Landscape photography is great at capturing the natural beauty in the world around us—yet one drawback is its limitation to the lay of the land. Geographical obstacles like cliffs and rivers reduce accessibility, while exploring on a 2D plane limits the range of perspectives available.
Enter drone landscape photography. Drones open up a whole new dimension (literally) for landscape photographers.
For the past three years I’ve brought along a DJI Mavic Pro (the first and second iterations) on my photography travels. With advances in technology and miniaturisation, I’ve been able to take the Mavic Pro on extended hikes where bulkier drones would have been simply unfeasible.
After years of capturing photos with a drone as part of my landscape photography workflow, I wanted to share my advice for like-minded landscape photographers looking to do the same.
Do The Safety Dance
I know, I know, safety isn't sexy. But it's important—particularly so when considering drone photography.
Be sure to do your research before you fly. No-fly-zones, wind and rain all impact when and where you should fly your drone. It only takes a few minutes before each flight, but will save you a world of hurt to remove risks before they arise. In Australia I use a free, easy to navigate app called Open Sky. Which, essentially, is Google Maps overlaid with areas of no-fly zones, such as airports and helipads.
Finally, check your surrounds before taking off. That is, stay clear of trees, power lines and people. After you’ve done your checks, it’s time to fly!
Light (Camera, Action)
After safety, the next most important consideration is lighting—nothing new to landscape photographers. Just like land-based photography, lighting conditions from the sky can make or break a drone photo.
For those starting out, it’s best to experiment flying under varied lighting conditions (e.g. dawn, mid-morning and overcast skies). Take a few shots under each condition and then review the photos afterwards in post to see what works best for you. Was the sun too harsh, or did the blue sky help to saturate the ocean?
The important part is to critically evaluate and then refine you drone photography. It’s a continual process.
I’ve found flying my DJI Mavic 2 Pro on overcast days is great for forest scenes where softer, even lighting helps to saturate the greens. Likewise, I avoid shooting seascapes in the middle of the day, as the overhead sun reflects back up off the water below, creating distracting overexposed patches of glare.
Considering Composition: Patterns & Shapes
After you’ve got a good understanding of when to fly, next comes where to fly.
When considering composition in drone photography, I’ve found that patterns, shapes and leading lines to be of more importance than foreground elements. That doesn’t mean you can’t include a foreground, it’s just a little more complicated 120m in the air.
With the impact of foregrounds reduced, we must be more attuned to other elements of composition.
Forests and coastlines are the bread and butter of drone photography—for good reason too. Locations like pine plantations offer repeating patterns, while it’s hard to beat the textures and colours found along the coast.
While it’s easy to snap a shot over the beach and be content with the unique perspective, try to go above and beyond (pun totally intended) with your composition. Look to align the shot with the rule of thirds or have the patience to hover for 10 minutes in the same spot waiting for the perfect wave break pattern below.
Just like traditional landscape photography, it shows when drone photographers go the extra mile to capture compelling compositions.
Explore & Experiment
The best way to capture stunning drone photos is to get out and shoot different locations under varied lighting conditions.
I’ve found that my biggest aid in this is Google Map’s satellite view. Often I’ll spend time simply zooming around the app on my phone, looking for compelling compositions. Whether that be a pristine stretch of beach or a striking cliff edge, I’ll first scope out new areas online to get a sense of the lay of the land before visiting in person.
Other aspects to experiment with are the drone’s height and camera angle. See what the scene looks like from 20m in the air, and then compare with how it looks like from 100m above. Likewise, I tend to shoot most of my drone photos looking straight down onto the landscape, but experiment tilting the camera to include the horizon too.
Gain a New Perspective
Drones open up opportunities to capture tried and true locations in a whole new light.
Since relocating to Melbourne, I’ve visited the Yarra Ranges on countless photography adventures. Why? Because it’s absolutely stunning. Driving along Black Spur Drive, grand lush tree ferns fill the undergrowth while giant mountain ash trees tower above.
It’s a sight from any angle, but all my images have been taken from just a few feet above road level. Yet the best angle to capture tree ferns is from above. With few opportunities to gain elevation in the forest, I felt limited to photograph the ferns from side-on.
Enter my DJI Mavic 2 Pro.
Taking care to fly the drone through the trunks—maintaining line of sight at all times—I’ve been able to gain an entirely new perspective on one of my most-visited locations. Flying 20-30 metres above ground level, I’m able to look out across the sea of ferns, capturing their sprawling fronds extending off through the forest.
Final Thoughts
Drone landscape photography is still just taking off (last pun, I promise). There are a tonne of original shots still to be created—from locations previously inaccessible and also new angles on classic ones.
If you’re keen to get serious about drone photography, the important thing is to invest just as much time into it as you would with traditional landscape photography. Spend time researching beforehand. Walk around to find interesting scenes. Return under different lighting conditions. Carefully consider each composition before you take the shot.
If the best camera is the one you have on you. Why not bring two along to your next landscape shoot?