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Interview: How the brother duo at Abstract Aerial Art create masterpieces from above

21 Feb

Interview: How brothers at Abstract Aerial Art creates masterpieces from above

Photoshop wasn’t involved here. This image of a real-life puzzle piece was captured with a drone in the Netherlands.

JP and Mike Andrews, brothers from the United Kingdom, have gained international recognition for their compelling images taken from an aerial perspective. There’s a good chance you may have already encountered their work in some capacity; they’ve been featured in major publications including The Guardian and National Geographic.

The duo, who refer to themselves professionally as Abstract Aerial Art, had an epiphany back in 2016. While they didn’t have a concrete plan, one thing was clear: they were fed up with their day-to-day lives and needed to change their circumstances. Without a concrete plan in place, they embarked on a journey through the Australian outback, with the intention of taking a hiatus, and unexpectedly found their true calling.

All the images in this slideshow, and on their popular Instagram feed, are taken from real, un-staged locations around the world. Besides slight color and contrast enhancements, the images are not manipulated. ‘The point is not to work out what it is, but to show how weird and wonderful the world can look from above.’ What really sets their work apart is the composition, something the duo has mastered. That last component has transformed their images from mere photographs to works of art.

How do they do it? I’m lucky to call these two friends and they were gracious enough to answer my questions about their background, initial attraction to the drone world and how they monetize their work so they can continue to live the type of adventurous life that most photographers wish they had. All images in this article are published with permission from Abstract Aerial Art.

The Congregation

What is your background?

Mike had been working as a commercial photographer, predominately focused on the product side of things. The technical knowledge he built up over the years was certainly a contributing factor in our decision to buy a drone in the first place. JP was working as a music producer and sound designer and had absolutely no experience in photography.

In early 2016, heartbroken and fed up with day-to-day life in the UK, we made the joint decision to leave everything we knew back home, purchase a one-way ticket to Australia and, with no plan whatsoever, fly to the other side of the world. It was during this life-changing adventure around the Australian continent that we were inspired to get into aerial photography.

The Vault

What was your initial attraction to the drone world?

The idea first came about during the year we spent traveling around Australia, specifically the time we spent in the outback. With the intention of filming some of the incredible sights we had seen whilst we were out there, we decided to purchase a drone after an evening in the pub… we will let you draw your own conclusions from that! At the time, we knew nothing about drones. We had never even seen one, let alone flown one.

Heading back out into the Australian wilderness, we started to take some shots of the landscapes surrounding us. Looking back at the images we had captured, we realized we had a number of extremely unusual photographs that loosely reminded us of abstract artworks. As a result, Abstract Aerial Art was born.

The Zipper

What gear and accessories are you currently using?

We have two drones, a DJI Phantom 4 Pro and a DJI Mavic 2 Pro. The Phantom 4 Pro is the drone responsible for the majority of our work and in our opinion, the best drone currently available for a balance between quality and practicality. We initially brought the Mavic 2 Pro as a backup drone to the Phantom 4 Pro. However, we have found ourselves using it more and more in recent times, primarily for its practicality.

Each has their benefits but they are both capable of shooting extremely high-quality stills and videos. We also carry a Canon 5D MK4 and a GoPro Hero 7 for ground-based shots and behind-the-scenes video stuff.

Accessory-wise, we have very little other than the PolarPro Cinema Series filters for both drones. We consider them a must-have for anyone serious about shooting quality content from a drone (disclaimer: they are brand ambassadors).

Aqua Phone

Some of your shots are incredibly unique, whether they’re close up or display an entire landscape. How do you find these places?

We dedicate a huge amount of our time to meticulously researching the planet for things that interest us. Almost every single image we have ever taken has been found during these research sessions. Only on very few occasions have we stumbled across something by accident out in the field.

When we say research, what we are referring to is using satellite applications to search for things that we want to photograph. We then screenshot these finds and save the coordinates of the location with the intention of shooting it for real at some point in the future. The process can be frustrating, even mind-numbing at times, but, in our opinion, it is absolutely essential to finding interesting places to photograph.

Thanks to apps such as Google Earth, the whole world is visible from an aerial perspective. As a drone photographer, you can imagine how useful that is! Using this method to find unique places to photograph is something that we cannot recommend highly enough if you are interested in getting into aerial photography. We have written a blog post on our website that includes some photo examples of how we go about this research process if you’d like to find out some more information.

