Drone photography, Northern Ireland

Context from the air

From the ground you see the building. From the air you see why it was built that way: the orientation, the slope, the neighbours and the distance to the coast. That context is part of the design.

What to show from the air

The roofline and the plot. The approach and the drive. The beach, the field or the lake the building answers to. Every aerial frame should answer a question about the site.

An aerial frame works best next to a ground frame of the same view. The drone shows where the house sits, and the photograph from the garden shows what it feels like to stand there.

Light off the water

On the coast the best aerial frames come late in the day, when the sun is low over the sea and the light comes off the water onto the building. I plan the flight for that window.

Light sells. I’ve spent fifteen years learning where to find it.

Weather and timing

Wind and rain ground a drone sooner than a camera. I watch the forecast and keep the aerial frames flexible within the visit, so a passing shower doesn’t cost you the shot.

Part of the same visit

Drone is shot on the same visit as the stills and film, and graded to match them. One visit. Stills, film and drone. One grade, one house.

Before I fly

Some sites near airports or in protected areas need permission in advance, so send me the address when you book.