Why aerial photography?
I’ve always had fun with photography. While raising me, my grandparents organized & hosted several film festivals, ran 2 TV stations, led various film projects as directors & screenwriters, & operated a non-profit teaching photography to students in underprivileged areas. They kept me deeply involved in all of it. I was able to meet various photo & cinematographers, be an extra on multiple sets, & get hands-on experience as a cameraperson on a live TV set.
However, instead of pursuing this career that seemed open in front of me, I chased the dream of every kid in my generation. I would develop new video games! Long story short, I rushed through my B.S. in Software Engineering in 2 years. While in school, I worked for an indie game company as a dev & at my university as a graphic designer. After graduation, I felt worn thin. I decided to take it easy for a while & work in IT on the Help Desk while always planning to start programming again. Well, as the years wore on, I grew complacent.
Two years ago, my buddy invited me to his house &had something cool to show me. He had purchased the new DJI FPV. I instantly fell in love with the hobby. Not a month later, I had my own DJI FPV. One week later, I wrecked it into a powerline. Whoops. Thank you, warranty.
Around this time, I left my career in IT & was trying to figure out what my next steps in life were. I knew I loved flying, so I began researching the industry. During this discovery phase, I rediscovered my love of photography. Shortly after, I met my photography mentor, Steve Carty. It has been nearly six months since I started working with him, & I have discovered that aerial photography makes me happy. It drives me. If unable to fly for more than a week, I feel antsy. Two weeks? Depression. Three? Let’s not.
Despite my efforts to grasp what a career in the drone industry offers, I have discovered how expansive the use cases are: photography, cinematography, videography, photogrammetry, multispectral imaging, lidar & thermal scans, etc. The possibilities seem endless in this still-developing field.
Component Spotlight
MIT is working on toroidal propellors. These new props will be quieter, safer, & more efficient. The implications should be clear to anyone who has stood near an armed drone. They are not stealthy devices, nor are the propellor blades very safe. With these, drone lobby groups can push against policies set in place due to noise restraints. Plus, this could finally get the Karens off our backs!
A week with Turtle
I challenged myself this week. I tasked myself with shooting twice, reorganizing my workspace, & writing this newsletter. I shot twice, the newsletter is live, & my workspace is coming together. All-in-all a very successful week. Carty also tasked me with his 100-photo challenge. Take 100 shots of the same subject, and share your first, last, & favorite. Here are the results.
this is great turtle. stay with it.