From Fernbank to Drones

Throughout the history of photography, new technologies have offered expanded creative possibilities to the photographers who have chosen to embrace them. The recent and rapid development of camera-equipped drones has offered photographers a new aerial platform and a perspective that wasn’t possible with fixed wing planes or helicopters.

Two years ago, I started a project to document the restoration of Fernbank Forest in Atlanta. The tract is a beautiful example old-growth Piedmont woodlands close to downtown. From a photographic perspective all of the vantage points were from a path looking up at the trees in the tall canopy. I soon realized that in order to get an overall view of the forest in relation to downtown or other views of the canopy, I needed an aerial view. A drone seemed like the perfect solution.

In order to take drone photographs, a photographer must first become a competent drone pilot. This requires practice with trainer drones, an F.A.A. certification test, many hours of flying a drone to build experience and probably a few crashes along the way. Some find the experience a little frightening and overwhelming, but for me it has been a lot of fun and creatively satisfying. 

RPS May Meeting

Speaker:	Peter Essick
Topic:	From Fernbank to Drones
Where:	ARC (Adult Recreation Center)
When:	Tuesday, May 7, 2019, 7:00pm-8:30pm

About Our Speaker, Peter Essick

Peter Essick is a working photographer, author, drone pilot, teacher and speaker.  He is a specialist in environmental themes documenting human impacts of development on the natural landscape. He has photographed stories on climate change, freshwater, high-tech trash, nuclear waste, drought and ecosystem restoration. He is also an avid outdoorsman has photographed many natural wilderness areas around the world. He was named one of the 40 most influential nature photographers in the world by Outdoor Photographer Magazine.

Essick has a bachelor’s degree in business from the University of Southern California and a M.F.A. from the University of Missouri. He is the author of two books featuring his photography, Our Beautiful Fragile World (Rocky Nook) and The Ansel Adams Wilderness (National Geographic Books). He is represented by Lumiere gallery in Atlanta, Georgia and by Cavan Images. He lives in Stone Mountain, Georgia.

Check out his website www.peteressick.com for more information.