​

Drone photography - or to be more precise unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) photography - fascinates me. As a relatively late arrival to aerial photography in 2020 I've really pushed myself hard to get some serious flying hours in and take myself to a level I'm happy with. That said, once you've mastered the controls, CAA regulations and the very different perspective 120m above the earth can give you the rest is down to knowledge around using available light, composition and the exposure triangle. 

Drone tuition

Thinking of buying a drone or want to know how to fly your drone within the current regulations and achieve great images? Have you got a drone sat at home, flown it once or twice and not used it again because you're unhappy with the results or struggled to fully understand its potential? Do you want to break into one of the fastest growing photography and video genres of 2022? You're not alone. I know of lots of people who'd love to own a drone or who would like to fly their aircraft more but are concerned it's an overly complicated process, or their images won't be what they expected. And that, I think, is where I come in...

​

With over two hundred flying hours over a wide range of terrains and in all weather conditions along with nearly forty years of photography experience I believe I'm perfectly placed to show you how to get the most out of your UAV and the often astonishing video and photography capabilities they have.

Drone tuition will be on a 1:1 basis only and will consist of a mix of theory, practice and post-production of a selection of images taken during the session. There's a wide range of locations close by including mountains, forests, lakes and of course the Elan Valley with its iconic range of dams, fells and woodland  so we will be off and out once we've got some Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) protocols and basic UAV controls out of the way. There are two options for 1:1 drone workshops:

​

Option 1 - bring your own drone and peripherals including controller, mobile phone if you use it in the controller, charger, spare rotor blades, all of your batteries and a large capacity SD card. 

If your drone is 250g or above then you MUST have passed the online theory test and be registered with the CAA to fly your aircraft. Your drone has to be clearly labelled with a valid, current ID number or drone operator ID issued by the authority. I will also need sight of your personal ID number or flyer ID. I fully reserve the right not to progress a session if you turn up with an out of date flyer or drone operator ID, or your UAV isn't labelled, or is labelled incorrectly. There will be no refunds should this happen. Please take a look at the link below to ensure you and your drone are fully compliant with CAA regulations. If you have yet to sit the online theory test but want to book with me I can certainly spend some time with you making sure you have all the information you need to pass what is a very straightforward and, in my view, sensible test designed to keep the skies safe and enhance our flying experience.

https://register-drones.caa.co.uk/individual

​

Option 2 - I have several DJI drones at different specs with plenty of spare batteries and SD cards. I will provide all you need to fly, take images and post-produce several chosen shots at the end of the session. This will give the opportunity to see if UAV photography is for you prior to buying a potentially expensive bit of kit you might not use much - apparently that's a thing in photography...

​

For this session you will only need to have sat and passed the online theory test and received a valid flyer ID. You do not require an operator ID but I will need to see your flyer ID before the session begins. Again, I reserve the right to cancel the session of you've no proof you've sat and passed the theory test or you arrive with no flyer ID. There will be no refunds should this happen.

​

​

​

​

​

​