Drone photography has revolutionized the art of taking pictures arguably as much as the invention of the digital camera, creating awe-inspiring perspectives that go well beyond what us meager ground-level dwellers could ever imagine.
The 2013 release of the first commercial photography drone, the now-discontinued DJI Phantom, took photography to epic proportions, but has also led to what I think is the biggest false expectation in photographic history.
Think about it, when are you ever going to see the world from these magnificent heights? I can think of just two situations: if you’re lucky enough to be sat in a window seat of a flight or if you’re paragliding; it just doesn't happen.
For me, the beauty of photography is about showing the viewer what’s actually there. And yes, drone photography obviously depicts reality, but it’s not our reality. I want my viewers to know what it was like to have been standing in my shoes – and it’s what I want to experience when I look at other people’s photos.
After all, photography is all about creating connection – and you could argue that, since none of us has ever seen the world as a drone has, that this connection is lost, or at least falsely implied.
Another angle of the drone photography ‘lie’ is what seems to be the new standard for what’s considered a good image. Nowadays there’s a mad obsession with capturing everything from 500 feet and unless a picture was taken from a small buzzing, flying machine, then it doesn’t deserve to be shared.
What’s wrong with good old ground-level perspective? Have we forgotten that there are so many fascinating angles down here, too?
I guess this all plays into the Instagramification of photography where everything has to be bigger and better: more saturated, more contrasty, more moody… but that’s a whole other opinion in itself.
My point is, while drone photography is impressive, mind-blowing, awe-inspiring and all the other wordy adjectives I can think of, it only exists on a screen. And what’s more disappointing than building up an expectation of a place based on these incredibly scenic viewpoints you’ll never actually see?
Drones did take our beloved craft to new heights, quite literally. But let’s not forget that the true photographic experience is grounded in what the human eye sees and the emotions that this perspective transmits.
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