I think I need to upgrade my drone

So I bought a DJI Spark last year and 3 months later, the remote control lost connection with the actual drone.  So I got another one and it's been functioning ok.  I don't fly it like I did anymore.  I won't fly it more than a 100 meters away from me and definitely not over water.  Someplace accessible where I can retrieve it if it goes berserk again.  It only shoots in 1080p at 30fps and photos are only in JPG.  Not RAW or 4K.  

I think I'll get a DJI Mavic Pro 2 in the spring of 2020.  I am saving my photo money until I get the new DJI Mavic Pro 2 which costs about $2000 Canadian.  One day.

Back at Parc Omega

I went to Parc Omega over the weekend and got some good shots.  They are upgrading some areas of the park.  It's still not as good as it was when I first started going there.  The fences are higher making photography more difficult.  I don't like having fences in my photography.  It distracts from the animals and footage I am trying to photograph.

This upcoming weekend, the girlfriend and I are heading up to Algonquin Park to see the tree leaves turning colour.  It's going to be a gong show with all the tourists from the Toronto area.  I've been going there for the past three years and it's always a gong show.  This year I want to bring my DJI Spark to get some arial footage of the trees and the natural beauty of the park.

I love drone photography

I've wanted a shot like this for a few years.  With drone technology, shots like this are now possible for the every man photographer.  No more needing to rent a helicopter, permits, insurance etc.  Now you can buy a $500 drone, a remote control and the ubiquitous cell phone.  Most people now have a cell phone and a computer.  Some photographers and videographers have a drone.  You just have to be aware of your surroundings and be really careful not to hit anything or anyone.   I am glad to have a drone and enough skill to take some nice pictures and videos.

Drone flight at dusk

Was out with the girlfriend last night at a friends place for dinner and a sit down by a fire.  I decided to test the DJI Spark out at dusk just to see how the camera would perform.  It's ok.  But it could be better.  A lot better.  Maybe in the spring I will upgrade to the DJI Mavic Pro 2.  The Hasselblad camera should help a bit.

I edited about 6 clips which I'm currently uploading to Shutterstock, Pond5 and Storyblocks.

Off to Sandbanks PP

Off to Sandbanks Provincial Park.  Everything is ready.  Drone batteries are charged.  Drone is ready.  Cameras are ready.  Batteries are charged.  When we get there, I'm gonna be sleeping for a few hours.  I did not get any sleep last night.

I have no patience. Not a photography related post.

I'm supposed to find out about a job tomorrow with Global Affairs Canada tomorrow.  I also have a meeting with a pimp tomorrow to talk about possible job opportunities with them.  These meetings I find are a complete waste of time as you meet with them and in my experience never hear from them again.  I'm 90% sure I have the job with Global Affairs Canada because I've worked with them a few times in the past.  I've pretty much given up going back to CMHC for phase two of the project.  They are going to lose all three of us that basically ran the project and did 90% of the work.  

I'm wanting to get another drone so bad.  I don't know what DJI will do for me with my last one that disconnected from my remote and I lost it in some deep brush.  I want to go buy another one.  But without a job, I'm unwilling to spend money on a drone I could get back for free.  I'm supposed to find out either tomorrow or Thursday.  If I get a new one from DJI, that would be so awesome.  I want to be flying again.  I think having a drone for my photography/footage business is an amazing opportunity which could make my business grow and give me some awesome opportunity.

I have a PayPal button on my blog and I'm not one to beg.  I've always worked for what I have.  I don't depend on the charity of others.  When I was fighting cancer (I won), I never wanted material things or money.  I wanted to work and no one gave me a chance.  Luckily I survived and I'm back in good health.  The only way people could support me is if they buy my photography or footage from one of the sites I upload to daily.  You can find it on my main blog on the right hand side.  Just sign up and buy.  If you're a photographer or videographer, you can sign up to Shutterstock here and become a contributor as well.  If you get others to be contributors as well, than you can make more money as well.  It's a win win for all.

DJI Spark - LOST FOR GOOD

As some of you may know, earlier this week I lost my DJI Spark in mid flight.  No explanation.  Nothing.  I uploaded the log files to the web and sent them to DJI as well.  I have a ticket open with DJI to see what went wrong.

From the DJI forums, it looks like and I hope to be getting a new drone.  But that is just other users opinions.  Not DJI' opinion.  I hope to hear from DJI next week to see what the results of their testing is.  I hope they work quick to find the results.  Hopefully, I will get a new drone.  I hope.

Who needs a plane when you have a drone

I'm in love with the DJI Spark drone.  One little hick up from today' flights.  Lost connection again for less than 10 seconds today.  The only thing I can think of is there were some power lines between myself and the drone.  That is the only constant from the last two flight sessions.

I'm also thinking of at some point upgrading to a DJI Mavic Pro or a higher end drone as I need a drone that can fly longer.  I'm limited to about 15 minutes with the DJI Spark.  The video also looks good but only shoots at 1080p/30fps.  I'd love to have a drone that shoots 1080p/60fps.  I really don't shoot in 4k as I find it totally unnecessary.   The DJI Spark only shoots in the JPEG format and not RAW so editing is somewhat limiting.

I bought the DJI Spark to learn how to operate a drone.  It's been a great teacher so far.  Right now I have other priorities like getting back to work.  With fall and winter coming up quick, I think my drone use will be dead in the winter with the short, cold days and the long, cold nights.  I'm trying to get as much drone footage in as I can.

Death from above

So I took this picture of the Mississippi in Pakenham, Ontario over the Mississippi River and started a video.  Roughly 5 seconds into said video, I lost any and all contact with my DJI Spark drone.  Most harrowing 30-44 seconds of my week and it's only Monday.  I know it's a beginner drone starting at $499. But to me, that's still a lot of money.  I'm planning to upgrade my drone next year to the DJI Mavic Pro 2 when it comes out.

I am just relieved to have my DJI Spark back safe and sound.  It's actually a lot of fun to operate and it's easy.  I've seen a lot of videos of drones crashing and/or what's called fly aways.  Thankfully I still have my drone.  I'm planning to fly it a lot more and take more pictures and videos with it.

The Perseids were a bust but...

...I did get to fly my drone some more.  I am more and more confident flying the drone farther distances and higher heights.  I've uploaded 9 of the clips I shot yesterday to Shutterstock and they've all been accepted and are available for sale here.  I've uploaded them to Pond5 and Storyblocks but those two sites take forever to review footage.  I think I have about 10-12 more clips to edit and they will go up on Shutterstock and the other sites as well.