Nature from above

[simato73]

Hi All,

As some of you know I recently bought a drone. So far it has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience, if a bit nerve-wracking at first (now I am a bit less afraid of crashing it).
It is a learning curve: one has to operate a relatively complex instrument in addition to thinking about photography, and things look a lot different from above, which means one has to learn to see and think differently.
With practice, I think this could open new frontiers, and has brought back excitement about photography after a rather uninspired summer.

From now this will be a place where I will try to post images as I learn.
Because of my overwhelming interest in Nature over other photographic subjects, and because of concerns over safety and flight regulations, I will mostly restrict my aerial images to places where there are essentially no people around.
(Having said that, my very first image breaks the rule!   )

Anyone is welcome to contribute.
In the spirit of inclusion, images do not need to have been taken from a flying camera, although they should have an airy feel and give the impression of height and flight.

[Frank Fremerey]

Can it be that I drove the road in the last pic in "Colin McRae Rally 4"? Cool shots

[Asle F]

Crop of a herd of wild reindeer seen from helicopter.

Ganske mange rein by Asle Feten, on Flickr

[Hugh_3170]

What an impressive sight. 

A great example of natures awesomeness!

Crop of a herd of wild reindeer seen from helicopter.
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[simato73]

Crop of a herd of wild reindeer seen from helicopter.

Ganske mange rein by Asle Feten, on Flickr

Even the picture looks awesome, it must have been a sight to behold in real life.

[DougB]

Hi All,

As some of you know I recently bought a drone. So far it has been a thoroughly enjoyable experience, if a bit nerve-wracking at first (now I am a bit less afraid of crashing it).

Those captures are fantastic!! (except for the 1st one, of course  )
How do you see the view that is seen by the cam before you take the exposure??
Looking forward to more
Thanks
Doug

[Asle F]

Even the picture looks awesome, it must have been a sight to behold in real life.

Thanks. Yes it is a great experience to see the herds, even if the photographing take most of my focus. The picture is taken for counting the calves, so the picture have to show the difference between the calves and the adults. It also have to view the difference between adult females and males, so picture quality like resolution and sharpnes is most important, in addition to timing. The best picture is taken when no small calves is hidden behind any adult reindeer.  Every megapixel counts even if the picture will never get printed.

Here is another herd from a small aeroplane (Cessna 172P). This time the mission was to just finding the total amount of reindeers, so the picture quality is not that important.

rein by Asle Feten, on Flickr

[simato73]

Those captures are fantastic!! (except for the 1st one, of course  )
How do you see the view that is seen by the cam before you take the exposure??
Looking forward to more
Thanks
Doug

Thank you Doug.
The drone has a remote with joysticks and buttons to control it, and this takes a phone with an app to show you what the camera is seeing.
Taking photos is very hard these days, I get to work before sunrise and get out when it is dark, and the weekends in the run up to Christmas are busy with family stuff.
Perhaps I'll have time for some new images during the break.

[simato73]

Thanks. Yes it is a great experience to see the herds, even if the photographing take most of my focus. The picture is taken for counting the calves, so the picture have to show the difference between the calves and the adults. It also have to view the difference between adult females and males, so picture quality like resolution and sharpnes is most important, in addition to timing. The best picture is taken when no small calves is hidden behind any adult reindeer.  Every megapixel counts even if the picture will never get printed.

Here is another herd from a small aeroplane (Cessna 172P). This time the mission was to just finding the total amount of reindeers, so the picture quality is not that important.

rein by Asle Feten, on Flickr

I cannot comment on image quality at a pixel level, but this image to me is even more appealing than the first one.

[simato73]

A few from a hike in the Lakes on the first of January.

1. Above Dow Crag, looking North. Midday.
2,3. Disused, water-filled quarry near Walna Scar road
4. Waterfall in the quarry. Impossible shot without a drone
5. Looking toward Coniston Water
6. Coniston Old Man from the South
7. Remains of past mining industry

[simato73]

Peak District, England.

[pluton]

I love seeing the mountains cast their own shadows. 

[Bill Mellen]

Beautiful drone images.  Must be very rewarding to master the aircraft and apply your photographic skills!

[simato73]

Beautiful drone images.  Must be very rewarding to master the aircraft and apply your photographic skills!

Thanks Bill, it is still definitely a learning process, where with practice I can see big changes in the quality of what I produce.

I love seeing the mountains cast their own shadows. 

Me too! Thanks for the comment.

[Asle F]

Finse seen from a Cessna 172. Finse is the highest railway station in Norway.


Finse og Hardangerjøkulen by Asle Feten, on Flickr