Riding Solo

From what I’ve noticed, you’re always traveling around the world for your art. How do you monetize your work so you can keep shooting in new locations?

Whilst we are always exploring new avenues for potential income from our work, we currently have two main sources of income. Both are online.

  1. Print sales – We have an online shop on our website where prints of our images can be purchased on different materials at a variety of price points.
  2. Image licensing – We sell licensed, digital content to brands and businesses for commercial usage. Our images have been purchased by customers for a wide range of purposes including advertising, printed media, and website design.

Burnout

Your work has a distinct style. When and why did you decide to focus on abstract art?

As we touched on earlier, the initial shots that we took in Australia loosely reminded us of abstract artworks and it was purely that which inspired us to explore how bizarre the world could look from an aerial perspective. To this day, we are blown away how surreal even the most mundane objects, structures, and landscapes can look from above.

All we have ever wanted to do since taking those first shots is focus on trying to shoot something different. As beautiful as the more well-known locations are, there is still a whole world out there still waiting to be discovered and the more we find, the more we realize we are yet to scratch the surface.

Skyline

What image or series are you the proudest of?

The image we are most proud of is entitled ‘Skyline.’ The planning behind the shot took over 6 months. It all started on a completely unrelated shoot during which we had seen the shadows cast by these enormous ships under the right conditions. On our return home, we immediately set about working out how, when, and where we could best perfect the shot we had in mind.

There were so many variables that all had to be exactly right for it to work. These included sun positioning, tidal depths, wind speeds, and extremely precise angles. After a huge amount of research, we set off from the UK and drove into Europe arriving at our destination just before sunrise. Waiting until the ship we had chosen was in the correct position and the morning sun had risen high enough to cast the defining shadows, we sent out the drone to start taking pictures. After all the previous months’ planning, the actual shot was done within 15 minutes.

Fire and Fury

What is the craziest situation you’ve been in while shooting?

Whilst driving through the Australian outback during one of the many wet season storms, we encountered a bolt of lightning strike the bushland surrounding us and set it alight. In an instant, we found ourselves at the centre of a raging wildfire. With very little consideration to the incredible danger we were in, we couldn’t resist the chance to jump out and capture Mother Nature at her ferocious best. Setting up the camera in what must be the quickest amount of time we ever have managed to achieve, we began photographing the scene.

Five terrifying minutes later, we had a shot of the wildfire and a lightning bolt in the same frame. We managed to get out of there just before our car was completely engulfed by flames. In hindsight, it was probably the most stupid thing we have ever done. That being said, it was a unique opportunity to capture something that few people will ever witness and despite the very obvious dangers, at the time, we thought it was well worth the risk.

Another Planet

I’m not going to use the clichéd phrase ‘bucket list,’ but I’m curious to know where you have not been yet or what you consider a dream shoot?

We would love to photograph volcanic activity, especially lava. It has always been something we have just wanted to see, let alone have the opportunity to photograph. We are currently in the process of working out what we could do creatively with it, and how and where we are going to do it. There are obviously many challenges involved but these challenges are one of the many reasons we enjoy what we do so much.

The Maze

What advice would you give to aspiring photographers, whether it’s aerial or ground-based?

The best piece of advice we can give any budding photographer is simply ‘love what you do.’ With the modern-day pressures of social media recognition, it’s very easy to forget those four simple words. We cannot express how grateful we are for the continued love and support we receive on social media and truthfully, it’s unlikely we’d even be in the position we are today without it.

That being said, from day one, we have never let that dictate what we wanted to shoot. That will never change. We photograph the things we do because we love it. Expressing yourself through any creative process is meant to be fun. Never let what you think others might find popular take your work in a direction that does not reflect you and your happiness.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Proposed rule changes would make it easier for drones to fly at night, above crowds

15 Jan

Despite a partial government shutdown in the United States, Transportation Secretary Elaine Chao announced a new proposed rule that would simplify the process of flying drones at night and over crowds of people by removing the need for waivers.

The proposed rule, which can be read as a draft (PDF), would remove the need for commercial drone operators to file for waivers granting them permission to fly both at night and over large gatherings of people. It would also drones to have ‘an anti-collision light illuminated and visible for at least 3 statute miles, according to the document proposal.

‘This will help communities reap the considerable economic benefits of this growing industry, and help our country remain a global technology leader,’ said Chao in her statement to the nonprofit Transportation Research Board.

