Over 2024 I took a lot more drone photographs - partly opportunity and partly because I upgraded my drone to newer model with a better lens. I have posted a couple of shots to previous blogs - Erme Estuary and New Forest. I have to admit that I still struggle to launch a drone where poeple are enjoying the countryside - fine when it is commissioned or in a quiet spot but I hate it when a drone buzzes overhead hen I m simply out for a walk. All these were taken locally in and around Broughton.
Quintessential harvest time on the Hampshire downloands
I like this and think I will make a card from a cropped image of this
The shots here cover a few seasons from summer festivals, to harvest time to Autumn over the village. I have to be careful in my area because we are close to restricted airways - I have had the drone checked out by a local Apache helicopter when it was close to the restricted zone - possibly perhaps in part for the Apache to practise seeking / targeting a small drone. It is surprising how quickly you reach the max of 400ft - without the limiter on I would readily go further to get higher wider shots. Saying that, I normally prefer shots that are taken from a sensible angle using the drone for angles otherwise impossible - height on its own is not enough to make a shot - composition and light still play a massive role. Both the shots below (as well as the top combine) were not at max height but show the scenes in relation to surroundings while maintaining decent subject interest.
2024 Kyber Drop festival - glorious summer evening
Small farms struggle at the moment. Government policy is up in the air and subsidies have not been finalised since Brexit. This farm is ploughing on with its own plan for human acitivites blended with regenreative farm practices, expanding woodland and small scale fields with plenty of margin set aside.
Mixed use is much the way to go for small farms - with plenty of set-aside and regenreative farm practices
I also quickly learnt that the sun has to be really low to get worthy shadows in the images - seemingly more so than with stills on the ground. The classic ‘bales of straw’ shot demonstrates this. Unfortunately the clouds prevented later shots and then the farmer decided that gtting the bales into sheds was more important than enabling a photographer’s whimsy.
Straw bales lining the fields after a succesful harvest
The sun would need to be even lower to get the full drama of the bales in the fields requiring minute perfect flight times.
I’ll finish with a couple of views of Broughton - this is one spot where height matters - too low and the foreground houses are too dominant. Low directional light also helps to create depth and separate the buildings. The first is late October and the second is early January.
The lovely village of Broughton
A frosty Broughton from above.