Drone Pilot Aline Espino Captures a Different View of Orange County
When Aline Espino lost her job after COVID hit last March, she decided it was time for a career pivot. The industrial designer, originally from Ixtapa Zihuatanejo, Mexico, had been living in Orange County since 2012 and found herself daily inspired by the landscape. Always an optimist, she turned to her passion for photography… specifically, droning.
The young artist decided to focus on the positive aspects of the pandemic (More free time! Less crowds!) and really buckle down on learning the basics of flying.
“As a photographer, you become obsessed with discovering new perspectives to shoot from,” she explains, “however, I often felt limited to shooting only from where I could reach with my DSLR.”
“I wanted to shoot those impossible shots over the water without having to jump in a helicopter. If only we had wings!”
Although Espino admits it was intimidating at first to be a female droner in a male-dominated industry, she reached past her doubts (“What if I cut my fingers? Crash? Waste my money?) and went all in. She researched equipment, airspace regulations, safety procedures, and, within the first week, felt she had discovered a new world. She set a goal to officially become a commercial drone pilot and get FAA certified.
A year later, she is one of the most talented drone pilots in California, known for her soothing color palette. She regularly is featured on drone accounts throughout the world with comparisons to some of the biggest names in photography like Gray Malin.
Throughout the start of her budding career, her number one takeaway has been learning that not everything is as you think it is…
Perspective changes as your view does — and Espino enjoys providing that unique vantage point to fans through her aerial photos.
We recently caught up with the accomplished pilot to get the story behind some of those quintessential Orange County shots you’ve seen peppered throughout your Instagram feed...
How have you found the drone community?
It’s beautiful to see people with the same interest coming together and helping each other grow and succeed. I love being part of a community full of creatives that support each other. But it’s shocking to see how few females there are out there! According to the FAA, females make up only 6.7% of the total certificated remote pilot population. We may be the minority, but it sure makes us stronger. I’d like to encourage more women to go ahead and give it a try, and to feel free to contact me if interested in learning how to fly — we want that percentage to be higher!
What sets you apart from other drone Photographers?
I believe we’re all wired differently; there’s only one YOU! We all have different backgrounds, experiences — and, as long as you focus on yourself and don’t imitate others, people will notice. I stay true to myself, my values, vision, style, and mission.
I don’t just shoot photos, my purpose is to transmit the same feeling you get when you go to the beach by using a color palette that is soothing, calm, and pleasant to the eye.
What are your goals for the future of your business?
Besides continuing to bring peace and harmony to people’s homes through my photographs, I am working on a line of products to offer and also want to extend my drone services to more residential and commercial real estate agents in the area. Drone footage is on the rise and I’d love to help more locals increase their sales with my skills. Another goal is to donate a certain percentage of earnings to foundations dedicated to beach cleanups, taking care of the ocean, recycling, and protecting the environment.
Where has been your favorite place to shoot in Orange County?
Hands down, Laguna Beach — it was truly love at first sight! It’s been my to-go place every time I feel home sick. The Main Street basketball courts remind me so much of my hometown in Mexico. Every single corner feels magical; no matter what time of the day you go, there’s always a pleasant surprise waiting for you.
What have been some of your favorite experiences that droning has given you?
One of my favorite flights was recently in Laguna. I was focused on getting my shots ready for golden hour and didn’t put too much attention to the people on the beach as I was flying over water. Some local photographers always joke around about not finding any mermaids laying on the rocks... except this time I actually did! I was flying over a tide pool and a mermaid tail caught my eye — a mermaid swimming in the wild!
Lindsay DeLong is the Editor-in-Chief of Laguna Beach Living. A brand strategist and web designer, she is well-versed at building brands from the ground up. Reach out to her at lindsay@lagunabeachliving.com or on her personal site, iLikeLindsay.com.