How to Choose the Right Aerial Photographer
I have been hanging out of Jet Rangers since I was 24 and it never gets old. There is no comparison to the trill of shooting aerial film and photography out of a machine that can fly over a hundred miles an hour. Of course, no one hangs out of helicopters anymore as it’s cost prohibitive for most folks. Only the big boys still hire me for Cineflex and Tyler Mount shoots.
But I will say, the fact that I have 220 hours logged for helicopter shoots makes me one of the best drone camera operators in America. So I am confident in what I am about to tell you concerning aerial photography.
When selecting an aerial filmmaker and photographer make sure to see a demo reel first. If you like their work, move to the next step.
Next, interview the drone pilots and ask them how they approach their work and if there’s any guarantee of their work. Also, make sure they are FFA Approved, licensed and insured for any damages. You want to make sure they are legal to fly and that they are sensitive to your needs for your film and photos. Instruct them that you only want them to fly on clear days with little wind.
Be sure to instruct the drone photographer for what images you want to capture. Talk about all the angles you expect to film and photograph. Make a clear plan together and create a shot list so the drone operator doesn’t leave out any images or moving pictures you need.
Furthermore, try to find aerial photographers that use a pilot and a cameraman to operate the drones. It takes two people to film and photograph the best images. You need one to control the drone and fly and the other to set apertures, color temperatures, ISO and shutter speeds and to control the tilt and pans of the camera.
The other tip is to ask to have a two day shoot at different times of the year. Each month of the calendar year offers different atmospheric conditions giving different characteristic to each session. My favorite times to fly is the month of May-June and September-October. You want to try to fly when it’s on the cool side so the air will be clearer. Good Drone Pilots can charge you anywhere from $600 to $2,500 a day.
Here’s my Demo Reel for your review: Casablanca Aerial Demo