As a member of the Delaware Photography Society, I was introduced to drone photography around 2015 by a member who was an early adopter. But though he piqued my interest it was not enough to make the substantial investment in the new technology.
In 2017 while traveling the country, full timing, in our 30-foot Newmar, I visited the Enchanted lens Camera Club in Albuquerque, where a local drone photography company gave a very good presentation and tweaked my desire to have a flying camera in my inventory. But I still wasn’t ready to make the jump.
In 2020 COVID took us off the road and we settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 21 during COVID, I really started research and decided the birds have finally come down in price and developed the technology to rope me in.
At that time, I had already been doing real estate photography for good friends that were top agents in New Mexico and I saw other possible opportunities, mostly to develop skill.
My first drone was the DJI Mavic Air 2.
After a few weeks of regular practice in the closed schoolyard across the street, I was approached by the management of our community, to take construction photos of their new build on the other side of town. I didn’t have my 107 but I decided to study and take the exam …… I studied via YouTube videos, mostly Tony Northrup and Katias Buzz, along with nuggets from other contributors.
The hardest part was getting stuff in my long-term memory at 77, I suffer from CRS (CAN’T REMEMBER SHI*) But after a month of review, I took the test and scored 86%. Ill be reviewing again because I need to take the redcurrant later this year.
I retired from Full time Professional Photography in the 1980’s when video was either VHS, U-MATIC or Betamax and editing was pre computer. I had done weddings and events back then but even after we entered the digital age in the early 2000’s, I did not pursue Video with the fully capable DSLR’s or Mirrorless cameras.
So, knowing I was a novice pilot, but accomplished photographer, I was contracted to do monthly aerial videos and stills of the progress. It was a bargain for them and a learning experience for me. Ultimately this one contract paid for my drones, related stuff and 107 and is still going for a few more months.
I started by remembering the KISS principal (keep it simple stupid). Only using the windows editing for video but trying a few different programs before tackling DaVinci, learning to color grade and use LUTS where I’m just good enough to make an acceptable, sub-5-minute video. I’m also doing drone stills for my realtors.
In summary, I upgrade to an Air 2S last year, and recently purchased a Mini 2 for the few overseas trips scheduled in the next 14 months. I’m still learning. And keeping mentally sharp.
So far, one minor crash, just recently started using ND’s and the 1/over frame rate rule, and just this week tried the master shots on my Mini 2, I’ll soon try waypoints on the 2s.
In 2017 while traveling the country, full timing, in our 30-foot Newmar, I visited the Enchanted lens Camera Club in Albuquerque, where a local drone photography company gave a very good presentation and tweaked my desire to have a flying camera in my inventory. But I still wasn’t ready to make the jump.
In 2020 COVID took us off the road and we settled in Albuquerque, New Mexico. In 21 during COVID, I really started research and decided the birds have finally come down in price and developed the technology to rope me in.
At that time, I had already been doing real estate photography for good friends that were top agents in New Mexico and I saw other possible opportunities, mostly to develop skill.
My first drone was the DJI Mavic Air 2.
After a few weeks of regular practice in the closed schoolyard across the street, I was approached by the management of our community, to take construction photos of their new build on the other side of town. I didn’t have my 107 but I decided to study and take the exam …… I studied via YouTube videos, mostly Tony Northrup and Katias Buzz, along with nuggets from other contributors.
The hardest part was getting stuff in my long-term memory at 77, I suffer from CRS (CAN’T REMEMBER SHI*) But after a month of review, I took the test and scored 86%. Ill be reviewing again because I need to take the redcurrant later this year.
I retired from Full time Professional Photography in the 1980’s when video was either VHS, U-MATIC or Betamax and editing was pre computer. I had done weddings and events back then but even after we entered the digital age in the early 2000’s, I did not pursue Video with the fully capable DSLR’s or Mirrorless cameras.
So, knowing I was a novice pilot, but accomplished photographer, I was contracted to do monthly aerial videos and stills of the progress. It was a bargain for them and a learning experience for me. Ultimately this one contract paid for my drones, related stuff and 107 and is still going for a few more months.
I started by remembering the KISS principal (keep it simple stupid). Only using the windows editing for video but trying a few different programs before tackling DaVinci, learning to color grade and use LUTS where I’m just good enough to make an acceptable, sub-5-minute video. I’m also doing drone stills for my realtors.
In summary, I upgrade to an Air 2S last year, and recently purchased a Mini 2 for the few overseas trips scheduled in the next 14 months. I’m still learning. And keeping mentally sharp.
So far, one minor crash, just recently started using ND’s and the 1/over frame rate rule, and just this week tried the master shots on my Mini 2, I’ll soon try waypoints on the 2s.
