It might take some practice to learn how
to see the world in this way, but Petra also
recommends spending some time on
Google Maps, using its satellite view to
look for locations that might photograph
well from above.
DRONES ARE DIFFERENT
Even accomplished photographers have
a whole new set of skills to learn when
they pick up a drone. Remember that,
while the shot may be top down, you’ll be
shooting from the bottom up.
Petra likens the actual flying of the aircraft
to learning the controls of a camera with
an entirely new layout: “It takes a few
turns to get your head around it. You have
to remember to look both at the screen
— what your camera sees — and at the
aircraft itself.”
One of the most challenging differences is
that you have to account for the constant
movement of the drone.
“You can set it to hover in position, but
even on a day with no breeze, there’s
always some movement and drift,” says
Petra. “Aligning your shot and keeping the
aircraft in position while also operating
the camera takes some getting used to.”
JUST ASK
In Zero Gravity, many of the courts
depicted are empty, but often the more
interesting compositional elements are
the players themselves. Petra reinforces
that, when shooting people playing
sports, she will always ask first, noting
that, “It’s really cool, because you end up
meeting all these new people; everyone
I’ve ever asked has always been stoked
and keen-as to be in the shot.”RELAX. CTM WITH PEEM ANAKAKUL