My postgraduate masters degree in Photography at Falmouth University – the UK’s No 1 university for creatives – is an official accredited education programme and as such this blog and it’s content are published for educational purposes.

Photography

Creating, taking, capturing images is usually a process achieved whilst having an eye pressed firmly against a viewfinder in one way or another depending on the device used to record the image. Film cameras were the devices most used by professional photographers (along with everyone else who has ever taken a picture) around the world until Sony first introduced the charged-coupled device in 1981 that would lead to the onset of Digital Single Lens Reflect (DSLR) cameras to the masses. More images seen around the world were and are taken on digital devices than were ever taken on traditional film cameras. Digital imaging can show far more detail in areas that would have been far beyond the ability and sensitivity of film based cameras, allowing images to be shared around the world instantly without the loss of any image quality making digital images the first choice of many professionals worldwide.

Now digital imaging has taken to the air in professional capacity and outcomes, there are literally no creative boundaries (other than prevailing Air Navigation Orders in the country of operation).

Over the next two years this blog will clearly demonstrate how my professional digital imaging will develop into the next phase of creative achievement.

Aerial imaging is doing just that right now as a whole, with technological leaps and bounds announced on an almost monthly basis. Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) or drones as they are commonly referred to, first entered into mainstream vocabulary because of military use. ‘Drone strikes’ were reported by worldwide media in various instances. Several years on and (like it or not) we have to concede the drone (along with custom variations of it) will be part of our everyday lives over the next decade with worldwide retail giants among the first to attempt to commercially utilise drone technology as part of their delivery system model. In addition, aerial imaging is making a real impact in education, mapping, surveys, inspections, art, surveillance, crop inspections, search and rescue, policing, local government and more.

The opportunity to create images (both moving and stills) from the air using digital imaging devices, without having an eye pressed firmly against a viewfinder is an exciting, creative practice. This freedom to capture digital images images from an altitude of up to 400ft above ground level recreates and regenerates the literal meaning of photographic exploration. My objective is to create interesting perspectives that most viewers will not have had the opportunity to have visually experienced. To bring that WOW! factor into every image. To move away from a traditional land-based (hand-held) perspective to the freedom of the open skies.

In my image above, of a farmer harvesting his last field around 9.30pm on a summer’s eve, I hope to have achieved two things. First of all, to let the viewer see the glory of an aerial image and secondly, I added a twist by digitally ‘bending’ the picture for added impact and context.