DJI chimed in on the proposed rule change with a blog post on its website that begins by stating:

DJI, the world’s leader in civilian drones and aerial imaging technology, welcomes the U.S. Department of Transportation’s proposals announced today to help expand the use of drones in America, and looks forward to a substantive discussion that balances the requirements of the proposed rules with the benefits they would achieve.

The proposed rule change also lists out new rules for smaller drones. Specifically, drones weighing less than .55lbs / 250g would be able to fly over crowds without any new restrictions. However, drones weighing more would need their manufacturers to prove that if the drone ‘crashed into a person, the resulting injury would be below a certain severity threshold,’

The proposed rule change will be open for public comment for 60 days before anything can be set in stone.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Stars Above Maui

27 Jul
Stars Above Maui
Stars Above Maui

Circumpolar star trails high above Haleakala National Park in Maui, Hawaii

It’s an interesting feeling to be atop Haleakala, high above the South Pacific, with the feeling of being on top of the world. Atop Haleakala National Park you can see out for 50 miles in every direction when its cloud-free and you tower above the rest of Maui.  Yet when you take a star trail photo such as this you quickly realize that you were really on the side of our spinning globe. Star trail photos are always fun, but I’m particularly fond of this one because Polaris is so much closer to the horizon than I’m used to. One day it would be equally fun to head closer to the Arctic to see Polaris directly overhead.

Happy Shooting!

Photo Details
Canon 5D Mark II + Canon 14mm f/2.8L II USM
f/7.1, ISO 6400 at 90 min

The post Stars Above Maui appeared first on JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography.


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Reckless drone video under investigation for flying directly above passenger jet

08 Feb

A drone pilot has enraged the entire UAV community after sharing a video in which he flew his drone directly above a passenger jet flying out of Las Vegas’ McCarran International Airport. The stunt was captured in a video by the camera drone, which shows it facing the jet before turning to fly in the same direction and quickly dropping altitude to get closer to the aircraft. The drone then chases after the plane but quickly falls behind.

The video was first shared privately on the Facebook group 1% FPV by someone posting under the name “James Jayo Older.” Some concerned members took a screen capture of the video and shared it outside of the Facebook group to bring attention to the dangerous stunt.

The FAA has since confirmed that it is investigating the flight, which has been heavily condemned by drone enthusiasts and the general public alike. Federal regulations prohibit drones from being operated above 400ft, near airports, and around aircraft—this pilot seems to have blatantly violated all three rules. Operating a UAV at such a close distance to an aircraft could put the entire flight at risk.

According to the FAA’s website, recreational drone pilots are required to alert air traffic control towers (when present) and airport operators ahead of time about flights happening within a 5 mile radius of an airport. “However,” the FAA notes, “recreational operations are not permitted in Class B airspace around most major airports without specific air traffic permission and coordination.”

The FAA has an online system where anyone can report a drone violation.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Weekly Photography Challenge – View From Above

30 Sep

If you’ve already looked at this article from earlier on tips for drone photography, you’ll already be in the mood for this challenge. But you don’t need a drone to participate – just a high vantage point, looking down. Are you “up” for it?

Photo by Jonathan Pendleton on Unsplash

Weekly Photography Challenge – View from Above

This week it’s your job to get up high and look down on the world – literally. Show us the view from above with your photos for this weekly challenge.

Share your images below:

Simply upload your shot into the comment field (look for the little camera icon in the Disqus comments section) and they’ll get embedded for us all to see or if you’d prefer, upload them to your favorite photo-sharing site and leave the link to them. Show me your best images in this week’s challenge. Sometimes it takes a while for an image to appear so be patient and try not to post the same image twice.

Share in the dPS Facebook Group

You can also share your images on the dPS Facebook group as the challenge is posted there each week as well.

The post Weekly Photography Challenge – View From Above by Darlene Hildebrandt appeared first on Digital Photography School.


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Gyroscopic Public Transit Concept Hovers Above Traffic at Varying Heights

26 Aug

[ By SA Rogers in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

In this strange vision of a city in the not-so-distant future, disc-shaped public transit, emergency vehicles and cargo vehicles rise up above traffic on vertical supports to zoom through the streets unimpeded, lowering to the ground at designated stops. Created by designer Dahir Insaat, ‘Gyroscopic Transport’ looks like an alternate take on China’s traffic-straddling bus (which turned out to be a giant traffic-snarling scam, by the way.) Could this new proposal be any better?

