Directing the photography and documenting the documentary

The drone pilot is cool, but we all know the real talent is the drone camera operator (just kidding Mike, please don’t make me edit this, sir). If you see us out and about shooting, I’m the guy with my face buried in a screen mounted on a second controller (typically the same model as the pilot’s).

While Mike flies the drone, I maneuver the lens. It’s a bit like a dance. The two of us have to communicate constantly, so I know which direction Mike plans to move in next, and so that Mike knows what I’m trying to capture. Especially important when using zoomed-in Zenmuse lenses.

If it weren’t for that back-and-forth, we’d end up with janky footage that you can tell was shot while one of us wanted to move one way and the other wanted to move a different way!

But now, having worked together many times, Mike and I understand one another’s style; the visuals we capture are buttery-smooth, well-framed, and great for telling stories. For a project like ‘A Different Perspective of Portsmouth’, having drone shots that naturally segue to ground shots is essential.

When I wasn’t operating the drone camera at sites like Gunwharf Quays and Guildhall Square, I snapped behind-the-scenes images of the documentary production — perfect for social media.

Here’s a snap I took of Mike flying an FPV (first-person view) drone!

You can also see me looking cool in these behind-the-scenes videos:

Before I stepped behind the drone camera, I’d spent 15 years shooting on the ground, so I know light like the back of my hand. Capturing aerial video comes with its own set of unique challenges — not being in control of the device carrying the camera is just one of them!

You also need to be conscious of footage not being boring. When drones weren’t as commonplace as they are today, aerial photography was almost always mind-blowing.

Now, you can’t be quite so lackadaisical with bird’s-eye video; wide slow-panning shots of the ground aren’t so impactful anymore.

With my skills and Solent Sky Services’ selection of specialist drone cameras, our gear became more of a cinema camera in the sky, rather than just another standard drone setup.

What have I been doing when not shooting for ‘A Different Perspective of Portsmouth’? I completed my Masters degree in Visual Communication!

So, all-in-all, a huge year for me, and a big year for Solent Sky Services. I can’t wait to see ADP on a big screen later down the line. For now, watch it for free on YouTube: