This guest post was written by Photo Logica, a company that helps photographers build successful businesses. The company’s co-founders are Zacc Dukowitz, who has been working in the drone industry since 2016, and Daniel López Perez, who owns Daniel López Perez Wedding Photography.

These days, more and more wedding photographers are adding drones to their list of must-have gear. And more drone pilots are starting to offer drone wedding services, recognizing the potential in the drone wedding photography niche.

Drones let wedding photographers get shots that are impossible from the ground, like capturing the entire venue and its surroundings, getting unique bird’s-eye view shots of the couple, and photographing large groups while getting everyone in the shot.

But getting started with a career in drone wedding photography can be hard. 

How do you know which drone to buy, or how much to charge? And how do you find wedding clients in the first place?

Whether you’re already a wedding photographer who wants to add drones to your work or a drone pilot looking for a new niche, this article has step-by-step advice that breaks down how to get started. 

1. Choose Your Drone

If you already own one of The Drone Girl’s recommended camera drones (or one comparable), then you already own a great drone for wedding photography. Unlike enterprise applications such as photogrammetry, you don’t need fancy gear like thermal cameras. Many great drones under $1,000 will suffice.

For Daniel, owner of Daniel López Perez Wedding Photography, a high-end wedding photographer who lives and works in Guatemala, he first started offering drone wedding photos with a DJI Air 2S, which he used for over four years. He just upgraded to the Air 3S, which is a dual-camera drone featuring a 1-inch-CMOS primary camera and a 70mm medium tele camera. Daniel says its zoom lens is really helpful, and the quality of the photos he can take with both cameras is stunning.

If you want to buy a new drone for wedding photography, here are the camera drones we recommend:

• Beginner: Want a drone that can largely fly itself and shoots in 4K? A good option is the DJI Flip.
• Prosumer: Looking for a balance between affordability and features? Check out the DJI Air 3S.
• Professional: Want a higher-end option? We recommend the DJI Mavic 3 Pro.

As you’re searching for a wedding drone, here’s what to look for:

• Ease of use. Find a drone that’s easy to learn how to fly—especially if you’re a wedding photographer adding drones to your toolbox. You can see whether it’s easy to fly by reading online reviews and the drone’s own marketing materials.
• Image quality. Look for a drone with a high-resolution camera (at least 20MP) and good low-light performance. The ability to shoot in RAW format is also crucial for post-processing.
• Portability. Weddings are fast-paced events. A compact, foldable drone is easier to transport and deploy when time is short.
• Flight time. Aim for at least 25 minutes of flight time per battery so you’re not constantly swapping batteries (or having to carry a lot of them around).
• Stability and safety. Features like obstacle avoidance and stable flight in windy conditions can help keep your drone—and the people below it—safe.

A drone with a zoom lens is also nice since it lets you fly at a distance and still get a good shot, especially during quieter moments like the ceremony or even the first dance (if it happens outside). 

That being said, be really careful about using your drone during the ceremony or other intimate moments. The last thing you want to do is make yourself the center of attention.

Want more drone options? Check out our guide to the best drones for wedding photography.

2. Learn How to Fly Your Drone

For photographers hungry for aerial shots, flying is the biggest barrier to getting started with drones.

The stakes are especially high for wedding photographers. That’s because the moment you pull out a drone, everyone at the wedding will be looking at you. 

Gulp. Definitely not a time to get nervous, or to start practicing how to fly. In that moment, you need to know how to fly.

Build strong drone pilot skills before committing to a wedding gig. 

• Read the instructions that come with your drone and watch beginner tutorials.
• Find a big, empty place where it’s legal to fly, like a field, and practice basic maneuvers like taking off, hovering, flying in a straight line, and landing.
• Prioritize practice time until you start to feel proficient.
• If you regularly photograph at the same rotation of wedding venues, you might even ask the property owner if you can practice flying there. That way you can rehearse the same exact shots you’ll get during the actual ceremony.
• As you get better, simulate challenging scenarios like flying in congested areas, shooting with low light, and flying with people watching you (but don’t fly over people—that could be illegal).

After you start getting the basics, you can slowly incorporate drones into your work. Over time, you’ll get better and better, and you’ll be able to fly whenever you want—even when everyone is watching.

Pro tip: If you’re just getting into drones and you live in the U.S., you’ll need to get Part 107 certified by the FAA. Read our review of Drone Pilot Ground School, a test prep course to help you get certified.

3. Know When to Use a Drone During the Wedding

As we mentioned, flying during the ceremony or even the first dance (if the reception is outside) is probably not a great idea.

But, like any rule, you can absolutely break it—and you can get some incredible shots that could potentially make your career. The key is using a zoom and knowing how far your drone needs to be so the noise won’t be distracting.

That being said, we only recommend flying during quiet moments after you’ve been using a drone for wedding photography for a long time.

Here are the tried-and-true drone shots you should get at any wedding:

I. Couple’s Shoot

The couple’s shoot can take place the day of the wedding or before. 

Scout the location before you go there with the couple so you have a plan for where you want them to be and how you want to position them.

Also, keep in mind that you’ll probably want to get a straight-down shot of the couple, which means they’ll need to lay down. 

Some couples won’t want to do this. But you can help by giving them a heads up before they arrive so they can get used to the idea, and by being ready with your soft skills to coax them into it. Showing them other amazing straight-down drone photos of couples helps too!.

II. The Venue

Drones are great for storytelling. 

When you take aerial shots of the venue you can place it in a larger context, showing its surroundings—and thereby dramatizing the wedding itself.

