Air 2s Please give honest feedback on these pictures

[SoCal2S]

I'm considering starting a real estate aerial photo/video business. I've been flying RC planes for almost 30 years, so the flying part is not a problem. I'm however, not artistic in any way, so making the pictures/videos look good in post is going to be the bigger challenge in terms of production. Please let me know what you think of the following photos. They represent what I can output in a reasonable amount of time.

 

[CorralesDan]

I'm not an expert, but the first thing I noticed, particularly in the first photo, is all the trees are purple. There seems to be a purple overcast to the photos. They seem sharp. My two cents.

 

[Dale D]

I'm considering starting a real estate aerial photo/video business. I've been flying RC planes for almost 30 years, so the flying part is not a problem. I'm however, not artistic in any way, so making the pictures/videos look good in post is going to be the bigger challenge in terms of production. Please let me know what you think of the following photos. They represent what I can output in a reasonable amount of time.

View attachment 149038

View attachment 149040View attachment 149039

I worked on only one of the photos using Photoshop. My comments are on the image. Essentially, the image was somewhat Soft (focus). In addition, I found it to be too Cyan to my eye (blue).I tried to color correct it. See the writing on the edited image. These represent some of the sliders in Adobe Camera Raw. Click on the image to enlarge.

Dale
Miami

 

[FLDave]

Color and sharpness seems to be off--not typical of picture quality from Air 2s.
On the other hand what are your really trying to show with this pictures? I suggest you start with some YouTube real estate videos to see what professionals are doing.

 

[GFields]

Temp seems out of adjustment. I'm seeing a lot of purple over tones

 

[Lets Fly]

first thing I noticed, particularly in the first photo, is all the trees are purple

They are purple, they are Jacaranda trees.

 

[JooB]

@CorralesDan: As far as I know those trees bloom purple! Don't know their name but I've seen them on other pictures before.
But the clouds and parts of the sky are purple too, that's wrong. You can avoid this by masking the sky out when correcting the colors of the landscape (using Darktable: parametric mask; don't know how it's called in Lightroom). Could be a problem of wrong white balance too.
The first picture is a bit too dark (again, use masks to light up just the landscape and not the sky). Second one is nice, perhaps add a little contrast. The third one could have a bit more color saturation (trees and roofs)...

 

[Dale D]

@CorralesDan: As far as I know those trees bloom purple! Don't know their name but I've seen them on other pictures before.
But the clouds and parts of the sky are purple too, that's wrong. You can avoid this by masking the sky out when correcting the colors of the landscape (using Darktable: parametric mask; don't know how it's called in Lightroom). Could be a problem of wrong white balance too.
The first picture is a bit too dark (again, use masks to light up just the landscape and not the sky). Second one is nice, perhaps add a little contrast. The third one could have a bit more color saturation (trees and roofs)...

The term is not purple- the term is "Cyan."It's a combination of green and blue. Due to poor color correction or white balance. Turn the WB to auto on your controls. It can be repaired is software. Here's something I dug up from Google.
On fair days the world is illuminated by a combination of sunlight and skylight. On overcast days, the world is illuminated by skylight only. Now skylight is very blue thus images reproduce with a blueish tint. If you were using color slide film, the remedy is to mount a warming filter. The most popular is the Wratten 1A (Kodak trade name) commonly called a “Skylight”. We mount such a filter to warm our images. The 1A is pale pink and absorbs ultraviolet as it reduces excess bluishness. This filter is effective when the principle subject is in “open shade” under a clear blue sky.

In digital photography we can mount warming filters however, your camera features “white balance”. This is a camera setting designed to neutralize a color cast induced by the ambient light source color. Additionally clever use of “white balance” can be used to intentionally alter the color balance of an image.

To mediate the bluish cast of your images make sure “white balance” is turned on. If you review your camera manual’s “white balance” instructions, you will discover that you can use a white placard as a target. This method of use causes the camera’s logic to preview the color of the ambient light and subsequently apply a correction. You can use this method to effectively neutralize an off-color cast. Additionally, most image editing software allows post camera exposure corrections to the color balance of images. Peruse the instruction manual that covers the imaging software you are using.

 

[SoCal2S]

I'm not an expert, but the first thing I noticed, particularly in the first photo, is all the trees are purple. There seems to be a purple overcast to the photos. They seem sharp. My two cents.

I have no idea what kind of trees they are, but they are purple in real life. It's a very pretty neighborhood.

 

[SoCal2S]

I worked on only one of the photos using Photoshop. My comments are on the image. Essentially, the image was somewhat Soft (focus). In addition, I found it to be too Cyan to my eye (blue).I tried to color correct it. See the writing on the edited image. These represent some of the sliders in Adobe Camera Raw. Click on the image to enlarge.

Dale
Miami
View attachment 149069View attachment 149071

Appreciate that, looks much improved!

 

[SoCal2S]

Color and sharpness seems to be off--not typical of picture quality from Air 2s.
On the other hand what are your really trying to show with this pictures? I suggest you start with some YouTube real estate videos to see what professionals are doing.