In a video announcing the concept, Insaat explains how the technology works and lays the groundwork for gyroscopic vehicles with the potential to be more successful than their predecessors. Taking inspiration from recent developments in the area of electric motor control, Insaat developed a gyro car that “meets all current safety requirements.” Noting that it’s financially and often physically impossible to significantly expand roads in existing cities, the designer suggests that we take to our “unused road medians” as a solution.

The Gyro car could fit into existing roadway infrastructure while remaining independent from the flow of regular motor vehicle traffic below. It can elevate high enough on its supports to safely pass over most vehicles, running along a special fortified strip between lanes. The car itself has a lightweight body and can either be designed with mass transit interiors to fit large groups of passengers, or as luxurious lounges. In the video, the designer also explains how the concept could extend to emergency responders like firefighters.

Of course, the concept hasn’t avoided criticism and questions as to its feasibility. What happens when a vehicle hits its support pillars at high speed, for example? These kinds of technical details don’t seem fully fleshed out yet, but it’s an interesting idea, and watching the pods navigate traffic circles is kind of mesmerizing.

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[ By SA Rogers in Conceptual & Futuristic & Technology. ]

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‘Above Bellingham’ soars from bay to Mount Baker

02 Jul
‘Above Bellingham’ takes you all the way from the shores of Bellingham Bay to the top of Mt. Baker, highlighting the City of Subdued Excitement from the air.

Earlier this year, visual journalist Kjell Redal released the second video in his ‘Above’ 4K drone video series, this time turning his attention to the city of Bellingham, WA. The video ably encapsulates the so-called ‘City of Subdued Excitement’ as well as its immediate surroundings, featuring mountain bikers charging through forests, skiers charging through some Mt. Baker powder, and beautiful flyovers of some of Bellingham’s picturesque waterfront.

We chatted with Redal about his experience in making the video, his background and some challenges along the way.


DPR: To start off, tell us a little about yourself, your background and what you do.

Kjell Redal: I’m a video producer and visual journalist from Colorado originally, but I’ve been in Washington for the last four years, recently finishing school at Western Washington University. I’m trained as a journalist so I enjoy finding real-life storylines that inspire, entertain, scare and teach people. I like to tell these kinds of stories through even better visuals and I’ve found that drones help a lot in the latter part of this goal.

That uniqueness of perspective was what really attracted me to the tech as a cinematic tool.

What spurred you to get into drone flying and video capture?

Before I started flying, I remember seeing a lot of travel videos on Vimeo’s Staff Picks channel that included shots unlike any I’ve ever seen. I remember one of them in this Iceland video where a drone was recording while moving only about a foot over these flowers at a decent speed and it was the first time I’ve seen that camera movement from that angle. That uniqueness of perspective was what really attracted me to the technology as a cinematic tool.

Hiking trails and stellar views are plentiful in the greater Bellingham area.

What was the inspiration for ‘Above Bellingham?’

Above Bellingham came as the second part in my ‘Above’ series where I feature two towns I’ve come to know well via the air. My first video in the small series was ‘Above Boulder’ which featured scenes from my hometown. I tried to capture both the iconic places from the two areas in both videos, as well as some less well-known spots that give the cities their character.

Tell me a little about how the video has been received.

The video was received great! I had a lot of people tell me thanks for capturing a place they know and love from a new perspective. I can only think of one minor negative comment about drones on the comment board for that one.

The DJI Phantom 3.
Image via: DJI

What were the biggest challenges you experienced throughout this project? Did you have any crashes or issues with the FAA?

I haven’t had a crash on either of these projects (knock on wood) and got my FAA certification to fly commercially in September of last year. Other than the test being a bit more difficult than I expected, as well as full of what I saw as fairly irrelevant information to drone pilots, like reading airport-issued weather reports and guidelines for flying at ridiculously high altitudes, everything went pretty smooth during the productions.

I did get some heat after the Boulder video went out though. I didn’t realize the city had out-and-out banned drones before I started filming (something they can’t really do according to the FAA, see paragraph 9). I followed all the FAA regulations for flying in the airspace and nothing more than angry commenters came of it, but I think I’d have a fairly solid federal preemption claim were the city to have pressed charges.

And lastly, what drone(s) did you use for this project?

