Getting Started With Your New DJI Drone - Find your style!
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A beginner’s guide to flying, capturing, and finding your creative voice in the sky.
🛫 Before You Fly: What Most Beginners Forget
So you've got just got your new drone! As tempting as it might be - before you hit that “Take Off” button, there are a few important things new pilots often overlook:
✅ Check Local Laws and No-Fly Zones
Don’t skip this! Use the DJI Fly app or a flight planning tool to check restricted airspace. National parks, airports, and even schools often have flying restrictions.
✅ Calibrate Your Compass and IMU (if required)
If your drone is older than 3 years old and still contains older GPS technology, I'd strongly recommend that you do this every time you fly in a new location. It's a step that can save your drone from a flyaway disaster.
✅ Format Your SD Card
New pilots often forget this one. A full or incompatible card means missed shots or corrupted footage. Nothing worse than thinking you've captured the perfect shot, only to connect in your SD card when you get home and see a corrupted SD Card. Format it in the drone before takeoff.
✅ Set Your Return-to-Home Altitude
If your drone loses connection, you want it to fly over trees and buildings—not into them. Set the RTH altitude high enough for your surroundings.
✅ Practice Without the Pressure
Fly in an open field first. No buildings, no trees, no crowds. Get comfortable with orientation, controls, and smooth movement before you try to capture cinematic shots.
📸 Photo Composition: More Than Just “Point and Shoot”
A drone gives you height—but that alone doesn’t make a great photo. Composition is everything.
🧠 Think Like a Photographer
Here are some quick principles to boost your drone photography:
Leading Lines: Roads, rivers, fences—they naturally guide the viewer’s eye through the frame.
Rule of Thirds: Use the grid overlay. Put points of interest where the lines intersect.
Framing: Use trees, cliffs, or buildings to frame your subject from above.
Shadows and Light: Sunrise and sunset aren’t just pretty—they add depth and mood to your shots.
🌄 What Makes a Great Landscape Photo?
You don’t need a beach or a waterfall to capture a jaw-dropping drone photo. A good landscape shot is more about storytelling and less about location.
Great Landscape Shots Often Feature:
Layers: Mountains, fields, forests—captured in a way that shows depth and distance.
Contrast and Texture: Fields vs. city, rocks vs. water, smooth vs. rough.
Color Harmony: Early morning blues and purples or the warm gold of a late afternoon sun.
And remember...
You don’t have to shoot the ocean just because everyone else does.
Some of the most stunning drone photography comes from farms, deserts, industrial zones, or suburban patterns. Every environment has its own rhythm—your job is to discover it.
🎨 Find Your Creative Style
It’s easy to fall into the trap of copying popular drone shots. Don’t. Your best work will come when you lean into what feels natural to you.
Love symmetry? Find geometric patterns from above.
Into people’s stories? Capture locals going about their day from a respectful distance.
Obsessed with color? Fly during golden hour, or after rain for rich tones.
There are no rules—just principles. Learn them, use them, and then break them when you're ready. Drone photography is a journey. The more you fly, the more you'll see what kind of aerial artist you are.
✈️ Final Tips for a Smooth First Flight
Battery Check: Always fly with fully charged batteries.
Slow is cinematic: Fast moves = shaky footage. Smooth, slow, intentional = pro-level shots.
Use ND filters: If you're filming, these help control exposure and make your footage look more natural.
Fly with purpose: Don’t just “point and shoot.” Think about what you’re trying to say with the photo.
Once you learn the basics and start feeling a little more comfortable flying your drone, why not try some of the more advanced concepts that I've highlighted in my 'Capturing the perfect long exposure shot with your DJI drone'?