Behind the Lens: Sydney Harbour cruise ship aerial

Good timing was key to capturing this remarkable image of one of the ocean’s largest vessels, says Chino Centino.

Photography is not so much a carefully planned and executed art for me as it is an unpredictable and improvised series of lucky moments caught on camera.

For this shot, I was shooting with my drone with the idea of capturing boats at sunset. I flew around waiting for something to catch my eye, when I spotted this cruise ship leaving Sydney Harbour.

Flying the drone above the boat while choosing an angle and framing the shot took some time, as did adjusting my settings to capture the image with the best lighting. Once I was satisfied with the height, framing, and lighting, I took several shots. I altered my settings with each shot, and just happened to be lucky with my timing.

I find that this process remains relatively similar with many of the photographs I take, with my best shots tending to be the ones that I find through patience and chance.

The challenges and surprises that come with photography are what initially drew me to this ever-evolving artform, and I look forward to seeing my skills improve and develop over time.