How To Get Great Drone Photos

If you are anything like me, then the main reason you purchase a drone is for photographic purposes.

Taking photos from a drone allows you to access angles that a regular camera can’t get without spending major bucks on a helicopter to take you up. Thankfully, with the advent of drones and the affordability of units that still take spectacular images, capturing breathtaking aerial photos is now more accessible than ever.

In this article, the professional drone photographers from UAVBC will break down the key steps to getting great drone photos.

Plan Your Drone PHotos Ahead

The very first step in getting great drone photos is ensuring you are prepared for the job by planning for your shoot. As photographers, we have all wrapped up a shoot, head home to edit and realize we didn’t get all the shots or angles we had hoped for. A well put together plan will help you avoid this disappointment and give you a guide to ensure you capture what you need to from the angles you really want.

You’ll want to plan your location and find out if it is legal to fly your drone there. Once you are sure you can take off for your flight in your shoot location, you will want to get an idea of your flight plan, and familiarize yourself with any obstructions in the area such as power lines, infrastructure, trees or anything else that may interrupt your flight. Check the weather and plan to fly on a clear day with minimal wind.

All of this can be completed quite simply by using apps like NAVCANADA, Google Earth, SkyGrid, or your DJI Fly to scout your location virtually in advance. NAV CANADA will let you know if your shoot location is in non-restricted airspace as well as information about windspeeds and weather. Additionally, you can use Google Maps and Earth to look for leading lines, symmetry, interesting terrain, or unique structures from above.

You will also want to plan your drone photos in advance. Having a solid understanding of what you want to shoot and how you want to capture it by preparing a simple shot list for your drone photos session will go a long way in ending up with some amazing aerial images. Creating a shot list with subject matter and angles will come in handy when you’re in the midst of a drone shoot.

Finally, it is always smart to have a backup plan for your original plan in case of any unforeseen situations. This will keep you in the game and ensure that no matter what may happen, you are ready to fly and get some great drone photos.

Make Sure You Have The Right Gear For The Shoot

Now that you have an idea of where you are shooting, what you are shooting and when you are shooting, you can begin to assemble the drone camera gear you are going to need to get the job done efficiently and safely. Make sure you have the correct amount of UAV batteries you will need for your flight and that they are fully charged.

In order to ensure your drone photography session is headache-free, ensure that you have the appropriate SD cards for the job and that they are formatted and ready to use safely. Carrying a spare SD card is also a great idea.

Neutral Density filters and UV filters are also essential to have on hand if you will be shooting in the sun, around water, or just want more technical control over your scenes and shots. We will discuss the impact these can have on your drone photos further on in the article.

It will also help drone photographers to have items such as spare propellers in case of accidents, power banks or portable chargers in case of battery drainage, or a landing pad in case of rough terrain.

Camera Set Up – Image Format, Gridlines etc.

When it comes to getting great drone photos, or any great photo for that matter, there are many things to consider. Most often overlooked is the format in which you capture your images. While many hobby photographers choose to shoot in standard JPEG format, the reality is that the ability to maximize your photos in post-production requires you to shoot in RAW format.

Shooting in RAW will allow your drone to capture the full range of light, colour, and detail from the camera’s sensor without compressing the image, giving you maximum flexibility in editing. Unlike JPEGs, which discard data to save space, RAW files preserve highlights, shadows, and colour depth, which all make it easier to correct exposure, adjust white balance, and enhance detail without degrading quality when you edit. This is especially important for professional drone photos, where lighting conditions can be unpredictable and high-quality results are essential.

Another powerful tool in getting great drone photos is to utilize the gridlines. Turning on the rule-of-thirds grid helps you compose your shots more professionally by aligning key subjects, such as the horizon, buildings, or key focal points with the intersecting lines of the grid. This simple but powerful tool enhances composition and balance, especially in landscape and drone real estate photography.

