Sometimes it’s helpful to get a sense of the bigger picture. I captured this drone photo of Lake Michigan on a cold winter day in 2018. Getting drone photo and video from above Lake Michigan allows me to get a better sense of this incredible landscape. Live drone footage has completely changed how I am thinking about taking photographs from the shore of Lake Michigan. I wanted to include some information as well about a video that came from this period of time.
Lake Ice, Drone Video
You can see my video piece, Lake Ice, here or on my Vimeo page. All of the footage used was shot with this particular drone. Initially, video was captured over Lake Michigan during the course of a particularly cold and windy winter here in Chicago in 2018. I’m looking forward to being able to get back out this coming winter to do more drone photo and video work. The possibilities it presents are endless.
Furthermore, drone video and drone photo quality has really improved over the last several years. These advances have allowed us to be able to create new artwork in high resolution. While I enjoy much about using equipment like this, there’s still something for me, lost in the experience. Photographing has always been about slowing down. Focusing my attention in a way that puts everything else out of my mind. However, that stillness and quieted mind hasn’t come as easily with the drone. The risks, concerns and technical skills necessary to fly the drone sit in the front of my mind.
Maybe this year will be the year that I’m able to get to that place of focus where everything else disappears. For now, the drone remains an incredible way to understand and see Lake Michigan and it helps me a great deal. Each time I take it out, I find something new to explore on the lake’s surface and I always make sure to bring drone photos back to the studio for us to examine more closely later.