There are plenty of reasons why you might pack up your drone over the festive season. It's cold, the weather is temperamental to say the least, family commitments are taking over and there's just so much food to eat. You could be forgiven for thinking that by the time you get to fly again it will be January.
But it doesn't have to be that way. Sure, the weather might be changeable, your fingers might be freezing. But there are plenty of benefits to winter aerial photography once you get through those barriers. The turkey can wait.
Here are a few reasons to keep up your flying over the festive season!
The Light
The quality of the light can make or break any aerial photography session. And nothing beats the light of the winter months. Shooting in the mystical 'Golden Hour' - that period just after sunrise and just before sunset - brings with it softer light that tends to be more flattering to landscapes than in the middle of the day.
https://vimeo.com/137857207
The sun will be lower in the sky during the winter months, extending the Golden Hour, softening the light conditions and bringing out the colors of the landscape below.
Scenes are Transformed
Arguably, winter is the most photogenic season of them all. First, because of the light conditions mentioned above. And second because of how its weather can completely transform landscapes.
Snow and ice are the best examples. The same places you've shot a hundred times can take on new characteristics in an instant. Mountains, fields, beaches... even urban settings give off that fairytale magic as soon as the snow starts to settle.
Providing you time your flight right and avoid the flurry itself, this can lead to memorable photography sessions and videos on another level. And it goes without saying that this kind of shot looks great in any portfolio.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0q9HMZiMN7c
Testing Your Skills
Flying in winter isn't easy, even if you're lucky enough to avoid the falling snow or rain. But testing yourself against the elements, from cold weather to changeable wind conditions, can help to make you a better pilot in the long run.
If you can learn to plan ahead and handle quickly-changing situations under pressure, by the time the summer rolls around you'll be ready for anything.
So there are three obvious reasons why taking to the skies over the holidays is a good idea. So why not prepare a flask of something warm and catch that winter sunrise?
Feeling inspired to take on the elements and fly your drone over the festive period? Check out our tips in flying in the winter before you set off. Oh -- and don't forget your gloves.
