A Bird’s Eye View

The Fine Art of Joanna Steidle  

For Joanna Steidle of Hamptons Drone Art, capturing beauty has entailed spreading her wings, literally. “I always wanted to fly,” she says, “I had my first pilot lesson on my eighteenth birthday.” When drones initially appeared on the scene in 2013 Steidle learned how to navigate them. This involved some trial and error, and she admits, a few crashes. “I got a camera drone in 2015 and knew I loved the emerging technology.” She was hooked and by 2019 knew her focus was on photography.

Steidle jokes about her journey in art, “I tried pen and ink and acrylic and sculpture and pottery and I was just horrible. Luckily my instructors kept assuring me that I would find something.” Her drone fine art has reached wide acclaim, recently being awarded the 2025 International Aerial Photographer of the Year. “I connected with people all across the world. It’s a wonderful community and we lift each other up,” she says, “Now I get to give back and mentor quite a few women, and I really enjoy that.”

Capturing images of unpredictable sea creatures requires more than luck and timing. Steidle says she is addicted to the art of flying and has her drone in the air 30 hours a week. “I may even go to ten different beaches between Montauk and Southampton in a day,” she admits. On one of these occasions, she managed to capture a dolphin and its calf with the baby’s shadow on her womb, a stunning photograph. “I had two and a half minutes,” she recounts, “I fly under a mammal permit for a production company so I am allowed to get within 40 feet.” 

Her awe and respect for nature infuses the pictures. “In these moments I have a spiritual connection with the animal. It’s almost like a camaraderie – like they want me to take their picture. I always ask Mother Nature, ‘Please take me to whatever it is you want me to share with the world.’ It’s a little ritual before I set out like a batter when they come to the box. The drone is an extension of myself. I say, ‘Be good to me and do what you’re told, come home early.’”

Safety and privacy are also utmost in her mind as drones are FAA regulated. “You are flying an aircraft. A lot of people think you are playing with a toy. You have to be aware of approaching helicopters and planes, (I have an app on my phone.) When you are launching and landing you also have to be in a safe place, without dogs or children who can run over.”

Steidle has found entering international photography contests has given her work a broad exposure with an array of awards leading to publishing and exhibits. She is about to have her first exhibit in France and is represented by Yellow Korner Gallery’s 80 locations worldwide. She has worked with National Geographic in their Shark Fest and will have a 12-page spread in the Smithsonian Magazine September/October issue showcasing her pictures of the cranberry harvest in Massachusetts. Her videography is also licensed by Disney and Hulu.

“One of my grand purposes is to bring happiness to the world and show the beauty out there,” Steidle who works with a lot of non-profits comments, “We should do whatever we can to protect and conserve it. You feel your smallness in the ocean. I am just one little person in this whole giant world, and I strive to do what I can to make it a better place.”