Ismail Sirdah: Impact of Drones on Miami Photography

As a photographer and an artist, Ismail Sirdah is fond of discussing the subtle nuances of his art form that so many others tend to either dismiss or overlook. The impact of a relatively simple thing like perspective is one of the photographer's favorite subjects, particularly in light of the fact that artists are just now beginning to realize that a whole new world is opening up before their eyes thanks to a few recent technological advances.

Ismail Sirdah, a professional photographer known for his unique depictions of Miami and its residents, has been experimenting with the subtleties of perspective in ways that he never thought possible. With the help of his customized UAV (an unmanned aerial vehicle, although it is more commonly referred to as a drone), the Miami visual artist is able to see the city from an entirely new vantage point and is excited by what other artists might accomplish once they too embrace this new technology.

While Ismail Sirdah has mostly experimented with aerial photography with his custom equipped drone, the Miami photographer has had several conversations with other area artists about the range of other perspectives made possible through the use of UAVs. At a recent gallery showing, for example, Sirdah explained to another artist that certain drones are designed for use underwater, including some that can be outfitted with sonar to help locate fish at remarkable depths.

The artist, whose work includes stunning images of the marine life inhabiting some of Miami’s most breathtaking coral reefs, had no idea that drones could be used in this way. As the artists discussed underwater drones, she immediately expressed to Sirdah her excitement about the possibility of using a tethered drone to photograph marine life at depths of up to 100 feet. According to Sirdah, by the next time the pair spoke, the artist in question had already visited a local retailer to purchase an underwater drone outfitted with a high-resolution camera.

Sirdah also noted that although some artists seem hesitant to fully incorporate a new technology like UAVs into their artistic work, there is near-universal enthusiasm about the work produced by the photographers who have been quickest to embrace the use of drones. With an artistic element as nuanced as perspective, the sudden availability of entirely new and previously unexplored vantage points could potentially revolutionize the world of photography and help break new ground in the art world.

In the eyes of forward-thinking photographers like Sirdah, it’s only a matter of time before drones become an absolutely essential tool for all photographers and artists.