The Best Videography Drone Shots For Beginners | Travel Edition
Unleash Your Drone's Potential: Top 5 Shots for Beginners
As a beginner or intermediate drone pilot, you're probably eager to capture breathtaking aerial footage and explore the world from a new perspective. I know when I first got my drone I couldn’t wait to get out and fly! This guide is designed to help you in getting a quick start on capturing some cinematic and epic drone shots.
Top-Down Spinning Shot
The top-down spinning shot is a classic drone maneuver that never fails to impress. Filming or photographing something with a top down angle offers a unique perspective that can only be captured with a drone. Slowly rotating the drone as you fly up or down adds an extra dimension to the shot and shows off more of the scene.
Flying Near Objects or People
Flying close to objects or people yields dynamic and engaging shots, it can also help show scale of a scene as well. While these shots are some of the most epic it's crucial to prioritize safety. Many drones now have obstacle avoidance but still be mindful of flying near people as getting hit by a full speed propeller can cut very badly. Maintain a safe distance, and always be aware of your surroundings.
Panning Up Shot
The panning up shot is a dramatic way to reveal an epic scene. Start by positioning your drone at a lower angle, it doesn’t always have to be straight down, then smoothly tilt the camera upwards to unveil the subject in all its glory. I generally like to also fly towards or away from the scene while I pan in order to make the shot more dynamic.
Orbiting Shot
The orbiting shot is a versatile technique that allows you to showcase your subject from multiple angles. To preform this shot you need to fly your drone to the left and rotate the drone to the right or visa versa. Generally I will find something of interest such as a person or mountain to keep in the middle of the frame while orbiting around it. It is important to pay attention to your orbit's smoothness and framing to ensure a polished and professional-looking result.
Dolly Zoom or Vertigo Effect
The dolly zoom, also known as the vertigo effect, is a mind-bending and trippy technique that is done in post-processing. The shot in the field with your drone is simple, just fly forward or backward towards something of interest like a rock formation or person. To create the dolly zoom when editing your video you want to zoom in or out on the shot, doing the opposite of whatever you did when filming. For example, if you are flying towards a mountain when you go to edit your video you want to start zoomed in a little say 125% and slowly zoom out to 100% while flying forward. This is a really cool and unique effect that isn’t hard to do.
Conclusion
Remember, drone videography is a continuous learning process, and practice is key to mastering these techniques. Always prioritize safety and follow local regulations when operating your drone. Most importantly, have fun and try new things to see what you like!
Photograph taken near Hanksville, Utah