I used a DJI Phantom 3 4K for all of last year, and just got a Phantom 4 Pro this spring – looking forward to the next big project to go with the new drone!


To see more of Kjell Redal’s work, check out his portfolio at kjellredal.com.

Articles: Digital Photography Review (dpreview.com)

 
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Dismal River in Nebraska Sand Hills from Above

06 Jun

The Dismal River in Nebraska Sand Hills is one of my favorite paddling destination. I started paddling the Dismal in 2001 when training for Texas Water Safari. The river felt quite similar to the San Marcos River in Texas. Since […]
paddling with a camera

 
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Stars Above Maui

15 Oct
Stars Above Maui
Stars Above Maui

Circumpolar star trails high above Haleakala National Park in Maui, Hawaii

It’s an interesting feeling to be atop Haleakala, high above the South Pacific, with the feeling of being on top of the world. Atop Haleakala National Park you can see out for 50 miles in every direction when its cloud-free and you tower above the rest of Maui.  Yet when you take a star trail photo such as this you quickly realize that you were really on the side of our spinning globe. Star trail photos are always fun, but I’m particularly fond of this one because Polaris is so much closer to the horizon than I’m used to. One day it would be equally fun to head closer to the Arctic to see Polaris directly overhead.

Happy Shooting!

Photo Details
Canon 5D Mark II + Canon 14mm f/2.8L II USM
f/7.1, ISO 6400 at 90 min

The post Stars Above Maui appeared first on JMG-Galleries – Landscape, Nature & Travel Photography.


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Tips for Doing City Photography from Above

30 Aug

Many cities have places with great panoramic views of the city vistas from above. For example, in the U.S., New York has the top of the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center. Similarly, Chicago has observation decks in both the Willis Tower (formerly the Sears Tower) and the Hancock Building. In Europe, there are great views of Paris from Montparnasse Tower. You can capture London from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral, or now the observation deck of the Shard (the new tallest building in London), and the list goes on.

Madrid, Spain, from the Circulo des Bellas Artes

The Gran Via in Madrid, Spain, from the Circulo des Bellas Artes

But these shots present certain challenges. Often tripods are not allowed. Sometimes you have to shoot through glass. And when should you go? What settings should you use? In this article, we’ll work through these issues so you can get great shots from these city overlooks.

What? I Can’t Use My Tripod?

Sometimes you are allowed to use a tripod, and sometimes not. Each building has its own rules. To make things even more interesting, some buildings seem to have different rules depending on when you visit (or perhaps the mood of the security guards). So you will need to be prepared to shoot without a tripod.

If you go up the building in the middle of the day, that might not matter very much. There will be enough light to support a fast shutter speed, and you can get away with hand holding. But if you are shooting in dim light or at night, you will want to use a longer shutter speed. That will require some sort of stabilization.

Paris from the Eiffel Tower

Paris from the Eiffel Tower

In almost every case, you will find something available at the top of the building to support your camera. Sometimes you have to resort to using the the floor (which can work if you press your lens up against the window), but often there is some sort of shelf to use. Many buildings have plexiglass panels at the top, with small gaps between them, and you can hold your camera against the sides of the panels to steady it.

Shooting Through Glass

Oftentimes, you are photographing from an enclosed structure surrounded by glass. That means reflections are going to be a problem. I wish there was a magic bullet to solve this problem, but there isn’t. I do have a few tips to help you minimize the reflections though.

Chicago from the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower)

Chicago from the Willis Tower (formerly known as the Sears Tower)

Before resorting to that, see if there is any way to shoot unobstructed. As mentioned above, some buildings have plexiglass panels on top. There are often carve-outs in the panels that you can shoot through, which you should definitely use. If not, check to see if you can shoot between the panels. That will avoid the whole issue with reflections.

If not, you are going to need to take steps to minimize reflections. Let’s start with one that should be obvious (but I always see people doing it). Do not use your camera’s flash. First of all, the flash is useless in this situation. Everything will be too far away for the flash to have any effect. More importantly, the flash will cause reflections and glare in the glass.

Next, hold your camera directly up against the glass. This will minimize reflections. In addition, make sure your point of focus is set far away from you and that your camera is not trying to focus on the reflections.

