When visiting Iceland, I always love photographing along the coast. It gives so much opportunities for nature and landscape photography. Last year I also took my Phantom 3 Professional with me to capture the coast from above. I’m always looking for striking compositions with natural shapes, patterns and colors. But how to find and capture the most wonderful places along the coast? And how to fly in wind or drizzle?
River flows into the sea
1.River flows into the sea
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/1900
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
The place where a river flows into the sea is often a great place for photos, especially if the area is not changed by human activities. I always take my time to explore the area with the live view, searching for the most striking areas and moving my Phantom around to find the best composition. This image is merged from two photos.
After my flight I take my time to check my photos. At this location, I first made the photo above, but after my flight I discovered the ‘fingers’ at the end of the river (middle left). I had not been close enough to capture it well.
After my flight I take my time to check my photos. At this location, I first made the photo above, but after my flight I discovered the ‘fingers’ at the end of the river (middle left). I had not been close enough to capture it well.
Water tree
2.Water tree
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/530
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
So after changing my batteries I sent up my Phantom again (while travelling around the whole day, I use a car charger or a pure sine wave inverter to charge my three batteries in my rented car). I sent my flying camera to the end of the river, pointed the camera down and made this photo. The end of the river looks like a water tree.
Shallow water
3.Shallow water
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/2000
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professonal
Another river flows into the fjord Eyjafjörður. The shallow parts, which are are not visible from the ground, display interesting colors and shapes from the air. In bright sun, a sun shade (or your own shadow) can help to see a good live view on your smartphone or tablet.
Coastline
4.Coastline
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/250
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
Sometimes you just have to fly your camera to check if the place is beautiful or not. Don’t forget to look straight down as well! When I was standing on this beach in northern Iceland, the beach and sea looked quite ordinary. But photographed straight down from above, the image is totally different.
Color separator
5.Color separator
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/1900
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
Lagoons are often a great place for aerial photos. I love the different colors and different waves between the water of the lagoon (left) and the water of the sea (right). This lagoon in the fjord Skagafjörður is separated from the sea by an island (Þórðarhöfði) and two sand strips.
Color palette
6.Color palette
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/1250
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
The satellite view of Google Maps is often a great place to check your destination and scan it to find interesting shapes and patterns. I found some strange stripes on Google at the other side of the same lagoon/island and decided to drive and fly there to check them out. It turned out to be a surprising color palette at the edge of the lagoon.
Emerging wind
7.Emerging wind
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/3000
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
A bright sun glare in the water of Sigriðarstaðavatn, a tidal lake connected to the sea. A few hours later I wanted to fly here again, because it had become low tide. I always check the weather forecast (especially wind and rain), but the weather in Iceland can change very quickly and even the short term forecast is not really reliable. The Phantom 3 can handle quite a breeze, but this afternoon unexpectedly the wind became much stronger and it was irresponsible to fly. I’m always prepared to cancel or interrupt a flight.
If the wind is strong, but it is possible to fly, I found especially take-off and landing more difficult with risk of overturning. So I try to find a sheltered place then for take-off, for instance behind a small hill or building, and soft ground. Also remember that the maximum speed of a flying camera is relative to the air, not to the ground. So if you’re sending your device out in the same direction as the wind goes, it has to fly against the wind when coming home again. This will take much longer with strong headwinds, so be prepared and return in time!
If the wind is strong, but it is possible to fly, I found especially take-off and landing more difficult with risk of overturning. So I try to find a sheltered place then for take-off, for instance behind a small hill or building, and soft ground. Also remember that the maximum speed of a flying camera is relative to the air, not to the ground. So if you’re sending your device out in the same direction as the wind goes, it has to fly against the wind when coming home again. This will take much longer with strong headwinds, so be prepared and return in time!
In the clouds
8.In the clouds
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/220
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
This photo of a mountain covered in clouds is made from above the fjord Ólafsfjörður and would not be possible without a flying camera. It was dry when making this photo.
When it’s raining I don’t fly, but I tried it once successfully in a light drizzle. However, beware of droplets on the lens as they give blurry spots on your photos or video. In drizzle I prevent pointing the camera in the direction where the wind and rain come from or where I am flying to (I turn the lens straight down when moving, or fly my Phantom backwards to keep the lens dry).
When it’s raining I don’t fly, but I tried it once successfully in a light drizzle. However, beware of droplets on the lens as they give blurry spots on your photos or video. In drizzle I prevent pointing the camera in the direction where the wind and rain come from or where I am flying to (I turn the lens straight down when moving, or fly my Phantom backwards to keep the lens dry).
A hand fan in the fjord
9.A hand fan in the fjord
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/240
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
Fjords are also a great place to make photos, especially if they are shallow. In Borgarfjörður at low tide sandbars arise above the water. With the live view I found this hand fan in the fjord.
Sandbars in the fjord
10.Sandbars in the fjord
Aperture：2.8
Shutter Speed：1/110
ISO：100
Type：Phantom 3 Professional
However, I preferred a more abstract image of the sandbars. So during the same flight I pointed my camera downwards once more and searched for interesting sections of the sandbars, like on this last photo.
Thank you for watching!
Thank you for watching!
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