From the ground, it was impossible to get an idea of what a rural land real estate property looked like due to near complete tree cover. I was out for a new rural land real estate client near the small town of Sedillo, in the east mountains area of Albuquerque, New Mexico. I took what photos I could from the ground with my Sony a7R IV, and was amazed what a difference 100 feet makes when my new drone, a DJI Mavic 2 Pro, went way up above the treelike and revealed hills, mountains, and a brilliant setting sun. This is the value drone video provides in compliment to the still photos I make from the ground, especially for rural land real estate. This is my cut of the video focusing on just the mountains and the sunset.
WSP was first a client two months ago for a very different type of job . . . making 25 headshots in their ping pong break room! This time they contacted me for a series of shoots that will involve making drone aerial photographs of a series of projects they have engineered in and around Albuquerque. The first took me to the 12th Street and I-40 area where WSP built the sidewalks and medians. They are actually entering a contest for such things, so my drone aerial photos will be used for that competition. I hope they win! Thank you Frances and WSP for continuing to choose me as your photographer, and now drone pilot too!
As part of a day of flying in Gallup, New Mexico for a client, I visited Red Rock Park to get some of the footage I needed for the overall drone video. I only had a brief time to fly at Red Rock, but I tried to make the most of it showing both details and sweeping panoramas that reveal Church Rock in the distance.
This was a return for me to both Rio Arriba County, New Mexico, and also Sierra Negra mountain. I was first in this area over 18 months ago and made one of my favorite landscape photos of New Mexico, so much so I had a print made and it is hanging on the wall in the dining room. The skies were of a different level of drama this time featuring bold clouds, and therefore made the mountain look totally different. Also, I have drone video this time featuring the mountain in the background.
I was back in nearly the exact same area of Valencia County, New Mexico as I was two weeks ago on another rural land real estate shoot and drone flight. Last time I shared these stunning sunset photos, this time it’s a drone video I made of the property. In another coincidence, when I had my drone up in Valencia County last time when I was just out on a drive, a train rolled by and I ended up making a drone video of it. This time another train rolled into frame just as I was setting up to get the final sunset shot. Just another happy coincidence!
While out on a Saturday morning drive in the M3, somewhere in the middle of the desert between I-40 and I-25, I stopped to get some drone shots of the M3 itself. with my DJI Mavic Pro drone. Just after launching the drone, a train rolled by and I quickly changed subjects! I took this surprise opportunity to capture a few trains passing in succession make their way through a wide open desert landscape. As I often say, you never know what you will actually see with a drone up in the air!
While out on a drone aerial photoshoot for a client in remote Rio Rancho, turning away from the actual property site, I saw from the drone’s point of view this long desert road that is apparently a popular spot for motorcycles to do burnouts on! This is something that would have been very hard to observe from ground level. I am often surprised by what I find when I get home and import drone aerial photos. Even without the tire marks, I like the view the drone captured where the winding road takes the viewer into the desert, but the height of the drone keeps the viewer safe from the hardships of the desert, allowing quick escape if necessary.
