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The Photographer’s Guide to Drones (2d Ed.)

Obregon Obregon

Is from: Southold, US
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Obregon Moderator Donor Ribbon awarded for his generous support to the Fundraising Campaign 2014 Donor Ribbon awarded for his generous support to the Fundraising Campaign 2015 Awarded for his in-depth knowledge and high level of skill in several areas.  Charter Member
Wed 27-Jul-22 01:19 PM
The Photographer’s Guide to Drones (2d Ed.) by Colin Smith

A drone is just like any other camera except it flies. That statement may be overly simplified but essentially that’s what Colin Smith is saying (and I agree with him).

The book starts out by talking about safety and that’s a good thing. Smith advises you to check the latest FAA regulations since they change from time. I would further advise you to check any local regulations. Even though I believe the FAA has exclusive jurisdiction over drones, several localities also claim jurisdiction and unless a drone pilot is determined to prove a case, it is better to avoid a confrontation. Smith also advises the reader on protecting the drone. I’m now working on my tenth drone and only one of the nine was gracefully retired!

The chapter on drones is relatively up to date, but the manufacturers keep coming out with improved birds, so research before buying. (I often joke that the leading manufacturer, DJI, has a perfect drone in a locked vault, and comes out with only slightly improved versions of current models to keep the market going. )

The chapter on flight school is simple and easy to follow and one should be sure they can complete the exercises before undertaking serious camera work. The chapters on photographing and videoing are full of good advice, including the use of neutral density filters. (You will see why this is important if you read the book.)

The chapters on Lightroom and Photoshop are less useful. Serious photographers and videographers will want to use these tools, but they will need to delve deeper than Smith goes to effectively use this software. It’s too bad Smith couldn’t explain simpler software for pilots who are looking for easier post-processing.

When the author gets to describing Premiere Pro, he gets way too deep in the weeds. For example, even though I’ve edited many videos, I’ve never had to go through the highly technical process of creating my own look-up table. Don’t let this lengthy and complicated explanation scare you away from trying to learn Premiere from a better source. Moreover, when he describes using profiles to remove distortion inherent in some drone cameras, remember that, even if they once existed in Premiere, they’re gone now.

On the other hand, Smith gives some good advice on content. In the early days of drones, the gee-whiz factor led people to record complete drone flights and then post them somewhere. They were boring. Serious pilots may remember Aristotle, and use drone shots when they are the best way to tell a story.

The book is profusely illustrated with Smith’s photographs and I suspect they will prove inspirational for many new drone pilots. Experienced pilots can skip this book.

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