one to one

With his latest book going on sale, Fergus Kennedy gives Niall Hampton a taster of drone photography

Drone photography with Fergus Kennedy

For someone who’s a qualified marine biologist as well as a photographer, it’s fitting that we’ve chosen to do a shoot by the sea. Fergus Kennedy is a drone user and author, whose second book on drone photography is published this month. He’s also a native of Sussex, so today’s masterclass is being held at Tide Mills, just east of Newhaven Harbour. Taking its name from a flour mill that was demolished in 1901, Tide Mills is one of Kennedy’s favourite haunts. It’s convenient for him to get to, there’s an appealing mixture of natural and man-made topography to capture from the air and its shingle beach adds texture to top-down photographs.

Fergus Kennedy

Photographer

Photographer, filmmaker, experienced multi-rotor pilot and camera operator, Kennedy is also the author of Drone Photography &Video Masterclass (2017). Instagram: @fergus_kennedy_ photography

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Clockwise from top left: the RC controller and DJI Air 3 stow in a small bag. Unfolding the drone and extending its propellers. Fitting the battery – Kennedy always carries spares. Preparing to fit clip-on dual ND filters, essential for filming video. Strengths range from ND8/16 to ND64/128.

52 Assignments from Fergus

The latest addition to the popular 52 Assignments… series of photo guidebooks will be published in May. The book is Kennedy’s second on the subject of drone photography and aims to answer the question: “I’ve bought a drone – now what?” Digital Camera will be publishing extracts from it in issues 282-286, as a series of Photo Active projects. So if you’re keen to explore the heights to which a drone could take your imagemaking, make sure not to miss them. 52 Assignments: Drone Photography by Fergus Kennedy is available from May 2024, priced £12.99/$17.95 www.ammonitepress.com