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These days technologies have evolved so that taking pictures with drones has become very commonplace. That’s because this is an extremely unique and versatile way to capture images that have a superior view of the landscape. In this post, you will have interesting tips for taking pictures with drones.
So this has become a very original option both for professional photographers who have the need to take images at higher altitudes and also for those who want to offer a differentiated product to their customers. Therefore, a photo taken from a drone is a differential that can be offered, in which it is worth investing.
However, the versatility, practicality, and accessibility of the use of drones have meant that this technology has also aroused interest in laypeople who like beautiful photos. But of course, to be able to take the best photos with drones, it is necessary to have a lot of knowledge as well as know-how to use some techniques that allow better image capture.
So if you are a professional or simply love taking different photos, this is the right article for you! Check out Top Tips to Improve Your Photos and Images Even More with Your Drone
Here are several tips on how to get the best images with your equipment. Follow up.
Invert the Perspective
The drones provide a point of view that no other ordinary camera can give, the view from the top! So make the most of it and use this aerial view to create wonderful illusions below. Let your creativity run wild, ask someone to lie down on the floor and do any pose or use a bench to look like the edge of a building for example. Enjoy aerial creativity and surprise yourself!
Check UAV Forecast
First, before starting your drone for a photo session, you need to check the UAV, which will provide you with extremely important information for your safety, the aircraft, the people close to the site and buildings, and other barriers close to the desired location. The UAV will report the area limitation, weather forecast, amount of GPS via satellite active in a certain area, and other relevant information.
All these precautions can prevent serious accidents, and provide you with an incredible experience in capturing aerial photos with your drone.
Shoot in RAW Format
The option to take pictures in digital RAW format will provide greater versatility and quality for the images.
With this, you will be able to obtain data from the images without having to compress them. Therefore, the amount of detail, as well as the photo’s resolution, sharpness, and brightness, can be preserved, thus allowing adjustments to be made without looking like the photo is artificial like JPEG images that have low resolution.
Most modern drones have built-in cameras that support the RAW format for images, however, if you have a modular drone that allows you to change the camera, be sure to get one that allows you to record in RAW format.
Use Grid Overlay
A composition is the most important feature of an image, as it will determine the arrangement of all items in the frame, as well as the balance between positive and negative space, as well as the color balance of the image. Thus, you need to have enough training and skill to program your drone, as most drones have an average of 25 to 30 minutes of flight time, so if you are about to take a photo, it is essential that there is no mistakes, as time is at a premium.
So, to ensure that your photos are done correctly, use the grid overlay to frame your images and improve your compositions, as well as helping you get it right the first time, reducing errors.
Reduced ISO
Drone cameras often have smaller sensors which consequently do not have effective functionality at high ISO settings. Above all, if you’re taking pictures or recording in night mode, high lighting shouldn’t be an issue and you don’t need to use the High ISO setting.
In general, you should keep the ISO as low as possible, and you need to manually adjust the drone’s camera settings. When taking pictures in a lot of wind or shade, be sure to act at a reduced speed, around 1/6 of a second, to allow for more lighting and thus keep the ISO lower, for cleaner, sharper images.
Take advantage of AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) Some drone models like the DJI Phantom 3 Professional and other recent versions of Phantom, have the AEB (Auto Exposure Bracketing) feature that helps in capturing more realistic photos with high dynamic range.
Thus, it is possible to take the same photo multiple times at different angles and settings. Therefore, you can select the photo with the best exposure levels or combine them into a single photo and use the best parts of each photo.
Such an option is extremely useful for use when you want to save time and get photos correctly exposed, without the need to take several test shots or create high-quality HDR images.
Be Prepared to Improvise
At certain times you may come across unexpected situations, such as a change in weather, or with an emergency, the area may be declared out of bounds, even after careful UAV forecasting and weather reports. In unexpected cases, be creative and turn unfavorable situations into an unusual photo opportunities. The results can be surprising. Create High-Resolution Images with Panoramic Photos
Panoramic photo
Less sophisticated Drone cameras are generally limited in terms of photo resolution due to the relatively low number of megapixels. Clearly, this does not apply to more advanced drones. Above all, if you need larger images with a larger amount of pixels to bring out more details in the image, you can opt for the panorama technique.
Some drones like for example DJI Spark have Panorama mode already built-in, but if your drone’s camera doesn’t have this feature, you can simply take several pictures while panning the camera. This allows you to capture more than one position of the scene and then group the photos using editing software such as Adobe Lightroom to create a unique, high-quality image.
Therefore, this technique used will allow you to capture images with high resolution and retain essential image details, in addition to capturing an entire scene.
Try the 16:9 or 4:3 Proportions
Drone cameras, being used primarily for video, often offer 16:9 and 4:3 formats significantly improving the focus of a landscape or scene and can increase or reduce the spaces between the focal points and the sides of the frame.
However, if you don’t know which format to use, the best thing to do is to test them out to see which best fits the images you want. So, take the same photo using both proportions, then decide which is the best option.
Use Camera Lens Filters
The use of lens filters is crucial to work in poor lighting conditions. Thus, filters help control the light that reaches the sensor, that is, they reduce reflections and even enhance colors. Therefore, filters are really essential to help you get better results from your photos.
However, there are several filter options, and each one has a specific purpose. So, before purchasing a filter, evaluate the types of photos you usually take or want to take, in addition to considering the time of day and the environment in which you will take the photos, as these factors are essential in deciding which filter to buy.
Look for Symmetry, Patterns, and Lines
Taking pictures with a drone allows you to capture details that are not commonly visible from the ground. So enjoy the experience of focusing on amazing scenery from a bird’s point of view and look for unique patterns and lines to make your photos unique.
Incorporating such art and design elements can significantly enhance your overall makeup giving you an identity.
Lights and Shadows
As the main element present in photos, light plays an extremely important role in determining the tonality, vibration, composition, and message that your photo conveys.
Therefore, shooting with a drone gives you the opportunity to view the lights and shadows from a different perspective, especially when the sun is rising or setting, and be impressed by the effects shown in the photos.
Be Creative in Your Photos
Photographing is art, so what you see from the sky down will give you a multitude of options and patterns such as textures and colors to create your image.
Reinvent the selfie
Leave the selfie stick forever! It doesn’t matter what kind of background you are in, because you will be featured anywhere.
Always carry spare batteries!
With these tips, there’s no doubt that you’ll want to fly around all day, looking for the perfect mirror image, the weirdest curves, or the perfect selfie spot.
Make sure you always bring extra batteries so you don’t spoil your experience. Drone photography can give you an innovative perspective on the world around you.
Conclusion
Photographs taken with the aid of drones have become very popular not only among professionals but also among hobbyists.
But whatever your goal is, to get the best shots you need to know how to make the most of the camera and drone features. In this article, you saw a series of tips that will allow you to get stunning images. Are you ready to have fun capturing the best drone shots of your life?
