But it was the decision to add a new piece of equipment to his already extensive photography kit about five years ago that would send Stephen’ s photography into a whole new direction.
“ I was doing a lot of real estate photography, and I was actually looking for a mechanism to control a camera on the end of a long pole when I came across a drone,” he said.
“ I bought my first drone about five years ago, it cost me about $ 8500 and it took me three months to put it together … I eventually worked out that you don’ t need to have a big drone, you just need a small one because, to me, a drone is just like a big tripod that goes in the air – it’ s the photography skills that are important.”
Having become involved in the drone industry in Australia when it was just starting to take off, Stephen said he has seen a lot of changes over the years, although one thing has remained the same – the truly amazing results you can get shooting from a new perspective.
“ I’ ve had 15 drones in the last five years, the technology jumps forward so quickly and I think always having the latest technology has kept me ahead of the game,” he said.
“ Drone photography is about 90 percent of my business at the moment, and it really puts a lot of the creativity into the hands of the end user because often they are there with me and can see what I’ m doing and what they’ ll get.
“ It’ s a whole new ball game really, it gives you that extra perspective in an area that you weren’ t able to go unless you had a really big pole or had a lot of money to get a helicopter to fly down low.
“ It changes everything regarding what something looks like from the ground, even the most boring spot because you can go up and get the most spectacular shot you’ ve ever seen.
“ I could go up now and take a shot from a drone and come down punching the air thinking‘ You beauty’ – it’ s so rewarding, and each place has something unique to offer.”
Stephen has already embarked on some mini road trips to towns throughout the Central West of NSW, as well as a more recent excursion to the Gold Coast.
Footage from some of these, as well as videos capturing whales and dolphins at play closer to home in the Hunter, can be found on his website, with Stephen promising plenty more to come in the new year as planning for his Drone Guy Aussie Road Trip gathers steam.
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