Top down aerial drone photo of a spinner shark creating a gateway into a school of menhaden fish in the Atlantic Ocean, Southampton, NY.
All images by Joanna Steidle. Used with permission.
There are photographers who make you feel like you’re seeing the ocean for the first time. Joanna Steidle is one of them. Based on the east coast of the US, she works almost exclusively from above, piloting drones across stretches of coastline to capture marine life in a way that most of us will never witness firsthand. The result is a body of work that feels both intimate and enormous at the same time.
Aerial drone photography of a humpback whale in the middle of a lunge feeding on menhaden bait fish. Southampton, NY USA.
What strikes me about her work is how unhurried it feels. These aren’t action shots in the traditional sense, even when the subjects are moving. There’s a patience in how she positions herself above a scene and waits for it to reveal something worth holding onto. You get the feeling she understands the ocean deeply, not just as a backdrop, but as a living thing she has a genuine relationship with.
That connection runs through her whole story. Growing up around her father’s commercial clam business, salt air and marine life were constants in her life long before a camera was. Photography, and specifically aerial photography, became the natural meeting point for everything she loved: art, flight, and the natural world. It’s a combination that makes complete sense once you know her background.
Steidle was named one of the top ten women to watch in the drone industry in 2022, a recognition that opened doors and helped cement her reputation in a field that is still finding its footing. I reached out to learn more about the person behind the lens, and she did not disappoint.
Them Frames: Hey Joanna! Please can you share how your experiences in life drove you into photography and how they helped shape your photographic voice?
Joanna Steidle: I often tell people that photography chose me. I’ve always been a huge fan of art and art history. But there was a pivotal moment when I realized aerial photography would be the path I must explore more deeply.
My father had a commercial clam business, growing up I was surrounded by marine life and salt air which has always been a necessity for my contentment. So, I had a love of art, flying, and wildlife which then became a trifecta of passions. All of which have influenced my choice to pursue aerial photography.
Aerial drone photography of seals hauled out on a sandbar at low tide in Moriches Bay, NY.
Them Frames: Commercial drones are still relatively new. What were your early experiences like using them and how long did it take to find your flow and unique photo-making style?
Joanna Steidle: . I started flying drones back in 2015 and I fell in love with flying and technology and knew that this was a field that was going to rapidly grow and transform. A field that I greatly wanted to be a part of. I went down multiple paths including their usage in racing, search and rescue, mapping, and legalities.
Four years later I decided photography and videography was the best journey for me in this time of my life. Since then my style has naturally developed into a more cohesive standard for collections. A style cannot be forced; it needs to naturally emerge. Most days I feel like I am only scratching the surface, that there is a higher purpose calling to me which continues to make me strive to improve.
Top down drone photography of a small fever of cownose rays stiring up some sand along their travels. Southampton, NY USA.
Them Frames: You capture stunning images of marine life. What’s that process like? For example do you have an idea where and when they will appear, or is it often a case of a waiting game?
Joanna Steidle: Besides basic migration patterns, marine life is always a hit or miss during the season, (May-Oct). The best quality of photos come when there are blue skies and very calm waters. I don’t wait around for anything. I will launch my drone, fly as far as I can see in a grid system, If I see nothing, I move on to the next beach and do the same thing. That process can go on 12 to 15 times a day over a 30-mile stretch of beach or until something catches my eye.
A bottlenose dolphin in the North Atlantic Ocean coming to the surface and exhaling a line of bubbles.
Them Frames: Is there a particular stand out moment where you were completely in awe of the scene you were photographing? What was it like?
Joanna Steidle: Yes, wildlife interactions are by far the most exciting. “Another World” portrays a fever of cownose rays approaching a school of menhaden baitfish. The fish were reacting to the threat by spreading and moving in marvelous patterns. I anticipated an interesting composition, positioning my drone for optimal framing and light. There before my eyes unfolded one of the most artistically captivating moments in my career. It was 90°F and I had goosebumps.
Another World.
Them Frames: You’re a member of Women and Drones. Can you tell us more about the group and its overreaching aim?
Joanna Steidle: Back in 2022, I received my first global award from Women and Drones as I was named one of the top ten women to watch in the drone industry. The award I received was in the artist category. This immediately opened many doors for me and was a major catalyst in my career. The group of members range from individual drone educators and artists to women in top corporations in the drone and aviation industry. The connections I’ve made through this organization have become invaluable on so many levels.
Them Frames: The color tones and vibrancy in your frames are beautiful. Can you give us a little behind the scenes of what your editing process looks like?
Joanna Steidle: I began by approaching each photograph uniquely in editing. The raw images are often brown, blurry, noisy, and quite unattractive in an artistic sense. Through editing I want to bring the viewer as close as possible to the subject. This often involves removing water quality impediments, surface glare and choppiness.
By isolating subjects, I can bring out their uniqueness and color. Aesthetically, I pursue edits that will enlarge and print four to six feet with clarity. Maintaining the integrity of the moment is important to me in terms of composition. I walk away from the edit quite frequently and come back to it with fresh eyes which is a process that can go on for weeks or months. I consider the photo finished when I can look at it with fresh eyes and be completely content.
This is a top-down drone photograph of a humpback whale diving back under the surface of the Atlantic Ocean after taking a breath of air. This was taken within 500ft of the coast in Southampton, NY USA.
Them Frames: If there was a song or album you could pair to your photography portfolio, which would it be and why?
Joanna Steidle: “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough” by Marvin Gaye and Tammi Terrell. For me, it’s about perseverance and a spiritual connection with Mother Nature, also known as my Spiritual Guide. The song is not just uplifting, but it reminds me that both the most difficult times and the best times will pass, inevitably. It’s all about what I can do today to make this world a better place.
My motto has been right from the beginning; “Fly safe, dream big!” Big dreams require many steps. And, when it comes to a creative journey, the most important thing to me is to be true to myself and consistently evolve.
Them Frames: Finally, please finish this sentence: I need photography in my life because…
Joanna Steidle: it completes me.
You can enjoy more work from Joanna Steidle by visiting her website, Instagram and Facebook page.
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