Beginner’s Guide To Drone Photography: How To Take Amazing Landscape Photos
Ready to up your drone game? Max is a gear-obsessed photographer with years of experience flying in places like the Lofoten Islands, Iceland, and Croatia. He’ll teach you everything he knows about drone photography and the DJI line of drones — from location scouting and settings to composition and color correction for a killer edit, you’ll see firsthand how he gets the perfect shot every time.
Knowing where, how, and when to fly can take years of experience — in this lesson, you get those years compressed into just a couple hours. in this lesson, you’ll pick up techniques on composition, shot variation, and editing both on desktop and mobile.
**Important: All lesson purchases are final in consideration of the creator's hard work. To learn more, click here.
SKU: m-lesson-004
What You'll Learn
1:21
Introduction to Drone Photography
1:21
Let’s get this thing started! We’re in Norway about to go take some insane photos with our DJI drone. You’ll meet Max, go over the gear you’ll need for this lesson, and start getting STOKED about drone photography.
7:00
Best Settings for the Best Photos
7:00
Taking great photos is all about knowing how best to use your gear. This section is a deep dive into DJI drones and which settings to use in different scenarios. We’ll do a complete drone settings walkthrough, covering the best settings for shooting either quickly or for the highest quality results.
17:00
Composing Drone Landscapes: Mountain Ridge
17:00
In our first shooting segment, we’re headed to Mardalsfossen, a beautiful waterfall in Norway that’s best captured from the air. Here, Max will cover composition when shooting with a drone: including the rule of thirds, shot variation, when to use certain angles, and how to bracket images to not blow out highlights and shadows.
3:15
Max's Essential Apps for Flying
3:15
In this segment, Max runs through apps he uses every time he flies his drone. You’ll learn which apps to use to help you scout location and find the best light, apps to read weather and flying forecasts, and apps to help you fly legally and follow drone regulations.
22:00
Finding Your Subject
22:00
In our second shooting segment, Max takes flight to show you how to capture more than just a pretty view. He’ll cover the best tips and tricks for composing shots with a subject, as well as how to read the light for the best image and how to fly legally in populated areas.
11:23
Editing On Mobile: Max’s Workflow
11:23
Now that we have some amazing shots, let’s dive into the editing process. First up, Max shows you his mobile workflow for quickly posting to social media. He’ll run through apps like VSCO, Lightroom Mobile, and Unfold before walking you through how to color correct drone photos and make your landscape shots pop.
19:00
Editing In Lightroom CC: AEB & Pano-Stitching
19:00
Editing in the field is efficient, but if you’re looking to further refine your image you’ll want to throw in onto your computer. In this segment, Max covers color correction, lens distortion correction, removing unwanted artifacts, and de-noising.
Meet Your Instructor
Meet Max, a travel and lifestyle photographer with a mind always on the lookout for the next adventure. Whether it’s for his personal brand or in partnership with companies like Google, Zhiyun Tech, B&H Photo, and Gnarbox, Max is constantly putting out new work to amaze his audience.
Instructor
Max Chesnut
Hey, I'm Max (@explorewithmax) — it's actually Theodore Maximillian Chesnut, but that's a bit too formal for my liking.
