in the sky
Drones are revolutionizing aerial Photography—and changing how we see los angeles. by krista simmons
Flying into LAX, one can’t help but marvel at the sprawling metropolis below. Capturing that bird’s-eye view is a new hobby for many amateur photographers, thanks to the arrival of affordable drones (also known as unmanned aerial vehicles or UAVs), but professionals have been fine-tuning their craft for years—and have the powerful, even poetic, images to show for it. Among the local creatives using drones to get new angles on Los Angeles are the filmmakers and aviators at L.A. Drones; Scott McFarlane, filmmaker and owner of video production company smFilms; and JJ Trinidad, aerial cinematographer and founder of Skyecam. For Trinidad, Los Angeles is the ideal place to fly. “L.A. is amazing. Because of the strong winds we have here, you can do dynamic soaring without any motor power and go 50 to 60 miles per hour,” he says. “It’s a real thrill.” Here are some images that translate that thrill to the page and reveal a little-seen side of the City of Angels.
los angeles sprawl peeks out of the cloud cover. photo by l.a. drones
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12/16/15 10:52 AM