This is the setup that I used to take this time-lapse. Using a 32″ Slider and made a 90-minute time-lapse. Shot with my Nikon Z6 using Samyang 14mm ƒ/2.8.

Shot a photo every 9 seconds for 600 images. I took 30 frames off due to needing to change a setting. So the time is 19 seconds rather than 20. This is one part of a larger project. I am using maybe 8 to 10 seconds of this time-lapse. That will either be a clip or sped up.

Here are some drone shots to show the location we were working with to make the time-lapse. The client is the one who made the street Solar LED Lights.

Shot this barn on Yellow Creek Road in Ball Ground, Georgia [DJI Air 2s, Mode = Normal, ISO 140, 1/2000, ƒ/2.8, (35mm = 22)]

I am starting to plan those little outings with friends that were impossible just a couple of months ago. I am only planning these outings with my friends who have gotten their vaccinations for COVID-19.

We drove up to Ball Ground, Georgia, to visit Gibbs Gardens for the day. One of the things I love about the gardens is the bronze statues. Most are depictions of children enjoying the parks. I think the artist did an excellent job of capturing their expressions.

People from my generation or older grew up with our parents telling us to go outside, and most of us did just that. We played all day long until our parents would holler to get us back in for dinner. We had not heard of kidnappings during my years growing up.

When I was young, you could see me on this tractor peddling through Kennedy Home, an orphanage where my father worked as a pastor/chaplain on the campus.

Later during primary school, I was on my bike exploring my neighborhood. I remember the fun of going through the woods and stumbling upon beautiful scenery. Gibbs Garden’s scenery is a better version of those scenes but still made me appreciate getting out and exploring.

I enjoyed seeing the reflections in the water at Gibbs Gardens.

While driving to Gibbs Gardens, I told my friend I wanted to stop by this farm scene on the way back. My friend reminded me of it, and not only did I quit, but I also got out my drone to get a different perspective. The very first photo is of the entrance to the farm.

We didn’t go in, but I sent the drone up and above to get some different photos of this abandoned building on the farm.

This past year I helped a few families organize their photos. Because they were isolated at home, they explored their photos. I hope you did as well. I just wanted to remind you to be sure you take pictures as you explore once again beyond your home.

Be sure and put copies up on Google Photos, Amazon Photos [free with prime], or something else to help preserve these photos for your family generations from now.

The above photo is the final product I delivered to the client.

This is an available light photo of what it looks like without editing.

This is another shot from the shoot. I am mixing flash with ambient light. Many call this Flambient Lighting technique. Take a look at this before the ambient light shot below.

Take a look at the colors in the carpet and furniture. The biggest gain in using flash is getting more accurate colors. When you are shooting these photos for a designer, they want accurate colors. You can be in the ballpark for most residential real estate projects, but it has to be accurate for commercial.

I am working hard to make the photos not look like a flash. You see, putting your flashes in the exact location as all the natural lighting to get similar shadows is impossible.

Many photographers will just shoot all available light and then use multiple exposures and combine those for a HDR photo.

Comparing HDR Ambient vs Flambient

Here is a 5 – Stop HDR photo of the location using just ambient.

This is the Flambient version. I think the colors pop and are more accurate. Also, the lightning on the cabinets in the back is better than the available light.

It takes about 10 – 20 minutes to shoot each photo and about the same amount of time to edit each image. This is one of the reasons why commercial real estate photography costs more. The other reason for the increased cost is that it is widely used for marketing and advertising.

Park Springs Retirement community in DeKalb County, Georgia [DJI Air 2s, Mode = Normal, ISO 120, 1/1250, ƒ/2.8, (35mm = 22)]

Granite quarrying at Stone Mountain, Georgia, was the area’s lifeblood for decades, employing many thousands. The excellent grade of building stone from the mountain was used in many notable structures, including the locks of the Panama Canal, the roof of the bullion depository at Fort Knox, Philadelphia’s Liberty National Building, and the steps in the east wing of the U.S. Capitol.

When selling real estate, it is all about Location, Location, Location. The location they are promoting for the Park Springs retirement community is the proximity to Stone Mountain. The population was 5,802, according to the 2010 US Census. 

Drone photography is the newest Aerial form of photography. As long as you can get your photo from 400 feet or less, this is the best way to capture your property. If you have a massive location needing you to be 500 feet or better in height, you need a helicopter or plane to get those shots.

While showing the Park Springs community near Stone Mountain, this wasn’t the only reason to shoot photos from a drone.

Showing the lake in the middle of the community was also important. From the air, you get a great perspective.

Right next to the property is also a golf course. This is impossible to show from the ground regarding the retirement community.

While I was flying the drone and showing the client the images, they commented that you see how Atlanta is the City of Trees from the air.

 Atlanta, Georgia, has a reputation as the “city in a forest” due to its abundance of trees, uncommon among major cities. Tree coverage was estimated at 47.9% for 2008 in a 2014 study.

Are you using aerial photography to help communicate your location and what surrounds your business? Give me a call, and we can get it done for you.

[DJI Air 2s, Mode = Manual, ISO 100, 1/1000, ƒ/2.8, (35mm = 22)]

Selfie sticks not only let you get more people in a photo, most everyone like the slightly higher perspective. Take this principle to a property, and you understand why you would like to use an aerial photo of your location.

In Real Estate, aerial photos help you get a perspective of the location of a property and what is around it.

In 2014, I rented a Helicopter to photograph a private high school. That was $600 for an hour. The client then paid for my time on top of that photo shoot.

It took more time waiting on the helicopter and getting in the air than getting my drone up.

Sometimes, the property on the ground will require you to fly more than 400 feet above the earth. In those cases, you will still need to hire a helicopter. FAA rules keep drones 400 feet above the ground or a building. There is a 100 feet buffer between the drone limit and the rest of the airspace for manned aircraft that cannot fly below 500 feet unless they are landing.

The advantage of having a drone capture images from the Bird’s Eye Perspective is they don’t need to be extremely high above the ground. You need to be just above the property to get a good perspective.

Keeping your drone flights safe and legal is another part of the “flying smart” equation. Always do your research and due diligence to know and comply with local and federal laws. Before taking to the sky, an FAA Part 107 certified pilot will run through a quick safety checklist and ensure that the aircraft is in tiptop working shape.

Aerial photography is the perfect way to show off the surrounding environment around your property. Why? Because the location is everything. And in many industries, location sells.