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Drone photography can be an incredible way to capture stunning aerial shots and create unique perspectives.To help you achieve the best results, here are some of the best tips and tricks for incredible drone photography:

1. Master the Basics of Flying: Before focusing on photography, ensure you have a good understanding of flying your drone. Take plenty of time to practice basic manoeuvres, learn how to control altitude, and become familiar with the flight modes. We have crashed enough drones when we were starting to not want you to make the same mistakes! Once flying your drone becomes second-nature, you can start concentrating on photography.
2. Be Mindful of Weather Conditions: Check the weather forecast before flying your drone. Avoid flying in strong winds, rain, or extreme weather conditions that may jeopardise the safety of your drone and the quality of your shots. UAV Forecast and Willy Weather are incredible sources of information. They will give you indications of wind, rain, cloud cover and number of satellites expected to be locked on.
3. Shoot in RAW or and uncompressed Format: If your drone camera supports it, shoot in RAW format. RAW files retain more image data, providing greater flexibility during post-processing to enhance colours, exposure, and details. You can then use an editing program to grade your shots and change the feel of them - turn a daylight shot into dusk. Play around with a black and white filter. 
4. Plan and Visualise Your Shots: Before taking off, have a clear idea of the shots you want to capture. Plan your flight path and visualise the compositions you aim to achieve. Most drones come with maximum 30-45 minutes of flight time per battery so you don't want to waste that time.
5. Utilise Golden Hour: The golden hour, which occurs shortly after sunrise and before sunset, offers soft and warm lighting that can significantly enhance your drone photos. Play with shadows- They can look super impressive from the air, when shadows stretch out across the land. Shadows can add drama to your shots or they can tell a story of the subject’s movement.
6. Use ND Filters: Neutral Density (ND) filters can help control the amount of light entering the camera, allowing you to use slower shutter speeds or wider apertures, which can result in more creative shots. The type of filter you’ll need depends on your own shooting or photography style, such as when you shoot, or what. A polarising filter will help the colours pop in your images, while ND filters reduce light and glare
7. Create Depth and Scale: Incorporate elements like leading lines, natural landmarks or recognisable objects in your frame to create a sense of depth and scale. I know it can be enticing to just fly as high as you can and shoot the different top down shots and they have a time and place but trying to play with depth is a great way to make your photos more engaging
8. Experiment with Angles: Drones offer the advantage of capturing photos from various angles and heights. Explore different perspectives, including top-down, side, and low-angle shots, to add variety to your portfolio. We find the lower shots can sometimes looks the best, just above arms reach height is where the magic is. Experiment, play around and try something that feels out of the ordinary.
9. Focus on Composition: Apply basic composition principles such as the rule of thirds, leading lines, and framing to create visually appealing and well-balanced photographs. Again, experiment with different types of shots. For example, An out of focus object in the foreground can really add that extra something to your image. Get a little lower, a little closer. Be safe of course but sometimes, you gotta risk it to get the biscuit.
10. Avoid Camera Shake: Use a fast shutter speed and keep your drone steady during the exposure to prevent camera shake, especially in windy conditions. Always remember, if it's too windy to shoot, it's too windy to fly!
11. Edit with Precision: Post-processing is crucial for enhancing your drone photos. Use editing software to fine-tune colours, contrast, sharpness, and correct any imperfections. We use a mixture of Adobe Lightroom Classic and Adobe Photoshop for images and Adobe Premiere Pro and Apple Final Cut Pro for video.
12. Respect Privacy and Regulations: Be aware of local drone regulations and privacy concerns. Always fly in approved areas and respect the privacy of individuals. Check the website OK 2 Fly to check your location prior to flying to ensure you won't have any nasty surprises.  

By following these tips and tricks, you can elevate your drone photography and capture breathtaking aerial images that leave a lasting impression.

Drone photography refers to the use of drones, or unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), to capture photos or videos from the air. Drone photography can provide a unique perspective that is difficult or impossible to achieve with traditional photography methods.

One of the main benefits of drone photography is the ability to capture images and footage from a variety of angles and heights. Drones can fly at different altitudes and in a range of positions, allowing photographers to get creative with their shots. Drone photography is often used to capture landscapes, architecture, and other subjects from a bird's eye view.

Capturing aerial photos with a drone can be a great way to get unique perspectives and stunning images. Here are some tips to help you get the best results:

 1. Choose the right drone:

Make sure to choose a drone with a high-quality camera that can capture high-resolution images. Consider factors such as flight time, maximum altitude, and stabilisation features when choosing a drone.
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 2. Check the weather conditions:

It's important to choose a day with clear skies and minimal wind to ensure that the drone is stable and the images are clear.

 3. Plan your flight:

Before taking off, plan your flight path and the areas you want to capture. This will help you make the most of your time in the air and ensure that you capture the shots you want.

