Drone Wedding Photography: Your Complete Guide in 2017

If you're looking for something a little different for your wedding photography, we recommend hiring a drone photographer! Drone wedding photography is quite trendy at the moment, and for good reason. When you capture your wedding photos with a drone, you're sure to have stunning photos that you will remember for decades to come.

To make sure you get the best combination of photos for your wedding album, we recommend hiring both an aerial photographer and a traditional wedding photographer. This will ensure that your wedding photos span the ground and air, making for the perfect wedding memories.

Drone Photography for Weddings

Photos taken by drones have become increasingly popular for modern weddings, and we can see why! Hiring a pro to take your wedding photos with a drone is a great way to show off your beautiful wedding venue and include all of your guests in the same shot. It's also perfect for taking drone shots of you and your spouse in a unique way. Can you imagine having a print like the photo above in your home for years to come? That sounds pretty nice to us!

If you're looking for a wedding video, consider mixing in drone shots with traditional video clips. The resulting video will be a beautiful combination of media that can serve as a lasting memory of your wedding day.

With the popularity of drone photography comes a few drawbacks, though. For one, many traditional wedding photographers do not offer drone photography. Due to this, you will need to make more room in your budget for both aerial and wedding photography if you want the best of both worlds.

Drone photography can also bring safety concerns. There have been reports of drone colliding (or almost colliding) with commercial aircraft, which is not an ideal situation. For this reason, there are six main guidelines your aerial photographer will need to abide by. We'll cover drone safety later in this article, so be sure to keep reading.

Even with these drawbacks, though, drone wedding photography is a great way to remember your special day in the future. If you're interested in learning more about drone wedding photography, keep reading!

Drone Safety

Whether you're hiring a professional to photograph your wedding with a drone or flying one on your own, there are certain safety rules that you need to follow. In the United Kingdom, the Civil Aviation Authority has set up a subsidiary organisation called Dronesafe. On their website, you can find the regulations a drone flyer must follow, as well as tips for general drone safety. Whether you're a drone pilot or not, these tips are very useful given how popular drones are.

Dronesafe's six main rules for drone safety are:

Always keep your drone in sight

Stay below 400ft (120m) to comply with the drone code

Every time you fly your drone you must comply with the manufacturer's instructions

Keep the right distance from people and property

You are responsible for each flight

Stay well away from aircraft, airports, and airfields

Your aerial photographer is likely already aware of Dronesafe, but if they're not, you can point them towards it. Dronesafe also offers a mobile app that helps drone pilots fly safely in the United Kingdom. Drone Assist was developed by NATS (National Air Traffic Services) and allows users to access an interactive map of surrounding airspace. The map includes commercial air traffic and ground hazards to help you avoid dangerous situations with your drone.

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How to Hire a Drone Photographer Look at Their Portfolio

The first thing you should look at before hiring a photographer on Bidvine is the pro's portfolio. They'll have photos on their Bidvine profile that you can peruse to get a feel for their skill level and photography style. If you want to see more, check out their social media or website. Any experienced photographer will have an arsenal of photos that you can view before making a final decision.

That isn't to say that amateur photographers should be excluded from your consideration, though. Everyone needs a start, after all! If you receive a bid from a photographer that's just starting out, ask for references from past clients if they have them, or take a look at their social media. Even if they've never shot a wedding before, it's likely that they'll have examples of their photography skills on Instagram.

Read Client Reviews

Once you've had a look at a photographer's work, be sure to check out their reviews from past clients. If a photographer you like doesn't have reviews on their Bidvine profile, ask them about their past client experiences. They will likely be eager to send you rave reviews from their previous jobs. If they're not or their reviews are less than ideal, it's time to move on.

Approved Aerial Photographers

Before you hire an aerial photographer, check to be sure they have been approved by the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA). Luckily, they have compiled all of the approved commercial drone operators in the UK into one handy list. You can head over to their website to download the list. Then, just search for your photographer on the list. For safety reasons, you should only hire a drone operator if they have been approved by the CAA.

