Sometimes, you have to look at things from a different perspective to appreciate their beauty. A quick chat with a young photographer currently based in Rijeka on April 19, 2018
There are some images that instantly grab your attention, then confuse your eye for a moment - what exactly is it that you're looking at? Here's one such example, a vibrant visual I came upon while browsing the vast fields of social media. For a split second, I thought it was a painting - of some weird, postmodern version of a torpedo, no less, before I realised I'm staring at a cargo ship photographed from above:
What a perfect shot! Look at that deck, dotted with colourful cargo containers as if someone was playing a puzzle, assembling country flags from massive blocks of metal.
So I went to check the Sky Dot Media Facebook page where the post was published, only to find more captivating photos taken by the same author. Most feature landmarks and landscapes of Rijeka and the rest of Kvarner, so I contacted the page to find out who's the person behind the stunning visuals.
Hi - could you tell us something about yourself?
My name is Luka, I come from Karlovac, but I'm studying in Rijeka at the moment so I relocated. I'm a telematics student at the Polytechnic of Rijeka. People are known to throw me a confused glance whenever telematics are mentioned; the simplest explanation would be that I have a certain level of knowledge about every machine that's using a binary system.
What's the story behind Sky Dot Media?
I'm also a web and graphic designer by trade, but considering the type of person I am, I love trying out new things, which is how I first got into photography and videography. I've always wanted to approach certain things from different angles, which is why I started Sky Dot Media - to present everyday life from above, so we could comprehend and appreciate the beauty we're not otherwise able to see from the ground.
Any plans for the future in that regard?
Working for National Geographic is a certain vision of mine, but that's still distant future. Until then, I'll keep appreciating the present and plan projects which might end up leading me to bigger things one day.
'When you see it, hit like', says a caption of this one. Do you see it?
About that cargo ship photo... it's a stunning shot - and so precise! Was it a spur of luck or did you plan it beforehand?
I planned it. The first time I saw the ship, I just knew I had to capture it in action, from above. I was sat at Pećine beach with a couple of friends when I suddenly heard a foghorn, signaling the ship was leaving the port, so I launched my drone. The 'hunt' took some 10 minutes, as the ship had to enter the zone where filming is allowed.
Do you have anything similar in mind, an idea for a shot you want to 'score'?
Of course, there are plenty of ideas for motives, as we pass them by everyday without even noticing them. However, the biggest problem with drones are the laws which are outdated and strict, which is why it isn't possible to make the desired shot as flying a drone is forbidden in the first place.
Thanks to Luka for agreeing to chat and for sharing his photos with TCN. You can find more of his work on Sky Dot Media.
