I shoot with a Canon 6D.
For aerial photography, I like using wide angles lenses like the 16-35 2.8 because it allows more of the scene to be included in the photograph.
Whether I’m on a rooftop or up in a helicopter, I always shoot RAW in Manual mode.
It gives me more control of my photographs when I edit them. Shooting in Manual mode is crucial for me especially when taking long exposure photos, as I like to under expose my shots by 1 stop to prevent from getting blown out highlights.
In this particular photo, I turned the ISO all the way down to 50 and exposed for 20 seconds at f/13 in order to get the light trail effect from the cars. To avoid getting a blurry shot, I always use the 2-second self-timer setting in my camera and my process of shooting cityscape photos at night is simple: I mount my camera on a tripod, switch my lens to manual focus, set my camera on live, zoom in at 10x, focus on the building signs, then zoom out and take the shot.
I processed all my photos in Lightroom 5. Sometimes I use Photoshop to get rid of unwanted objest from my shots, but generally Lightroom does the job most of the time.
As far as editing goes, I often use presets from SLR Lounge and/or VSCO to edit my photos but I prefer to edit them manually.
The most challenging part about aerial photography is that you constantly have to adjust your camera settings to get the shot right. Having a high shutter speed is a must when shooting from a moving object.
It goes without saying when you’re flying around you want to keep your gear as secure as possible. I personally use a paracord wrist strap on my DSLR and I try not to swap lenses while I’m up in the air.
As far as the helicopter rides, I pay to fly most of the time. However, I collaborated with Elite Helicopters in their first aerial photography workshop last month and they flew me a couple of times in the exchange of promotion on social media.
Although I don’t promote or recommend doing anything illegal, the most extreme thing I’ve done for a photo is climbing a 40+ story crane in San Francisco. It took me approximately 45 minutes to get to the top of the crane but the view was absolutely breathtaking.
I sell most of my prints through Instagram. From people contacting me via DM’s or emails and also at galleries/events.
Don’t let people’s compliments get to your head and don’t let their criticism get to your heart. Stay humble!
My name is Edwin Herrera. I’m a self-taught urban photographer and adventure seeker based in Los Angeles, California.I bought my first DSLR camera in 2013. At that time I started doing family parties and friend’s portrait sessions.
It wasn’t until Mid-2014 when I came across some local photographers on Instagram that my interest in cityscape and landscape photography sparked and rapidly grew. Since then, I’ve had the opportunity to develop my photography skills and interest.
Recently, I’ve been introduced to aerial photography and ever since my first flight, I’ve fell in loved with it. Shooting from a helicopter has changed my perspective about the city.
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