Once you've reviewed a pro's portfolio, references, and checked that they're legitimate, you can make a final decision. It's likely that your final choice will come down to cost. But if you really connect with a photographer that is offering you a price that's a bit higher than another bid you receive, don't let them slip away! You don't want to miss out on beautiful photos because of a couple pounds difference in price.

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Aerial Photography Prices

The cost of hiring an aerial photographer will vary based on the volume of finished content you require, as well as the length of time you need the photographer for. Your photographers will also take into account the location and urgency of your wedding before giving you a final bid.

Before you hire an aerial photographer, ask them to meet for a consultation. Then, they'll be able to walk you through the process and share their portfolio with you. Most photographers offer a consultation free of charge, as it helps them sell their services to you before you make a final decision.

On Bidvine, the average cost that aerial photographers charge is £557. Like we said, this price will vary based on a number of factors. Since drone wedding photography is such an emerging art, it's important to go into your consultation with an open mind and listen to the photographer's suggestions.

When you're budgeting for wedding drone photography, you will also need to consider the potential cost of licensing the space you're being photographed in. Some private properties require pre-approval and licensing fees for photography, so be sure to sort this out before your wedding day. It's better to invest a bit in order to prevent being hit with large fines or worse.

How Much Is a Wedding Photographer?

Like aerial photography, the cost of wedding photography is influenced by a number of factors. The price you pay can range from a few hundred pounds to thousands of pounds. Some of the factors that go into the cost include your photographer's experience, the location and timing of your wedding, and the level of finish you want from your wedding prints. For instance, a wedding during the high season in central London will have a much higher wedding photography price than an off-season wedding in a different location.

On Bidvine, the average cost of wedding photography in the United Kingdom is £663. This cost varies slightly by country, and the average cost of hiring a wedding photographer in England is £671. In Scotland, the average wedding photography cost is £621, and the average cost in Wales is £707.

Best Aerial Wedding Photos

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Accidental Wedding Photo

This beautiful photo wasn't actually intentional, which makes it even better. A photographer in Hong Kong was bringing his drone back after a flight when he turned the camera down and captured this scene. The couple was laying on a grass rooftop in the middle of the city, enjoying their wedding day. Hopefully, the photographer was able to get in touch with the couple to share this great photo!

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Party Shot

This is actually a shot from a YouTube video, but we think it serves as a perfect example of the content a drone operator can capture. When your aerial photographer captures photos and video clips of your wedding, you're more likely to capture candid shots of people. Otherwise, your photos might look too posed. Having drone footage of your wedding reception will help build your wedding video and memories!

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Capture the Ceremony

While the reception is important, the key part of your wedding is the ceremony. This drone photo features a ceremony facing a beautiful lake, which looks like a beautiful outdoor venue! If your drone operator is skilled enough, they could even bring the drone down the aisle and towards the wedding arch, which will make for some beautiful footage.

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Make a Heart

One of the most popular group shots for wedding drone photography can be seen above. In the photo, all the wedding guests are standing in a heart shape around the couple. If your wedding venue has the space to take a photo like this, we recommend giving it a try! As long as your wedding coordinator or photographer is able to wrangle your guests into the right formation, you'll have a photo for the ages.

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Balloon Release

As long as you can pull this off in an environmentally-friendly manner, releasing balloons is a great way to get a fun and unique wedding photo. You could also release paper lanterns that will burn before they cause harm to the environment. This would be perfect for photos later in the evening when you can see the light from the lanterns.

Now that you're ready to introduce drone wedding photography into your budget, it's time to get started! You can get custom bids for aerial and wedding photography on Bidvine by answering a few quick questions. Submit a free request for aerial photography by clicking the button below:

By SarahContent Writer at Bidvine

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Source: Drone Wedding Photography: Your Complete Guide in 2017