At Home with Tech

It’s not as complicated as it looks. Tech tips for your life.

Category: travel

July 12, 2026

My Drone Flight Around this Lighthouse Reveals How I Approach Life

Each time I fly my DJI camera drone, I take direction from my creative impulses. But I’ve also learned to be careful too. That strategy helps my drone work succeed relying on a slower confidence, versus the speed of ambition. Here are the results from my flight around Goat Island Lighthouse in Maine.

Lighthouses project a wonderful maverick energy as they sit proudly on the edge of chaos. Needless to say, I love taking photos of any lighthouse I see.

My family and I have vacationed with friends by the magical mudflats of Cape Porpoise, Maine for the past few years, and the place we stay has a beautiful view of Goat Island Lighthouse in the distance.

We’ve kayaked over to the lighthouse a couple times and were fortunate enough to get a tour.

I’ve (of course) taken many photos of this cute beacon in different lighting and weather conditions.


My Drone Videos of Majestic Mudflats

But the mudflats are much closer and always call out to my camera and me as some kind of fantastic alien landscape that needs documenting.  So, when the tide goes out, that’s when my next mission usually begins. 

Last year I flew my DJI Flip camera drone on the majestic flats at low tide to capture some stunning footage at sunrise. 


Planning a Drone-Flying Trip to Goat Island Lighthouse

This year, I wanted to step up my photographic game a bit more and decided on a plan to have my little drone meet Goat Island Lighthouse. For me, this creative project was an ambitious next step. It took planning, accurate timing and complete cooperation from nature. 

After I received permission from the local authority to fly my drone near the lighthouse, I still had to wait for good weather at the appropriate time of day when the tide would remain high enough during both legs of the kayak trip.  

And then there’s the wind. Too much wind isn’t good for drone flying, and there’s often a breeze coming off the ocean.

Happily, all those variables aligned for me on the Wednesday of our vacation week. My mission was set to begin at 7:30am sharp. But with all the pieces properly in place, I knew it still wouldn’t be enough to ensure success.

Maintain Creative Control

As I faced this this self-assigned project, I knew I would need to properly balance my creative vision with what I was confidently capable of doing.

Look, I’m not a professional camera drone pilot. It’s a hobby. I’ve got the certification, but this is not my day job. 

Every time I fly my drone, I work on improving my skills. I’ve also picked up a few tips by watching YouTube videos. But that can be a double-edged sword. All the drone ‘experts’ show off their cool drone maneuvers. “It’s so easy!” they say.

Part of me says, “Sure, I can do that!” Then I remember that moment last year when I backed up my drone into a tree while it was performing a preprogrammed sequence. (No, the DJI Flip doesn’t have rear-avoidance sensing.)

So, I constantly remind myself that I need to stick to the drone moves I confidently know how to execute. The creative impulse to go just a little further or a bit faster is not a recipe for my success.

As I considered my upcoming lighthouse project, my drone’s airtime would have to be slow and sure.

The good news is “slow” can be a great foundation for ‘cinematic’ video. And that’s always my goal.

30 Seconds in Heaven

I’m happy to report I did indeed follow my Barrett flying rules after I kayaked over. I captured some sweet drone video clips of Goat Island Lighthouse on a glorious morning. Take a look at my 33-second montage… 

I put much of this video together using the DJI Fly app on my iPhone and then finished it later using Final Cut Pro on my Mac Studio.

Play the Long Game

I must admit this little success story isn’t only about how I confront the challenges of camera drone flying. It also reflects how I’ve traveled the journey as a creative in my life, both personally and professionally.

Success usually comes from playing the long game.

I’ve always felt this fire within to ‘create.’ And I’ve found that life works best when you maintain ‘control’ of your creativity. That instead of a life where creativity controls you.

I’m sure there are any number of artists out there who may disagree with me. They would correctly point out that true creative success often requires your passion to drive you and your output.

Any limits you place on that prevent you from discovering your true creative self and potential.

Fuel the Creative Spirit

But I have admittedly chosen to travel a different road across these years. It’s a slower path, but it still allows me to explore my creativity… while also being able to come home with my drone in one piece. (And yes, my camera drone also serves as a metaphor here.)

I wake up the next morning with the comfort knowing that I can fly again. Others may capture better-looking footage, but I am satisfied with what the video gods have allowed me to capture. That’s enough to fuel my creative spirit.

And I have the confidence in myself to know that tomorrow’s footage will look even better.

Confidence over Speed

This is a life plan that prioritizes balance. Confidence over speed. Yes, it’s a long game, but one that will still feed those hungry creative impulses.

It’s one strategy for a life of happy flying.

…for your consideration.

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June 28, 2026

How Clouds Transformed My Boring Sunrise Timelapses into Pure Magic

Watching any sunrise is a meaningful experience, but I’ve learned that recording a timelapse video during a cloudless dawn doesn’t generate enough action.  Clouds have to be in the shot for the timelapse to feature their secret dance. Here are a few examples.

I’ve effectively stopped taking photos and videos of sunrises. Why? Because every close-up shot of the early sun is the same.

Instead, I now focus on showing how the environment reflects or responds to first light. So that requires a wider angle shot where the sun isn’t necessarily center stage.

That creative approach is much more interesting to me.

The Dance of the Clouds

Often, the key ingredient is how the clouds are positioned and move throughout a sunrise. Their sped-up motion becomes the anchor for the entire scene.

Cloud support is always part of any successful sunrise timelapse video I record. 

