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So I started a photography PP:
business.
PP:
Whoah! Ektachrome is a blast
from the past. So what kind
of photography do you find
yourself doing these days?
RM:
Didn’t you know mermaids are
my thing now? [Laughs] No,
I’m kidding.
PP:
I KNEW I’d make you a convert,
Ron! You had it written all over
your face.
RM:
I really, truly don’t have
a favorite. A lot of people
don’t look at photography
as art. I always tell people,
photography is nothing but
painting with light. And there
are two schools of thought that
most people have said. One
of them is that you need to
specialize in something so that
you’re known for it. The other
side is that you don’t specialize
because you cut yourself out of
other business opportunities.
As a freelancer, I adhere to the
second school of thought.
If I had to do just one kind of
PHOTOGRAPHY,
I don’t think I would still have the
LOVE
for it that I do.
So I’ve done everything; I do
model portfolios, graphic print
work, wall decorations, and
large murals. I even did a six-
foot by eight-foot once. I shot
food photography and other
things for Troon Golf. So I think
just about everything you can
think of, I have probably shot at
some point.
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I am a huge fan of your aerial
shots. Tell us how you got
into using drones in your
photography?
RM:
After 37 years, I was getting
close to the age where I would
have to retire from commercial
flying. So I thought a lot about
getting a drone and using that
with the camera. At that time,
they didn’t have the quality
drones we have now, then they
were very big. I had a Cinestar
8, which was a huge drone.
And I had a gimbal that hung
below with the drone with the
camera and got some great
shots with it. But at $22,000,
the drone’s photo quality was
nothing compared to some
of the smaller drones we have
today. My interest was because
I love aviation so much. When
you get off the ground, the
world looks different. You can
do things photographically
with a drone that you can’t
do on the ground. Your scene
may look good, but it might
be blocked by a street light,
or a truck or a building or
something else, but there’s
something that limits your
ability to move around. With
a drone for the most part, you
don’t have that limitation.
It is a totally different result,
and you don’t have to get very
high. I’ve shot with cameras
I put on just a pole. It’s a 10-
foot pole, but even just raising
that 10-feet changes the
perspective. It was a fairly
small camera, but I could raise
it up, get above the crowd,
and look down on what I was RM: I do recommend is practice PP: I would say it’s kind of a mix
shooting. So instead, it gives They have a lot of other drones with the drone you get. You At Swim Into Summer Las between the two. It’s normal
you a different angle that out now that are very good have to get comfortable with Vegas, we worked together and assuming that the basics of
most people don’t see. And quality. Some shoot 6k video, it. You also have to know all the it was tons of fun with some photography don’t change.
therefore, it’s interesting. some of them have up to drone rules. As a professional, great results. I believe that What changes is the ability
40 megapixels and they’re you have to get a Part 107 was your first time shooting for the model or in this case,
PP: not expensive drones. You certification to fly the drone. mermaids. Did you notice any the mermaid, to move into
What kind of tips can you share can get pretty good drones A lot of people still don’t know differences between shooting positions or change positions.
with those just starting and for under $700. Because that. It’s not that difficult to mermaids versus a ‘normal’ Most of them have to be
who can’t go out and afford technology is increasing and obtain. But you do need it if shoot? carried someplace if you shoot
high price tags, like $22,000? has improved so much, it you fly a drone commercially. in more than one area. They
makes it much easier. What RM: can’t simply get up and walk
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