for success. It is also important that all equipment is always available and reliable. Therefore, you need to write a list of all things needed. There is nothing worse than coming to a great place and discovering that one of the drones’ propellers is missing, and the taking cannot be accomplished.
Protecting equipment is also important. Don’t underestimate nature. For example, beaches and seas can affect sensitive equipment; you want to avoid the sand grains damaging your telephoto zoom. In harsh environments, we ensure that our cameras and lenses are protected separately. Prevention is better than being an afterthought; it is always better to be a little extra cautious than to regret it afterward.
Adapt yourself
Weather will always be the most uncertain factor for a photographer. How the weather affects your images varies from time to time. You need to use all your photographic creativity to get the most out of your photos. So accept and like the location – and don’t try to get a sunny feeling when the sky is gray.
It is much better to highlight the dark clouds in an approaching thunderstorm, instead of trying to create an unrealistic, sunny feel in the pictures. However, when you edit the images afterward, you can change the colors a bit.
Don’t forget filters, especially in the sun
Filters are crucial, and we do not mean Instagram filters, but ND filters and polarizers. As a photographer, you can easily adjust shutter speed, aperture, and ISO values, but each setting has consequences. When shooting a waterfall on a bright day, you may want to choose a short shutter speed and a small aperture for optimum light output. But this will make the water very sharp, and every drop of water will be visible. Longer shutter speed will make the water softer but may cause the image to be overexposed.
With an ND filter, you can work more creatively so that the lens captures less light without affecting ambient colors. This allows you to choose shutter speed and aperture, depending on the feel and depth you want to create in your images, without being too much controlled by the surroundings.
Think about the light
If you work against a tight deadline, you will not always have the luxury of footing during the hours of the day when the light is soft, which often results in better images. At lunchtime, the light is much harsher. Try to plan your day to avoid the harsh light. We always try to have lunch between 12 and 14. This way, we avoid the harsh shadows created in the middle of the day, especially when working with drones. Otherwise, there is also a risk that the drone’s shadow will appear in the pictures.
However, if you can’t avoid footing around lunchtime, use the right filter to soften the images as much as possible. At least try to plan your day, so you don’t have to take the most important pictures when the sun is at its highest.
The importance of post-editing
Most of the creative work is done during editing. Here you as a photographer can make a difference and really stand out in the crowd. We usually only change color and contrast in our images without tweaking the image too much.
But of course, you can choose to go much further. Many photographers and film photographers add their own touch by highlighting specific colors. Don’t feel limited to the image created by your camera: shooting is only half the job.
Back up your backups
Make sure all work has not been in vain, have a rock-safe routine for your copies and backups. The backup starts on the spot, immediately after you take the pictures. On-site, we use external storage devices that can withstand really difficult conditions. We also always carry double sets. It allows you to save images in at least two places.
As soon as we are back in the studio, we put in a higher backup switch. We copy all images to our studio unit with 48 TB hard drives. They are configured in RAID 5, which prevents data loss if any of the devices are damaged. Then we edit the images via Thunderbolt 3 connection. We also save all original images on the studio unit, even after the project is completed. You never know when an old picture may be needed.
Finally, as an extra security measure, we save all original images on several separate external hard drives. These are never deleted and are the ultimate backup. In our Dutch office, we use a NAS to back up all project files.
Organize more – before it’s too late
If you shoot a lot, you need to be able to handle one million files. Too often, people realize how important it is to organize the files too late, i.e., after getting lost in their own folder structure. Therefore, you must act proactively: organize the images quickly and in as many categories as possible. Which way is best? It all depends on what kind of photographer you are.
For starters, we split private and professional photos. After that, the images are divided by each customer and organized according to the location of the photo. For each location, the pictures are also divided by day and specific drones who took the pictures. This means that if the customer so desires, we can quickly and easily produce pictures taken by a certain drone on a certain day. You can also check out the list of best drones under $200 if you’re planning your next and running out of a tight budget.
It sums up seven helpful tips from the drone pilots that can be useful for both beginners and perhaps even more experienced photographers. Your photographs and video recordings are your memories or maybe your work, so it is extremely important to make sure they are stored safely and smoothly.
