EYES OVER THE WORLD

Aerial photo secrets from around the globe

- Dirk Dallas

Editor’s Note: Getting an aerial perspective on your subject is terrific, but it doesn’t guarantee that the resulting photograph will be interesting or engaging. Drone photographer Dirk Dallas knows what it takes to capture an image that stops viewers in their tracks, and his new coffee-table compilation of drone photos, “Eyes Over the World,” is full of these breathtaking bird’s-eye views. We asked Dirk to share some highlights from the new book and give us some insight into the secrets he and the other featured photographers used to create their art.

ARID

Clara Cao, Mar del Plata, Argentina

Sometimes we aren’t able to travel to some epic location to fly and shoot with our drone. This is why we should all be inspired by Clara’s image, which is an excellent example of simplicity, combined with a creative idea. What we see in this photo is that Clara spent time art-directing a creative scene using a person, perspective, and a prop. Drones afford us the ability to capture unique angles so that when you have your subject move into an unexpected position and then add in a prop like an inflatable tube, you can quickly create a visual gag that is sure to make your viewer stop and do a double take to assess the situation. Other ideas for creating a visual gag include using props like a bike or skateboard, or you can try finding a recognizable space like a basketball or tennis court to make it look like someone is hanging or sitting on one of the court’s lines.