Another extremely useful tool, somewhat similar to gridlines in a sense, is the Histogram tool. The histogram tool takes data from the scene framed in the camera and provides the operator with information about things such as highlights, exposure, shadows, and other key details. To put this tool to work on your drone, enable the histogram, it helps you avoid blown-out highlights or crushed shadows, which are critical for aerial shots with lots of sky or strong sunlight. Aim for a balanced graph, not heavily stacked on either end.

Manual Shooting Settings – White Balance, ISO, Frame Rate

If you really want to unlock the full capability of your drone camera and photography skills, you have to get out of auto mode and start shooting images using manual settings. This means manually adjusting settings such as your white balance, ISO, and framerate to give you the best quality images for your situation.

Using manual settings when taking photos on your drone gives you full creative control over how your shots look, allowing you to fine-tune things like exposure, sharpness, motion, and overall image quality. Unlike auto mode, which guesses the best settings for your photo based on qualifiers like lighting, manual shooting mode lets you lock in precise values like shutter speed, ISO, and white balance for consistent, professional results, every time. No more guesswork in your drone photography. This is especially important when shooting photos from the air with a drone, where details such as lighting can change quickly and auto settings may lead to overexposure, underexposure, or inconsistent colours across shots.

By adjusting your camera settings manually, you can match the exact look and feel you’re aiming for. For example, using a low ISO (like 100) keeps your aerial images clean and free from noise, while setting the shutter speed correctly helps freeze movement in stills or add motion blur in video for a cinematic like effect. Setting a manual white balance prevents unwanted colour shifts when the lighting in your scene changes.

Overall, using manual camera settings rather than auto settings allows for greater control, repeatability, and better post-processing potential, especially when shooting in RAW or D-Cinelike profiles from the air with your drone.

Shoot During Golden Hours When Possible

Another great tip for achieving breathtaking aerial photos is to capture your images during the golden hours.

The Golden hours refer to the period shortly after sunrise and just before sunset when the sun is low on the horizon. During this time, sunlight is softer, warmer, and more diffused compared to the harsh midday sun. This prevents overexposure, harsh glare, and allows for some gorgeous captures. For drone photography in particular, shooting during golden hour can dramatically improve the mood, depth, and overall visual impact of your images.

The low angle of the light creates long shadows and natural contrast, which helps highlight textures in landscapes, buildings, and terrain from above. It also adds a warm, golden tone that enhances colour without needing heavy editing or filters. Compared to flat midday light, golden hour conditions reduce glare and blown out highlights, making it easier to capture balanced, professional looking aerial shots. Whether you’re photographing real estate, nature, or cityscapes, golden hour light brings out the best in every scene.

ND / UV Filters – Controlling The Scene

Neutral Density (ND) and Ultraviolet (UV) filters are kind of like sunglasses for your drone camera lens. They will allow you to control the scene even when the lighting conditions are harsh, such as an overly bright day, overcast, water or window glares and more.

Because of this, ND and UV filters are valuable tools for both hobby and pro drone photographers who are seeking to capture high-quality, professional-looking images in any weather condition. ND filters reduce the amount of light entering the camera lens, allowing you to control exposure in bright conditions without overexposing your shots. This can be especially useful when you want to use slower shutter speeds for smoother motion blur in video or balanced exposure in photos with high contrast between sky and ground. By managing light levels effectively, ND filters help preserve detail, avoid blown-out highlights, and maintain natural colour and tone, particularly in direct sunlight or reflective environments like snow or water.

UV filters, on the other hand, serve primarily as a protective layer for your drone’s lens. While modern camera sensors aren’t as sensitive to ultraviolet light as film used to be, UV filters can still help slightly reduce atmospheric haze in high-altitude or wide-open environments. More importantly, they shield the lens from dust, scratches, and impact damage, especially valuable when flying in rugged terrain or during takeoffs and landings on dirt, gravel, or grass. Together, ND and UV filters not only enhance image quality but also extend the life of your gear, allowing you to shoot more confidently and creatively in a range of lighting and environmental conditions.

