Photography is all about getting the right angle.
For a long time, those angles were restricted to whatever you could find from where you stood. In the past, if you were standing in the street, you were restricted to standing, sitting, or laying where you were to see what angles would make your subjects stand out in your picture. If you were lucky, there may have been a tall building near by. If you climbed to the top of it, you probably could get a great shot from above—a new perspective that wasn’t offered from the ground level. Whichever vantage point you would have favored, one thing remained the same:
Those days are long gone.
As drones have stormed into the world of photography, the aerial perspective that was once restricted has become limitless. A literal birds eye view has become available to all photographers, and the result of that access has made for some incredible photos.
Let’s take a look at how these drones made such a splash and explore how they will continue to change the landscape of photography.
They’re More Accessible Than Ever
What used to cost thousands and thousands of dollars—therefore only used by the best professional photographers—now costs just a couple hundred bucks. Whether taking photos from up above is your hobby or your profession, you can buy a quality drone for a reasonable price and start creating some magic from the sky.
The high cost of these little technological wizards made the use of a drone very exclusive, but now, anyone can purchase one and get started. With more and more people getting them for personal or business use, it has been interesting to see how the art has evolved. With new people experimenting with drones or UAVs (unmanned aerial vehicles) everyday, the pictures captured from the sky have become more and more creative.
They’re Easy to Operate
If you’re unfamiliar to drone technology, you may think that it would be difficult to fly one with confidence, let alone take pictures with it once it’s in the air.
But fear not, these machines are incredibly stable and easy to fly. In most cases, you can even sync the controls to your smartphone, so you can see what the drone sees. That way you’ll be certain when you’ve found the right shot, because you’ll have the point of view of the drone in the palm of your hand.
To add to its ease of use, once the UAV finds a good angle on a scene or subject to capture, you can take your hands off the controls and it will settle into that pocket of air without your assistance. That’s right; it will just float there and wait for you to snap the shot that you desire. As steady as a tripod, but floating in air!
They Provide Opportunities for New “Classic” Shots
In a traditional photo shoot setting, there are plenty of go-to approaches that photographers lean on again and again.
At weddings, you’ll probably see a wedding dress hanging from a tree or a groom dipping his bride on the dance floor.
At newborn shoots, you’ll probably see a few shots of a naked bum and a tiny hand grasping a parents finger.
Out in nature, you can’t go wrong with a sunrise, a sunset, or the moon peeking out behind a tree.
These are tried and true. Photography enthusiasts come back to these pictures because they’re beautiful and breathtaking.
With drones being incorporated, a whole new category of classic photography has been born. With endless options in a wide open sky, drone photography has put a new spin on traditional events.
They have literally blown the roof off of the world of photography. There are no longer vertical limits to the perspectives that can be found from above. These aerial shots provide nuance to a world that can be predictable at times.