In Antigua, Guatemala, where Daniel lives and does most of his wedding work, using a drone lets him showcase the entire ruin where a wedding is happening (there are a lot of ancient ruins there), and then showcase the venue in the context of the entire city, with the Pacaya volcano looming in the background.

Fun fact: The Pacaya volcano last erupted in 2021. Yikes!

III. At Night

For outdoor receptions, nighttime can be great for getting candid aerial shots of people celebrating.

IV. Cocktail Hour

Cocktail hour is also a great time to get shots of people enjoying the venue, as well as group shots.

See more key drone shots to get during a wedding.

4. Learn How to Compose Drone Wedding Shots

Even if you’re already good at flying a drone and taking aerial photos, you may need some extra composition practice to get ready to shoot weddings.

Unlike industrial drone work, like inspections or mapping, taking aerial photos for weddings requires a certain amount of artistry—and a keen sense for composition.

Here are some tips to help you with composition for aerial wedding photos:

• Leading lines. Use roads, paths and natural features to guide the viewer’s eye.
• Patterns and symmetry. Look for patterns in landscapes and architecture to create visually appealing shots.
• Scale and perspective. Emphasize the scale of the venue and the surrounding environment.
• Overhead shots. Capture unique perspectives by shooting directly down on the couple or group.

5. Figure Out Drone Wedding Photography Pricing

Pricing your drone wedding photography services can be tricky, especially if you’re new to this kind of work.

As you start thinking about pricing, remember that you’re not just charging for the drone, or even just for the drone photos.

You’re charging for your expertise, the unique perspective you bring to the table, your time taking the photos and your time editing them. To put it another way, you’re not just selling a drone shot. You’re selling a memory, a piece of art and a wow-factor image that adds an element of magic to the couple’s wedding album.

Most drone wedding photographers charge one of two ways:

I. Standalone Drone Wedding Photography Package

For drone pilots who are only selling aerial photos, this is preferred.

Consider offering different packages based on flight time, number of photos, and deliverables (e.g., edited photos, a highlight reel).

For example, you could have a “Venue Showcase” package that focuses on capturing the venue from above, or a “Couple’s Aerial Session” package for dramatic shots of the newlyweds.

2. Add-On to Existing Wedding Photography Packages

If you’re a wedding photographer who has added drones to your offerings, selling drone photos as an add-on is a great way to upsell your existing wedding photography packages.

For example, you could add a “Drone Upgrade” to your top-tier package, including aerial shots of the venue and couple. Depending on how much that package costs, you could charge anywhere from $200 to $500 or more for that add-on.

Some other things to consider for pricing:

• Your experience. Are you brand new or a seasoned pro? As you gain experience and build your portfolio, you can increase your rates.
• The location. Pricing is very different for the same service in Manhattan, Kansas vs. Manhattan, New York. On that note, look around to see what others in your area are charging for similar services to help benchmark your prices and offerings.
• Your value. This one is squishy, but it’s worth factoring in your unique perspective and artistic vision when thinking about pricing—especially if you have a portfolio that demonstrates the value of your aerial work.

Dive deeper into how to price drone wedding photography.

6. Get Drone Wedding Photography Work

OK—you’ve got your drone, you’ve learned how to fly, you’ve practiced composition, and you know what shots you want to get. You’ve even figured out pricing!

Now it’s time to actually land a drone wedding client.

Here’s a short system you can follow to get work shooting weddings, either as a drone pilot or as a photographer who also uses a drone.

I. Build a Strong Portfolio

Here are some tips:

• Best shots only. This means quality over quantity. If a shot isn’t exceptional, cut it. Clients are drawn to the best, not the average.
• Show variety. Venue showcases, couple’s portraits, group shots, nighttime scenes—demonstrate your range.
• Real weddings (not staged shoots). Clients want to see what you can do under pressure, in real-world scenarios.

II. Offer Strategic Freebies

To build your portfolio, ask wedding photographers in your area if you can tag along and take shots for free or at a reduced rate. Doing this can also help you land your first client.

The key word here is strategic. Don’t give away your services to just anyone. 

But if there’s a wedding photographer whose work you really admire—and would like to work with—reach out and offer to do a free drone shoot for them as a second shooter.

You can offer the same to wedding planners or to venue managers, to showcase their venue.

The key is to use the free offer to get your foot in the door. But don’t do a job for free for the same person several times, and make sure that when you work for free you’re making progress toward your goal of getting paid work.

III. Network Like Your Business Depends On It (Because It Does)

Weddings have a lot of different jobs. And that means there are a lot of different people you can get to know who might help you find work. 

Meeting other wedding photographers can be really helpful. Sometimes Daniel refers potential clients to wedding photographers he knows when he can’t do the job, and he’ll take other local photographers with him as a second shooter when he needs extra coverage.

Key people to network with include wedding planners, DJs, decorators, caterers, and venue managers, as well as photographers and videographers in your area (not just in weddings).

Pro tip: Never send someone a generic message. If you’re going to contact someone, make sure your message is authentic and tailored for them.

These three things will help you find your first clients. 

Once you start booking clients, here are some ways to continue growing your business:

• Share your work on Instagram to build an audience and passive lead generation stream.
• Develop your professional presence (do things like make a website, get business cards, create a logo, and register your business).
• Do local SEO to make sure you rank for keywords like “drone wedding photography Des Moines” (or wherever it is you work).

Want to learn more about drones and wedding photography? Check out our other resources:

• The Best Drones for Wedding Photography
• 5 Reasons Why You Should Incorporate a Drone into Your Wedding Photos
• 7 Tips for Using Drones for Wedding Photography

The post Drone wedding photography: how to carve a niche (but smart) career in drones appeared first on The Drone Girl.