Drone Wedding Photography Tips
With the rising popularity of aerial photography, more and more soon-to-be newlyweds are considering capturing their big day’s moments via drones. The advantages of using drones for wedding photography are numerous as drones offer a truly unique perspective on weddings that traditional photography just can’t deliver. It can also save you an arm and a leg, as you won’t have any need for an eye-wateringly expensive helicopter or a professional camera crew to capture stunning aerial shots. Also, it leaves you much more space to be creative with wedding shots.
Source: SkyPixel Photographer: Yarosla Shuraev
Furthermore, most DJI drones, for example the Mavic Pro or Phantom 4 Pro, can shoot in RAW format which retains more details than JPEGs and makes your photos more appealing. Last but not least, drones add unexpected entertainment to the wedding. The wedding photo below is an example of how drones offer a unique interactive experience for guests.
Source: SkyPixel Photographer: Johann Pidoux
Are you interested in using your drone for wedding photography? These simple tips will help you be prepared and successfully capture cinematic aerial wedding shots.
1. Check Rules and Ask for Permission It’s worth your time researching specific drone laws and regulations in venue’s area. For instance, drones are banned from flying near sensitive locations such as national parks, military bases and power plants. If the wedding venue happens to be in a restricted zone, you’ll have to cancel flight. So plan ahead by checking the law. Here you can read more about drone laws and regulations. Also, some wedding venues might not allow drones for privacy reasons, especially when there are private properties around. Be aware of privacy concerns and make sure to ask for permission.
2. Find Venues That Suit Drone PhotographyIdeal locations for drone wedding photography are open outdoor areas such as parks, countrysides, churchyards, and islands. They are not only drone-friendly but also appear as a great background for breathtaking wedding photos.
Source: SkyPixel Photographer: Kyriacos Choraides
As a wedding photographer, Helene told DJI that she likes how the couple is surrounded by nature, for “it’s the time when you feel they are alone, just the two of them.” You can feel the charm of aerial wedding photography from the video below, in which Helene teamed up with a Phantom pilot in Tahiti.
3. Preflight Preparation It takes time to set up aerial shots. You not only need to balance your aerial shooting goals within the constraints of a busy wedding day but also need to have enough knowledge about the location prior to the shoot. It’s a good idea to check the map of the location to look for possible flight paths and identify your shoot goals. Additionally, reviewing your preflight checklist and taking precautions to avoid flyaways are essential for a successful flight. You may also want to buy extra batteries so that you can have a longer flight time to explore creative options.
4. Try Different Angles & Camera Settings Fly at different altitudes to look for best shots. Take advantage of the surroundings, see it as a canvas and position your subject in it creatively. You can flip the perspective by asking your subjects to lay on the ground and strike a pose. For example, this drone wedding shot below perfectly captured the ocean in motion by increasing the shutter speed and thus made this bride a unique wave dress.
Source: SkyPixel Photographer: Sungjoo Son
What about the wedding guests? The good thing about drones is that it can fly up high and include everyone in the frame. We mentioned in the beginning that you can invite all the guests to make shapes for aerial shots. If the scenery is good, why not take a high-angle shot during the ceremony and make the moment unforgettable for everyone?
Source: SkyPixel Photographer: Mohamed Muha
Also, don’t forget to try different angles besides high-angles. You can shoot from below off of a cliff face, like in the picture below.
Source: SkyPixel Photographer: Kyriacos Choraides
Additionally, you need to mind tricky lighting situations. Familiarize yourself with how to adjust your camera settings and use different photo modes, so that your creations will come out the way you want. Ready to jump on the growing trend of drone wedding photos? Don’t forget to share your spectacular wedding shots with us here!
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