Yeah, I'm trying different settings to get the quality of photos I see for the Air 2S, not having too much success yet, so that's why I'm coming here. It was a bright sunny california day, and I used the 32 ND filter, and I'm thinking maybe it's too dark, but then I still get zebra lines on clouds.

 

[SoCal2S]

The term is not purple- the term is "Cyan."It's a combination of green and blue. Due to poor color correction or white balance. Turn the WB to auto on your controls. It can be repaired is software. Here's something I dug up from Google.
On fair days the world is illuminated by a combination of sunlight and skylight. On overcast days, the world is illuminated by skylight only. Now skylight is very blue thus images reproduce with a blueish tint. If you were using color slide film, the remedy is to mount a warming filter. The most popular is the Wratten 1A (Kodak trade name) commonly called a “Skylight”. We mount such a filter to warm our images. The 1A is pale pink and absorbs ultraviolet as it reduces excess bluishness. This filter is effective when the principle subject is in “open shade” under a clear blue sky.

In digital photography we can mount warming filters however, your camera features “white balance”. This is a camera setting designed to neutralize a color cast induced by the ambient light source color. Additionally clever use of “white balance” can be used to intentionally alter the color balance of an image.

To mediate the bluish cast of your images make sure “white balance” is turned on. If you review your camera manual’s “white balance” instructions, you will discover that you can use a white placard as a target. This method of use causes the camera’s logic to preview the color of the ambient light and subsequently apply a correction. You can use this method to effectively neutralize an off-color cast. Additionally, most image editing software allows post camera exposure corrections to the color balance of images. Peruse the instruction manual that covers the imaging software you are using.

Thanks for the explanation, I'll read up and adjust the settings again to see the effects they have.

 

[Dale D]

Thanks for the explanation, I'll read up and adjust the settings again to see the effects they have.

I rarely, if ever, use anything but a 16ND, and I liv e in Sunny south Florida. Unless you need motion blur it really is not needed. Check you WB (white balance) and put it on Auto WB. Expose for the high lights (to the right on the histogram) or put it on AUTO. Shoot everything on RAW! Then you will have the day on your card to bring the image into Photoshop and bring out the details in the shadows, the correct colors, and WB. It's not that hard, and you cn even accentuate the purple trees.

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I have no idea what kind of trees they are, but they are purple in real life. It's a very pretty neighborhood.

Jacarandas, we have lots around Australia, especially the east coast.

@SoCal2S lose ALL ND filters, they do nothing for photography but slow your shutter unnecessarily and make photos less sharp.
Use an MCUV if you wish, they can cut out a little air pollution and make colours pop.
ISO 100, white balance sunny.
Try shooting in simple auto, it'll probably do the job well.

Maybe take a few more photos as above, do any minor post corrections YOU think look good, save as a separate photo (eg original DJI 075, save corrected one to DJI075a or such).

Post up a couple of photos like that showing the original and the modified version so we can see how you've changed them.

Tweaks should be minor, a little brightness (usually down), perhaps saturation up a whisker, sharpness up a smidge if you think it looks soft, and perhaps a little vignette.

Check some of these videos . . .

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=dji+air2s+photo+settings

 

[thispilothere]

Get Airmagic, it's cheap and will do 90% of the grunt work. It's tends to make the shadows too blue so fix that in separate software.

You'll be able to produce a great imagine in 5 minutes without having to know exactly how all of the adjustments work.

 

[SoCal2S]

Looks like I have to lot of things to try, I'll start with using no ND filter (watched too many YT videos that suggested them), auto and manual temperature, and go from there. Really appreciate all the constructive feedback, info and tips from everyone!

 

[MAvic_South_Oz]

I'll start with using no ND filter (watched too many YT videos that suggested them)

They suggested NDs for photos ?
Yes, they are great for video, really needed for most DJI drones to create motion blur especially in bright conditions.

SOME photos benefit from ND filters slowing the shutter, see this thread post #3 . . .

Best shutter speed for capturing cyclists / canoeist

For real estate photos though, you generally want crisp clear shots.
For some interior shots (usually hand held camera), some creative flexibility can be used, softer shots etc.

 

[FLDave]

Composition is paramount for any pictures and especially for real estate photos. What was the point of the composition for these pictures relating to real estate? You can correct color imbalance after the shoot but you can't fix bad composition without a re-do. The drone camera takes care of color if you allow it to do it's job.

 

[SoCal2S]

Composition is paramount for any pictures and especially for real estate photos. What was the point of the composition for these pictures relating to real estate? You can correct color imbalance after the shoot but you can't fix bad composition without a re-do. The drone camera takes care of color if you allow it to do it's job.

I was just flying around to get check out what kind of photos I can get out of it, didn't have a specific object in mind at that stage and didn't feel brave enough to fly in for closeups.

 

[SoCal2S]

They suggested NDs for photos ?
Yes, they are great for video, really needed for most DJI drones to create motion blur especially in bright conditions.

SOME photos benefit from ND filters slowing the shutter, see this thread post #3 . . .

Best shutter speed for capturing cyclists / canoeist

For real estate photos though, you generally want crisp clear shots.
For some interior shots (usually hand held camera), some creative flexibility can be used, softer shots etc.

I didn't know things that work for video are detrimental to photos, that's what stage of learning I'm at.