The View from Above: Drone Photography with Fergus Kennedy

The View from Above: An Introduction to the Technique and Art of Drone Photography’ with Fergus Kennedy

Drones have become a worldwide phenomenon, and their use in aerial photography has created a new way of looking at that world. Stills and videos that once required an aircraft charter are now being shot with a drone carried in a backpack, along with your regular photography equipment. With over 15.5 million posts on Instagram tagged with #drone, a revolution in photography is taking place over our heads.

Fergus Kennedy’s introduction to drone photography talk shows that it’s not that difficult to get started. He covers basic issues like drone technology, flying skills, safety measures and legal requirements, and demonstrates how the skills of planning, composition, lighting, focus, and exposure remain essential to capturing great images. He shows how to transfer camera tools and technique from ground to air to achieve outstanding overhead, panoramic, and 360º shots, demonstrating the range of creative possibilities available to the drone photographer. Drones offer a genuinely new perspective, a bird's-eye view previously out of reach for most photographers.

Fergus Kennedy specialises in producing high-quality still and video content for a range of commercial and editorial clients. He is also a qualified commercial drone operator, diver and marine biologist and what he enjoys most is using cameras in new ways or in challenging environments, so aerial photography was a natural progression. His photography has been highly commended in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year and he is a regular contributor to Outdoor Photography Magazine as well as being a member of the judging panel of Outdoor Photographer of the Year. He is the author of Drone Photography and Video Masterclass and edited Masters of Drone Photography (both published by Ammonite Books).

All images copyright Fergus Kennedy.

Zoom video-conferencing

This event will take place via video-conference using Zoom Webinar. You will be emailed a link in advance so you can join the event. Watch for a PDF document attached to your RPS Event Booking Confirmation email for more information about Zoom. During the event you will be able to see Fergus Kennedy and his images. You will be able to ask questions after his session.

Booking a place

You will need to book online in order to be able to access this event. Booking closes at 07.00 BST on Friday 14 May. This event is free for Digital Imaging members, but these members still have to ‘purchase’ a (free) ticket to receive a link for joining the event. If you are not an RPS member you will need to register (for free) with the RPS website in order to book.

Please check whether your membership in Digital Imaging is still active before booking your place. This will be checked when ticketing closes, and any mistake could invalidate your ticket. Check your status by logging into the RPS website.

If you are outside the UK this service will help you to calculate the timing of the online workshop.

After booking you will receive an RPS Event Booking Confirmation email. If you do not receive this, you have not succeeded in booking a ticket.

Your data

Your personal data (name, email address and telephone number) that you supply when booking the online event will be passed to the Digital Imaging Group organiser in order to enable them to:

1. Contact you in advance of the event to remind you or notify you of joining instructions (or changes thereto) etc.

2. Contact you at short notice before or during an event in case of any emergency or last-minute changes

3. Contact you at the end of the event for your feedback

By booking this event you are deemed to consent to this transfer of your data.

The event may be recorded and published. By joining the event you are deemed to consent to our making a recording of the event available online afterwards.