Why we still scout on foot

Every location we shoot has been walked at least twice: once at the hour we plan to shoot, and once at the hour we hope we will not have to.

Satellite views tell you where the dune is. They do not tell you that the wind turns at four, that the sand goes pink for eleven minutes, or that the only path down is too steep for a rail of clothes.

Walking is slow on purpose. It gives the idea time to change before it costs anything. Half of our best frames were found on the way to the place we thought we wanted.

We still take the drone. We just look at it last.