15 Drone Photography Tips for Beginners

Did you know that the military has been developing the technology for drones since the 1930s? Government organizations need drones to fly into spaces that are either too small or too dangerous for a helicopter.

Militaries still use drones today but they are also available for public use. Drone photography and videography is not only a fun hobby but it’s a lucrative profession too if you master the craft.

But there’s a big learning curve with taking photos with drones. You not only need to be a great photographer but you also need to be a great drone pilot.

No sweat! Follow these tips to get you started on your drone photography journey and you’ll be taking the best drone photos before you know it.

1. Buy the Best Drone for Your Needs

If you don’t have experience buying a drone, you might not know that there are many different types of drones to choose from.

Some are better for photography and some are better at capturing videos. They also range in price from basic toy drones that cost under $100 to professional drones that can cost up to $1,000.

When figuring out how to buy a drone as a beginner, aim for somewhere in the middle. Choose a drone with a high-quality camera like the DJI Mini 3. Be aware that drone photographers often lose or damage their first drone so don’t spend more than you can afford to replace!

2. Learn How to Fly a Drone From Experts

Learning how to operate a drone is like learning to dive. You need to learn all the basics of diving in the safety of a swimming pool before jumping into the ocean. And the best place to learn about drones is in the security of your living room or backyard.

Otherwise, you might end up causing damage to a property, person, or yourself. And you won’t be able to capture good drone photos anyway if you can’t fly well.

Read lots of tutorials and watch videos of drone pilots on YouTube flying your exact type of drone. Practice avoiding unexpected obstacles so you can prepare for real-life conditions.

3. Follow Drone Flying Laws and Regulations

Different countries, states, towns, and protected areas all have their own rules on drones. It is your responsibility to know what they are wherever you are flying a drone.

For example, if you live in the US, you might need to register your drone with the Federal Aviation Association. You might not be able to travel with your drone because countries like Morocco, Egypt, and Barbados have banned them. Even small areas like Kilt Rock on the Isle of Skye in Scotland do not allow drones.

To find out whether you can use your drone or not, search “place name drone laws” and you should find the answer. Sometimes there are exceptions e.g. you can fly a drone during the day but not at night.

4. Always Check the Weather Before Flying

Yes, you can capture drone photography in rain or shine. But should you? Not if you want to keep your drone in tip-top condition.

You should also avoid flying your drone in very snowy or windy weather. Your drone’s camera lens might fog up anyway and there’s a greater risk of you losing control. If you live in a cold climate or love the look of winter drone photography, consider investing in a waterproof housing for your drone.

5. Don’t Forget To Pack Spare Batteries

Drone batteries do not last long compared to any type of camera battery. High-end drone batteries will give you a 20-minute flight time. But the mid to lower-priced drone batteries might only last between five to 15 minutes.

Buy lots of spare batteries and don’t forget to bring them with you when you capture drone photography. Store them in an airtight case when they are not in use.

6. Plan Your Flight Path in Advance

Considering the few precious minutes you can fly your drone, it’s a good idea to prepare your flight path in advance. This includes choosing your location and thinking about the shots you want to capture before you even turn on your drone.

Choose locations that you know well and aren’t too crowded. Use resources like Google Maps and Flytrex to find new locations.

7. Find the Goldilocks of Altitudes

Believe it or not, some of the best altitudes for drone photography aren’t the highest. You might as well be sitting next to an airplane window if you capture photographs too high. But if you stay too close to the ground, you might as well have captured the shot with a regular camera.

Take the same shot at a range of altitudes to see what looks best. Experimentation in drone photography is the only way to improve your composition.

8. Editing Can Enhance Your Drone Photos

Think only regular photographers need to edit their photos? Think again! Learning to edit your photos is the best way to take your drone photography to the next level.

You can use a mobile app like VSCO if you’re on a budget. Or, you can invest in professional software like Adobe Lightroom. You will be able to add motion blur, fix the exposure, and adjust tons of other settings.

9. Make Friends With Other Drone Fliers

Sure, droning can be a great solo hobby. But you might find out more about the best local drone photo opportunities by making friends with fellow droners.

Write an appeal for droning buddies in your town’s local Facebook group, drone enthusiast groups, or drone forums. You will be able to swap tips and will have friends who can help if you ever need to fix your drone.

10. Learn About Gimbal Modes and Speeds

Something that drone cameras have that regular cameras don’t have is an in-built gimbal. This device stabilizes your drone camera so you can take clear and crisp photos.

There are several gimbal modes on most drones. These are:

• Follow mode – default
• Free mode – gimbal stays in position while the drone moves
• Follow me mode – drone moves while following a person or object
• Point of interest mode – drone stays still while capturing an object

While you can change the speed of your gimbal, it is almost always better to keep it slow. You wouldn’t shake your arms around taking a photo on a regular camera so don’t move your drone when doing the same!

11. Capture Different Types of Aerial Photos

As well as experimenting with taking photos at different altitudes, try out different axes too i.e. tilt your drone’s camera. Here are some of your options:

• Oblique – looking down at an angle
• Vertical – looking straight down
• Wide-shot – situated far away from your subject
• Close-up – situated close to your subject
• Panorama – horizontal shot of a large area
• Australian aerial photography

You may need to stitch two or more photographs together to create a panoramic image. Using the tilt and zoom features of your drone camera will help give your photographs different perspectives.

12. Knowing Basic Camera Settings Will Help

Want to be a master drone photographer but you’ve never picked up a DSLR or mirrorless camera before? There’s nothing wrong with that, but you’ve likely missed out on some essential photography training.

Watch some tutorials on YouTube or read articles on photography to learn more about:

• Camera formats e.g. RAW and JPEG
• Focus e.g. manual and automatic
• Exposure triangle (ISO, shutter speed, and aperture)
• Resolution and pixels
• Histograms
• Time lapses, interval shooting, and burst mode

It’s likely that your drone has all these settings too. You must know the ins and outs of these terms if you want to get into professional drone photography.

13. Play Around With Different Accessories

Tripods and lens hoods might be redundant on drone cameras but you can try some ND filters to see if they improve your photography. These filters block the amount of light that hits your camera’s sensor so you can achieve different effects.

They are available in different densities. For example, ND1 filters block out very little light but ND8 filters block out a lot.

14. Fly Your Drone Early or Late in the Day

This is a great drone photography tip for two reasons. The first is because there will be fewer people out and about to get in the way of your photos.

The second is because the light in the hour after sunrise and before sunset is perfect for photography. It’s called “golden” hour for a reason!

15. Always Be Respectful With Your Drone

As well as abiding by laws and regulations, be a responsible drone flyer. Lots of people don’t understand drones or see them as military devices so they can be wary of them. Stop flying your drone if it is bothering a nearby person and respect anyone who does not want you to capture them.

Drones can also scare animals, so don’t fly too close to wildlife. Nesting birds, in particular, do not like drones.

Fly High With These Drone Photography Tips

To master drone photography you need to spend a lot of time practicing in different settings, light, and weather conditions. It will take many hours of hard work to move beyond the beginner stage. But if you follow these tips, you will soon become an expert drone photographer and pilot.

Drones are one of the newest pieces of tech but there are exciting new developments in the tech world all the time. Browse our technology articles to get up to date with the latest news!