But there are many variables… How much cloud cover is there? How fast are they moving? In which direction? What are their colors?The permutations are endless. 

Waking up at 4:30am on Vacation?

Which is why I always choose to set up my tripod for a summer sunrise timelapse whenever I’m on vacation in Cape Porpoise, Maine. (This is not a ‘once and done’ creative exercise.)

The place we stay offers a spectacular view over the mudflats near the ocean. So, if the weather forecast looks good for the next day, I set my wakeup alarm for 4:30am.

Yes, it may be counter intuitive to get up wicked early on a vacation morning. But that’s what it takes to capture the amazing colors in the sky before the sun shows up at 5am. And let me tell you… it’s worth it.

My DJI Osmo Glows with the Sun

I’ve been using my little DJI Osmo gimbal camera for my ongoing sunrise project over the past five summers, and I’ve found that each of my sunrise timelapses looks entirely unique. That’s because every morning brings a different cloud formation.

Of course, you can’t have total cloud cover. Alternately, you need some clouds in place. Otherwise, you’ll just have that little glowing ball moving slowly in an empty blue sky.

Nature Calls the Shots

I run my sunrise timelapses for an hour, auto-snapping frames at 3-second increments. That generates a 40-second video. 

A lot can happen in the sky across an hour. So, what you start with may evolve into something entirely different that can make or break your results. But there’s nothing you can do… other than observe.

Nature is in control.

Which means you’re not going to get what you hope for every morning. But I’m pleased to report that I had some success this summer in Maine. And I have a new crop of Cape Porpoise mudflat sunrise timelapses to share with you. Here are the highlights.

Start Your Day

My ‘skill’ in capturing these stunning moments is mostly just about being able to stumble out of bed and show up on time to witness nature present its magical morning show. 

And if the clouds should decide on a ‘pleasing’ sequence for a timelapse, you’re in for a treat.

What better way to start your day.

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May 24, 2026

Why You Shouldn’t Use Your Phone to Take All Your Vacation Photos

Dropping your phone on vacation while snapping a photo can really dampen the fun. Here’s a strategy that will help you avoid coming home with a cracked phone screen.

Listen to excerpt – 1 min 20 sec *

My father loved his tech throughout his life, and he was swift to adopt his first iPhone. That said, he was not quite as quick to learn all its functions. But he did okay, especially for his age. (Plus, he always had me as his personal tech support line.)

My dad was also something of a critic on many topics and enjoyed making fun of the delicate nature of smartphones. 

He used to enjoy repeating a particular conversation with me comparing his iPhone to his leather-bound pocket agenda, which was a little booklet he kept in his jacket.

It went like this… 

He would turn to me, pull out his agenda and hold it in front of him. Next, he would drop it onto the floor. Then he would pick his agenda up, dust it off and put it back in his pocket.

He would stare at me as he did all this, smirk and then ask if I would please do the same with my iPhone. When I wouldn’t, he would burst out laughing.

I let my dad have his fun. But he had a point.

My father wasn’t exactly subtle. However, he was quite effective at stripping things down to the bare truth. 

He’s been gone over three years now, and I do miss these little moments.

Don’t Destroy Your Phone on Vacation

Yes, my dad liked to point out that a mobile phone doesn’t always do so well when you drop it (even if you’ve got a case protecting it). 

Years later, my father’s wisdom serves as a useful reminder to help frame this week’s blog post.

And I would like to point out that dropping your phone is more likely to happen when you’re on vacation moving fast and sometimes distracted.

As we enter the summer season and a traditional vacation period, let me offer a solution. You might think this is a simple equation. 

  • Just take your phone and don’t drop it. 
  • To reduce additional risk, leave other cameras at home. 

Your phone can take all the photos you’ll need, and unless you travel with a professional camera rig, why would you want to bring another camera other than the one built into your phone?

Vacations Can Require a Tougher Camera

But this assumes you can keep your phone undamaged, and quite frankly, many vacations are often hazardous to your phone’s health.

So, if you’re uncomfortable putting your expensive phone in harm’s way, you might want to invest in a more durable and less expensive camera solution, like a GoPro or DJI Action Camera.

Depending on the model, you can pick up one of these tough little bricks at the $300-$400 price point. They’re not impervious to all threats, but they’re designed to handle a pretty big drop. Plus, they’re waterproof.

Yes, I’ve watched lots of vacationers happily hold their phones while skiing, sledding and kayaking. But not everyone will succeed.

As one data point, I’m sure you’ve seen many people walk around with cracked phone screens. I’d hazard a bet that some of this screen damage was caused by vacation-related activity.

Stories of Wreckage

I’ve learned the hard way to be more cautious with my own tech on vacation. I’ve certainly made a few mistakes along the way…  

Fortunately, my drone survived its crash. The other two did not.

Using a GoPro or DJI Action Camera for vacation photos and videos can be a better strategy to help maintain the long-term health of your phone. And of course, you can still use your phone for other (less dangerous) needs.

The Right Tech for the Task

I always pack my GoPro when I go on vacation. No, I don’t always need to use it, but I have this little cube in my pocket when the moment calls for it. 

And since my GoPro is tiny, it never factors into the ‘packing-too-much’ equation.

If my father were around today, I’d be very happy to drop my GoPro on the floor in front of him.

Happy next vacation, and here’s to always keeping your phone safely in your hand.

*Audio excerpt at the top is AI voice generated, using my own voice as the original source.

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