This week’s cover is brought to us by videographer Oscar Medina. You may have spotted him or his drone at Solstice, Fiesta, Fields of Funk, and even the S.B. Half-Marathon, to name just a few. He runs Elevate by Oscar and is always looking to capture cinematic drone footage.
What was your process for getting this week’s cover photo, and how long did it take?
My process always starts with checking airspace and securing our automated LAANC authorization from the FAA for controlled airspace. Because the airport sits right behind Old Town Goleta, airspace restrictions are tight, and I was strictly permitted to fly up to 50 feet. For this particular shoot, I wanted to capture Old Town Goleta during optimal midday lighting to bring out the colors and architectural details. After scouting the exact composition and framing with my DJI Mavic 4 Pro, getting the hero shots took a single session. After thorough pre-flight planning, setting everything up and capturing the shots took about an hour and a half on-site. Afterward, I color-graded the footage on Adobe Premiere Pro for about another hour. In total, the project took about three hours.
What was the best part about getting the photos of Old Town Goleta? Do you have any connection to the area?
I used to live on Turnpike, so grabbing lunch, dinner, or a drink around Old Town Goleta brings back a lot of great memories. It’s wonderful to see how the area continues to evolve and change.
How long have you worked in the field and specifically with drones? What else have you captured?
I’ve worked with drones for two years now, and I love it! While traditional photography excels at capturing intimate portraits, cinematic drone footage captures the true essence of a place and how we interact with the landscape. I love exploring with my loved ones and preserving cherished visual moments. While I do take standard photography assignments upon request, my primary focus is videography.
While I have long had an eye for arresting aesthetics in cinematic video, my creative calling really crystallized during personal trips to Bacalar (Quintana Roo), Iceland, and Mérida (Yucatán). Recording these incredible landscapes from an aerial perspective more vividly memorialized the essence of these places, inspiring me to upgrade my gear and piloting skills.
Locally, my commercial and community work includes official projects with Old Mission Santa Barbara (the I Madonnari Festival and Old Car Show), the Summer Solstice Parade (featuring La Boheme and Teresa Kuskey), Old Spanish Days/Fiestas, coastal coverage and marine real estate with Seacoast Yachts, cruise ships, rooftop events at the Kimpton Canary Hotel, ocean wildlife documentation, the Pacific Pride Foundation, the Goleta Lemon Festival, the Fields of Funk Festival, and last weekend’s Santa Barbara Half-Marathon — where I rollerbladed five miles along the course to capture dynamic footage from multiple vantage points across the city, not just the starting line.
How long have you been in Santa Barbara? Do you travel anywhere else for work?
I moved here 10 years ago in 2016, after my father retired in the area. My home base and primary focus is Santa Barbara and the Southern California coast, so the vast majority of my production work is here in our community — though I’ll happily travel wherever a project takes me!
What are some aspects of your job that would surprise people? What are your favorite parts of being a photographer/videographer?
People are often surprised by the heavy amount of technical preparation required before a drone ever leaves the ground: monitoring weather conditions, securing airspace clearances and checking TFRs (Temporary Flight Restrictions), managing batteries, selecting the right variable ND or polarizing filters, and meticulous flight planning. Ultimately, it’s the pilot’s skill and creative eye that elevate the content, not just the hardware.
My favorite part is the creative payoff — taking a familiar landmark that people know by heart and revealing a breathtaking, sweeping perspective they’ve never seen before. It’s so rewarding when viewers tell me they’ve never looked at Santa Barbara from that angle. For instance, after the half-marathon last weekend, someone commented: “It’s a different POV indeed from above. I didn’t realize we ran by SBCC track — thank you for sharing!” I also invest heavily in professional color grading to ensure every frame has a polished, cinematic look that defines my signature style.
What are some of your favorite things to do in Santa Barbara? Do you have any favorite spots in town that you recommend?
When I’m not behind the camera or editing at my workstation, you’ll often find me networking in the Funk Zone with local business owners and entrepreneurs. I love staying active by running and rollerblading along the Cabrillo bike path, and I’m always down for a local food excursion or road trip. I’m a huge fan of date nights with my wife — we love catching movies, salsa dancing, and comedy shows, and when it comes to dinner, spots like The Lark, Barbareño, and Loquita are hard to beat! In my downtime, I’m also an avid PC gamer whenever I can carve out the time.
