While I've written a number of drone articles on flying and photography, I feel like this one will help tie many of those together. Taking photographs with your drone involves a lot of different skills. So here are some things for you to explore that I hope will help you on that journey. Most of these examples use DJI products, but the basic techniques can be applied to any brand of drone. I also think you'll find it much easier to explore many the basics on the ground rather than try to figure them out while you're flying (except for the ones … [Read more...] about Learning the basics helps you take better photographs with your drone
Manual Mode
5 steps to get out of Auto
When just starting out in photography the typical person will begin their journey with the camera set to Auto. Using this mode tells the camera to choose the ISO, shutter speed, aperture, flash and focus. https://youtu.be/YUuwmeEhZu0 To be honest, the Auto mode has gotten much better over the years, and it can really lead to nice photographs. But the photographer still needs to think about composition and focal length. There is so much more to photography than simply clicking the shutter button and moving along. It’s an art and with … [Read more...] about 5 steps to get out of Auto
Portrait Tips: The Best Selfie Method — Shoot a Time Lapse
Selfie's with your phone are fun, but you can do so much if you use your camera. You can control the depth of field, lighting, lens choice, and you can place the camera somewhere other than arm's length. All cameras have a timer built into them, and many of them allow you take three shots on a single timer setting so that you have more opportunity to get into the frame and get everyone looking the same direction. But even better than using the timer is using the timelapse mode--especially for photographing your own … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: The Best Selfie Method — Shoot a Time Lapse
Becoming a Better Drone Photographer: Setting up your DJI Drone Camera in Manual Mode
In this article I show you how to setup your DJI drone camera, using the Go 4 app, in Manual Mode for shooting photographs. I will also talk about some of the settings you can change when shooting in manual mode, so you can explore and learn them. I will be using screenshots from my Inspire 2 as well as a video. Your screen may look a little different, but the basics are the same. Also, note that some drones don’t allow you to change the aperture. If Manual Mode isn't your thing, check out Full Auto Mode and Aperture Priority Mode. What is … [Read more...] about Becoming a Better Drone Photographer: Setting up your DJI Drone Camera in Manual Mode
Portrait Tips: Muscle Memory
When you're making pictures with people, you need to have practiced your camera well enough that you can change the ISO, Aperture, and Shutter Speed (or Exposure Compensation) without taking your eye from the viewfinder. Muscle Memory Go ahead and practice right now. You should be 'dry firing' your camera daily. Take it with you to work and when you take a lunch break, put it to your eye and practice changing all the settings. You need to program your muscles to know exactly where all the settings are the same way you can find your way from … [Read more...] about Portrait Tips: Muscle Memory
