You'd be forgiven for thinking this stunning abstract was a close-up of a leaf, but it's actually an incredible aerial photograph of an estuary in the UK. The Gannel Estuary resides in the Cornish town of Newquay, a location drone photographer, David Ball (AKA @davidballphotography_), visited multiple times before various key conditions aligned: lighting, low tide, and calm enough winds.
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David's flying machine of choice is the DJI Mavic 3 Pro, one of the best DJI drones money can currently buy. He used the wide camera, with its 24mm (full-frame equivalent) focal length (at f/2.8) and a specialist polarizing filter to cut reflections from the water's surface.
If you've never used a drone to capture photos before, you might think the image-making process is very different. But David told me otherwise: "I believe you still have to nail a great composition, which can be very tricky at times. It's certainly not just a case of positioning the drone, pointing the camera down and taking an image."
This particular image was captured at 400ft, which (at the time of writing) is the legal limit for drone height in the UK. David spent plenty of time planning the shoot, ensuring that the wind speed, weather, and tides were suitable before heading out.
"It's certainly not just a case of positioning the drone, pointing the camera down and taking an image."
He scouted the location beforehand so he new exactly where and what he was shooting. This was essential, due to the short 10-minute flight time he had to work with. When asked if he would do anything different, were he to repeat the shoot again, he said: "I'd like to capture the same image during winter, maybe even with some ice or snowfall."
David's top tips for drone photography…
"Research the area beforehand and always make sure you're flying in a legal zone. I'd also advise not to just turn up with your drone and point and shoot. You still need to make a story and nail your composition, just like any other camera. And with a drone – in my eyes – that can be very difficult."
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