Aerial Photography

Before You Fly: What Every New Aerial Photographer Needs to Know First
Video Tutorials

Before You Fly: What Every New Aerial Photographer Needs to Know First

I have a confession: I spent about six months telling myself I’d “get into drone photography eventually.” Every time I’d see a sweeping coastal shot or a top-down image of a forest trail, I’d save it to an inspiration folder and move on. The problem wasn’t motivation. It was that every time I researched where to start, I landed in a spiral of spec sheets, regulations, and forum arguments about which quadcopter brand was superior.

How to Plan an Aerial Photography Flight That Actually Gets the Shot
Video Tutorials

How to Plan an Aerial Photography Flight That Actually Gets the Shot

Aerial photography from a small plane is one of those experiences that sounds dreamy right up until you’re buckled in, the door is off, and you have about forty-five minutes to come home with something you’re proud of. There’s no reshoot. There’s no “let me adjust and try again tomorrow.” The light does what it does, the plane moves whether you’re ready or not, and your pilot is waiting on your direction.

How to Plan and Shoot Aerial Photography Like a Pro (Lessons from New Zealand's Skies)
Video Tutorials

How to Plan and Shoot Aerial Photography Like a Pro (Lessons from New Zealand's Skies)

There’s a category of shot I’ve wanted to level up for years: aerials over dramatic landscape. Every time I’ve booked a scenic flight, I’ve come back with images that look fine but feel flat. Nice enough for a travel album, not good enough to print. The problem wasn’t the scenery. It was that I had no system. I was just pointing a camera out a window and hoping. That changed when I found William Patino’s aerial photography tutorial, filmed over the jaw-dropping fjords of New Zealand.