Event Aerial Photography: Occasionally we get a request to take aerial photos of an event. When our schedule allows we are happy to accommodate. Our business is very weather dependent, so planning on aerial photography for a specific date and time always involves some risk of a weather cancellation. One other factor is the angle of the sun. If the event is not scheduled during an ideal time for lighting, the images may suffer. We are always happy to point out these variables and adjust what we can to provide the best possible outcome.
The photo below is a parade in a small town. This was taken in the early evening, which was not exactly ideal lighting conditions. Even though there normally would have been plenty of sunshine at this time of day, as luck would have it, clouds moved in and made the scene darker than optimum. This was taken several years ago, when drones were not yet legal for commercial use. If we were to shoot this event today, the drone would be our preferred camera platform.
Parade Event Aerial Photography
We photographed a local car show a couple of years ago using our drone. There were limitations we had to abide by to remain within compliance of FAA regulations, namely the requirement to NOT fly our drone directly overhead any people. As you can see, this was a challenge. We complied by making several short flights launching from a secluded area next to a building and remaining over the roof of the building. We never flew from one location to the next so as to not fly over any people.
The photo below was not actually an event, but it did require coordination and precise timing. We were contracted by the owner of the tug boat to photograph their barge in front of the Gateway Arch. For this flight, we used a helicopter, which enabled us to fly lower than an aircraft would allow. A drone was out of the question because the Gateway Arch is a National Park, which prohibits drone use and there is also an airport and a heliport in close proximity. We flew early in the morning, when the sunlight would be illuminating the scene with a warm golden light.
Barge Sailing in Front of Gateway Arch