Compose The Shot – Rules Of Thirds, Leading Lines, Natural Patterns

Shot composition is the art of arranging subjects within your frame in a way that creates a visually pleasing, balanced, and meaningful image. In drone photography, good composition helps guide the viewer’s eye, highlight your subject, and create depth while showcasing the unique perspective that only aerial photos can offer.

Using pro composition techniques during your drone photoshoots, like the rule of thirds, leading lines, symmetry, and composition, you can turn a boring old landscape or structure into a breathtaking image. For example, placing roads or rivers as leading lines can draw the viewer into the scene, while using natural symmetry from above (like a mirrored treeline or shoreline) creates harmony. Mastering composition not only makes your drone photos more engaging it also helps you tell a clearer story, evoke emotion, and stand out from basic overhead shots.

Shoot A Variety Of Angles

Another tip that will help you get some outstanding drone photos with your UAV is to take shots from a variety of elevations and angles. Shooting a variety of angles is key to creating dynamic, visually engaging drone photos that stand out. Instead of relying solely on high, top-down (nadir) shots, try experimenting with low-altitude, oblique, and side-profile angles to reveal depth, scale, and context in a scene. Each angle offers a different perspective that can highlight textures, lead the viewer’s eye, or better showcase a subject like a building, landscape, or crowd.

Varying your angles also helps tell a more complete story. For example, a low, forward-facing shot might emphasize the scale of a mountain range, while a higher diagonal shot could capture the full layout of a property or event. By mixing wide establishing shots, close-up flyovers, and angled compositions, you create a more cinematic, professional set of drone photos and increase your chances of capturing that one standout photo with impact.

Edit your Drone Photos for maximum impact

Editing your drone shots mindfully with intention and awareness helps you create better aerial images by improving both technical quality and artistic impact. When you approach editing photos with purpose, you naturally make decisions that enhance the story and subject of your image. For example, adjusting contrast to emphasize leading lines or cropping to improve composition can draw the viewer’s eye exactly where you want it to go. This turns a simple aerial image into a powerful visual statement.

Mindful editing also helps you develop a consistent style. Whether you lean toward warm, cinematic tones or clean, natural colour, being deliberate in your editing builds a recognizable visual identity. This consistency not only elevates your work but also makes it more professional, which is especially important if you’re sharing your work online or building a brand.

Technically, drone sensors can struggle in certain lighting conditions or with colour accuracy. Editing with care allows you to recover highlights, fix exposure imbalances, sharpen detail, and correct white balance. When you’re mindful during this process, you’re not just applying filters or presets blindly, you’re making choices that support the mood and message of the shot.

Ultimately, mindful editing bridges the gap between what the drone captures and what you envision. It turns raw aerial footage into intentional art and helps you refine your skills as both a photographer and a visual storyteller.

Practice Often in New Environments

Practicing regularly is one of the most effective ways to improve your drone photos because it builds the technical skills, creative instincts, and flight confidence you need to capture consistently great shots. Each time you fly, you learn how to better control your drone’s movements, adjust camera settings in changing conditions, and anticipate how different perspectives or altitudes will affect composition.

With practice, you’ll also develop an eye for lighting, framing, and timing, recognizing how early morning mist, late afternoon shadows, or certain cloud conditions can transform a scene. Repeating shots in various environments helps you learn from mistakes, refine your workflow, and react quickly to new challenges. Ultimately, consistent flying sharpens both your creative vision and your technical execution, making your drone photos more polished, intentional, and compelling.

Conclusion: How To Get Great Drone Photos

Mastering drone photography is all about combining technical skill with a creative eye. By understanding your drone’s settings, planning flights around lighting and weather, and practicing thoughtful composition, you can elevate your drone photos from simple snapshots to breathtaking images.

Remember to fly safely, respect regulations, and keep experimenting with angles and techniques, the more you practice, the better your results will become. With patience and creativity, your drone can unlock an entirely new perspective and help you capture the world in ways most people will never see.