Panama City, Panama from the Intercontinental Hotel (shot through glass)

Panama City, Panama from the Intercontinental Hotel (shot through glass)

 

If you are on your own (like in a hotel room or somewhere you can set up), then make sure all the inside lights are off, and use the curtains to block any light coming from the room. Some photographers hold a black cloth against the window with a hole cut in the center to shoot through. If you have the opportunity and time to prepare, that is the best option.

Usually, you will find yourself in a public place where such steps are not possible. In that case, just use your body or hand to block any areas of glare or bright light.

After that, just take a few pictures and see if there are any reflections in the final result. Zoom in on your LCD to take a close look. If you find any reflections or glare, just adjust your position slightly to try to get it out and shoot again. You would also try a polarizing filter.

London from the top of St. Paul's Cathedral

London from the top of St. Paul’s Cathedral

What Camera Settings Should I Use?

Your exposure settings will depend on how much light is available at the time you are shooting. While I obviously cannot give you exact exposure settings, I can give you a few ideas to maximize your light and get the best exposure.

First and foremost, remember that you don’t need to use a small aperture for these shots because you do not need a deep depth of field. Your focus will be set at infinity. Nothing in your shot will be within 50 feet/15 meters of you. Too see this for yourself, take a look at the distance scale on the top of your lens (assuming it has one). It will show you that everything farther than about 30 feet/10 meters is set at infinity (in fact, the focus will be at infinity even sooner for wide angle lenses). There will not be a wide range of distances in your shot that require a deep depth of field. Therefore, if you find yourself in need of more light to create your exposure, widening the aperture is a good place to start.

Chicago from the Hancock Building

Chicago from the Hancock Building

Your other two exposure settings (shutter speed and ISO) will depend entirely on whether you can use a tripod. If you cannot use a tripod, raise the ISO until your shutter speed is fast enough to hand hold. Remember you can cheat a little bit and use a slower shutter speed than usual by propping your camera on something. But blur from movement during the exposure will ruin the picture. Remember that digital noise can be fixed in post-processing, but camera shake cannot. Raise the ISO as much as you need to get a supportable shutter speed.

If a tripod is allowed, things are much easier when it comes to exposure settings. You can use as slow a shutter speed as you want. That will also allow you to reduce the ISO, and use a smaller aperture as well. In fact, you may want to keep the the ISO low and the aperture small to force the camera to use a long shutter speed. That will capture traffic trails, create some movement in the clouds, and other effects.

New York, from Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock)

New York, from Rockefeller Center (Top of the Rock)

Finally, consider bracketing your photos, especially if you are shooting at night. The scene before you will contain bright lights and dark portions. This will challenge your camera’s dynamic range. Even if you will never use any sort of blending or HDR, you might be pleasantly surprised by the overexposed or underexposed images.

Making a Composition from a Jumble of Buildings

When you are up high in a building overlooking the city, you will have a great view, but that doesn’t necessarily mean a great picture. The key to success is creating a composition out of what is before you, in other words to generally find a center of interest. That is, find something to key on that will anchor the picture. Sometimes it is obvious – like when you are staring at the Empire State Building or the Eiffel Tower – but other times it isn’t. You’ll just have to find something to center your picture on. It could be a building that stands out, perhaps a bridge, or even a leading line.

In doing so, don’t overlook the usual compositional rules. Start with the Rule of Thirds. Put your horizon line on either the top third or the bottom third. After that, you might consider placing an important, or prominent, feature on one of the vertical third lines.

Paris from the Montparnasse Tower

Paris from the Montparnasse Tower

Just these two concepts – ensuring you have a center of interest and following the Rule of Thirds – will go a long way to ensuring success. After that, you can find lines, shapes, and forms to work around. Experiment with different focal lengths and angles. Remember that nothing is moving so you can keep experimenting all you want.

When to Go

Deciding when to go capture you city view from above will have more to do with how the pictures turn out, than anything else you do. Avoid going in the middle of the day. Travel schedules don’t always allow that, but that is the worst time for these pictures.

If you are going to a public observation deck, when you can go will be limited by the opening hours of the building. They are generally not open early enough for sunrise, so that won’t be an option. Almost all locations are open for sunset and a few hours of darkness, so that is often an option.

London from the tower of Westminster Cathedral

London from the tower of Westminster Cathedral

The best time to go is just before sunset. You will have the best of all worlds with one ticket. You can capture the sunset and twilight. After that, just wait around for a little while for some night shots.

But in any case, go. It is an easy way to get great shots of whatever city you happen to be visiting. Get up high and capture the city from above.

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