 4. Use a pre-flight checklist:

Make sure to create a pre-flight checklist to ensure that your drone is working properly, and all settings are correct. There is nothing worse than getting that perfect tracking shot to realise your shot was overexposed or the wrong format. Check and check again!

 5. Fly safely and follow regulations:

Make sure to follow all local drone regulations and fly safely. Keep your drone within line of sight, avoid flying near people or buildings, and do not fly over restricted areas.

 6. Experiment with camera settings:

Play around with camera settings such as shutter speed, ISO, and aperture to get the desired effects.

 7. Edit your photos:

​Once you have captured your images, edit them using a photo editing software to enhance colours, contrast, and clarity. ​

​Remember, safety is the top priority when operating a drone. Always follow local regulations and manufacturer guidelines, and ensure that you are flying in a safe and responsible manner.

The Shure SM7B is a popular microphone that has been used by many famous musicians and podcasters. Here are some reasons why the SM7B is considered such a great microphone and may well be the best podcasting mic out there - it's why we have 4 in our hire inventory:

 1. Versatility:

The SM7B is a versatile microphone that can be used for a variety of purposes, including vocals, instruments, and podcasting. It has a wide frequency response range and can handle high sound pressure levels, making it suitable for recording loud sources such as drums and guitar amps.

 2. It's a Dynamic Microphone:

The SM7B is a dynamic microphone, which means that it does not require external power or a preamp to operate. This makes it an easy-to-use microphone that can be connected directly to a mixer or audio interface.

 3. Excellent sound quality:

The SM7B has a smooth and warm sound that is favoured by many recording engineers. It has a natural and balanced frequency response, which means that it accurately reproduces the sound source.

 4. Rejects ambient noise:

This is a biggie. In a world where we can't always record in a studio, the SM7B is known for its excellent ambient noise rejection, which means that it can be used in noisy environments without picking up unwanted background noise. This makes it an ideal choice for podcasting and broadcasting.

 5 Build quality:

The SM7B is built to last, with a sturdy metal construction and a shock mount that isolates the microphone from vibrations and handling noise. This ensures that the microphone will withstand heavy use and last for years.
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The Shure SM7B is a great microphone due to its versatility, dynamic design, excellent sound quality, ambient noise rejection, and build quality. Whether you're a musician, podcaster, or broadcaster, the SM7B is a reliable and high-quality microphone that can help you achieve great recordings.

Podcasts have become hugely popular on a worldwide scale. Did you know that there are over 850,000 active podcasts and over 30 million podcast episodes??? That’s huge!!!

While the act of starting a podcast may seem easy, there are a few skills and techniques that will make your podcast stand out from the rest. Let's take a look at how you can start your successful podcast. 
 
1. Define the theme of your podcast.

Research what already exists. You will need to choose topics to cover in your podcast. To compete with the masses, create a consistent introduction and conclusion that matches your brand, and maybe some music and/or sound effects for sonic branding (think intro and outro).

2. Name your podcast and create overviews.

The name you choose will be fairly important, not just because it's your name but it will let your listeners know what you're about. Write an overview explaining what your show is about. The title should give an idea of what your show is all about, but your overview will tell a little bit more about what people can expect, for example: "Every week I will talk to one of the leading photographers in the industry to share their story" or "Every week I will give you a quick overview of what it takes to become a professional photographer".

3. Record your podcast.

Once you've figured out your topic, it’s time to record your podcast (which I'll cover in my next few posts). If this is your first podcast, you don't really need anything fancy; you can even use your smartphone to record yourself if that’s all you have. For a level up in quality, a recorder, a microphone, a quiet space and a laptop is all you’ll need. Once you get serious, you can invest money in high end equipment or even a full studio set up, but while you're starting it's best to test the waters without dropping big bucks. Alternatively, if you wanted to try out the idea, hiring podcast recording equipment is a cost effective way to get your ideas recorded.

4. Edit your podcast.
 
The next step is to edit what you've recorded including cleaning up background noise, editing out parts you want removed, and adding in your intro, outro, sound effects, music... and whatever else you'd like to add to make it yours. I use and love Logic Pro X but for a free alternative, check out Audacity. Once it's all edited together, export your audio files and upload them to the website or a podcast host to make them accessible to listeners.

5. Unleash your podcast on the world.

Now all you need is listeners to find your podcast. You can submit your podcasts to platforms such as Spotify and iTunes to list your episode series. 

And that's pretty much it!

If you feel like you're not ready to take that step to produce and edit your own podcast, you can outsource the work to an expert. A great podcast production company will assist you with all of the above, and supply files ready for upload.

Keep in mind, like any aspect of marketing, learning how to create a podcast is something you have to invest time and effort in to become good. Keep at it and remember it's all a learning process. If you have any questions, or want some advice feel free to get in contact for a chat.