Tips for Better Drone Photography

You just opened up the box with your new DJI Phantom 4 Advanced Quadcopter Drone from Buydig.com and you’re anxious to get it up in the air so you can take some awesome shots of your neighborhood.  Before you take off, you need to understand that aerial photography can be a bit tricky, so we’ve compiled a list of tips to help you take some great shots with your new drone.

1. Fly High- Some people think they need to get as close as possible to their target to get the best photos. However, flying your drone higher will allow you to get more into the camera’s view, which will provide a more spectacular photo.  Instead of zooming in on a single horse in the pasture, take a picture of the field of horses running for a more stunning image.
2. Shoot RAW- Even if you are just shooting for fun, this is the best way to take your photos. You never know when you might capture that one of a kind shot that you’ll want to print in an extra large format.  It would be disappointing if you couldn’t use all of the available post-processing options out there to enhance your shot.
3. How Low Can You Go- Shooting with a low ISO will help minimize the graininess in your photos. When shooting daylight shots with your drone there is plenty of available light.  So always shoot with lowest possible ISO, which is ISO 100 on the Phantom 3 from Buydig.com.
4. GPS Mode- Many quads and drones come with GPS like the DJI Phantom 4 Advanced Plus Quadcopter Drone from Buydig.com. GPS mode helps tremendously with stabilization allowing you to take photos without any vibration.  Simply fly your drone to the location you choose and let go of the controls.  The copter will hover and stabilize itself while you concentrate on taking pictures.
5. Buy a Gimbal- With a hefty price tag, gimbals are for serious photographers making a living with aerial photos, or perhaps real estate agents. A gimbal is a joint the camera will be mounted to during flight.  It allows you to point the camera to specific locations.

6. Settings- Like any new camera, if your drone comes with a camera, you will want to familiarize yourself with all of the settings. The settings will be different depending on whether or not you have a gimbal installed.  If you have a gimbal, a lower resolution of 720p will work efficiently along with a medium zoom.  If you are not using a gimbal, you’ll want to use the highest resolution and a wide zoom.
7. Location, Location-The best locations to look for when taking aerial shots are wide, open areas that aren’t heavily wooded. Try to avoid places with high buildings.  Though usually not completely avoidable, do try to avoid places highly populated with birds.  They tend to play havoc with drones.  Of course, pay attention to the direction of the sun as well.
8. Varied Angles- When taking aerial shots, think as you do when taking photos on the ground. The more shots you take, and the more you vary the angles of your shots, the better chance you have of capturing a great photo.
9. Shooting at Night– If you are attempting some night shots, you will definitely want to invest in a controller with an LCD display. This will allow you to see the camera’s point of view so you can take quality photos.  There are lighting accessories available for quads and drones allowing for aerial photos at sunset and even front lights allowing for shots in complete darkness.

10. Watch the Weather– Always keep a close eye on the weather conditions.  Windy conditions above 15-17mph can make it very difficult to get a good shot.  Even in sunny conditions, you need to watch the positioning of the drone so it doesn’t cast a shadow over the target area.

Just remember as a drone pilot and photographer, you are usually a one-man crew.  There are quite a few fundamentals to learn if you want to master this hobby or business of aerial photography.  These tips will get you on your way to accomplishing that goal.