Édouard Salmon’s story is a slow-burn of passion, growing frame by frame, horizon by horizon. It’s not just about sport—it’s about the poetry woven into it: the geometry of motion, the dance of shadow and light, and the silent stories unfolding across fields, courts, and waves.

From above, sport transforms into something else—art, harmony, and a breathtaking visual composition. Édouard, a visionary drone photographer, is on a mission to reveal this unseen world, turning athletic movement into a visual symphony.

His journey is one of reinvention, of looking beyond the obvious, and finding beauty in the most unexpected angles. This is how he fell in love with sport—not by playing it, but by framing it. And through his lens, we see it like never before.

Falling in Love with Sport, Through the Lens

“It’s kind of funny because, as a kid, I was always the small one—really skinny. I wasn’t great at sports, but I loved watching them on TV. It was pure joy for me. I played tennis, football, martial arts… always switching it up every couple of years. I don’t know why, but since I was little, I was drawn to try sports I’d already seen on screen. After France won the World Cup in 1998, like many kids, I started playing football. But honestly? I was more into the visuals of sports than the sports themselves.

Even today, I love watching sports and documentaries. You can name any Netflix series on any sport—I’ve probably seen it. The way directors capture athletic performances, blending art and sport, trying to portray sports through their own lens? That’s my passion. I’m always amazed by how they produce the footage, how they create it, and the magic behind it all.

Before drones came into the picture, I was all over the place: making small videos, doing graphic design, sketching, painting. Photography came last.”

A Different Aerial “Route”

“I started behind the lens with drone photography. That’s a bit different from most photographers, who typically begin with traditional photography and then, when drones came onto the scene a few years ago, added aerial shots to their portfolio. I flipped that: I started with drone photography and then added regular photos later in my career. I can’t say I knew I wanted to be a photographer from the start, but I’ve always been drawn to the power of images to communicate.

Almost eight years ago, I got a small drone as a gift, with a cheap camera. It didn’t have GPS, just flying around aimlessly. It was a nightmare to control, but seeing my surroundings from above was a revelation. Even the ordinary field near my house looked amazing from the sky. That perspective fascinated me. Soon after, I ditched that little drone, upgraded to a better one, then another, and by 2018, I got a DJI Phantom—a serious drone with a real camera—and started producing video content.

Back then, drones weren’t like they are now. I mean, not everyone had one. Nowadays, almost every photographer or director has one, and drone shots are everywhere. But at the time, it was rare. I realized people loved the content I was creating, and I wanted to dive deeper into that vision and push myself even further.”

Visions from Above

“The time had come when I needed a license to fly professionally and legally resell my images. So, in 2019, I took the plunge—completed my training and earned my drone pilot’s license in France. At the time, I was working at a company as an export manager—nothing at all related to art or photography, which I never really had a passion for.

Drone photography was just a side gig, but I instantly fell in love with top-down shots, where the camera is angled directly downward. Only a drone can give you that kind of perspective—being truly above the subject. Even if you’re shooting from a plane, it’s just not the same. To me, capturing standard angles with a drone didn’t make sense. At that point, you could just hike up a hill and get pretty much the same shot. I was after unique, one-of-a-kind viewpoints—perspectives I’d never seen before. I was hooked, and that aerial vision became my signature.”

Changing Sports Perspective

“I was already experimenting with drone visuals, playing around with perspectives, shadows, and lines, but I’d never really applied it to sports.

Part of my family lives near the French coast, and my brother-in-law is a surfer. One summer morning, he suggested I come with him and bring my drone along. That day, a whole new world opened up in front of my eyes. Instead of shooting video, I decided to snap photos—and they turned out in a way I’d never seen before. From that moment, I shifted my focus to photography. During that session, I didn’t focus on the surfers in the water, but on those on the beach. The sun was rising, casting long shadows with soft light—creating a surreal atmosphere. I snapped a few shots, and it gave me a feeling I’ll never forget.

I did a few more surf sessions that summer, and then I got a chance to do a photoshoot with a professional basketball club in my hometown because they noticed my work. It was the start of the season, and they were looking for fresh, new images to communicate their vibe. I love basketball—it’s my favorite sport—so I pitched the idea of drone shots. We did a few sessions with pro players trying to dunk, shoot, and jump, playing with different light and shadow effects on the court. The club was blown away by the results. In France, they were the only team with photos like that. That’s when the idea for ‘Le Sport vu du ciel’ began to take shape.”

Sport from the Sky

“I’ve always loved the physicality of art, especially in photography—there’s something about holding a book or magazine in your hands that digital just can’t match. I didn’t want my photos to live on an iPhone screen; I wanted them to be tangible, printed. I started thinking that one day, I might publish a book of aerial sports photography. By 2019, I already had a collection of surf and basketball shots, so I kept expanding—shooting a golf club near my city, horseback riding, and tennis. One day, almost by chance, I discovered an editor in France called Amphora, a publisher specializing in sports books. I quickly put together a portfolio and pitched my idea for a drone photography book. Thankfully, they loved it, and they gave me a year to shoot content for the project.

I traveled all over France, capturing a variety of sports in some of the most interesting locations—focusing on amateur athletes, not professionals. Baseball, basketball, football, rowing, horseback riding, cycling, surfing, skateboarding, track & field—literally any sport I could find. It was 2020, and I spent every weekend shooting for the book, which was finally published in 2023. It took nearly three years of work, and I wasn’t even a full-time photographer—I was still working as an export manager. It was tough, but seeing my vision come to life was beautiful.

The emotion I wanted to communicate was the universality of sport. I chose to shoot non-professional athletes because I wanted to show that sport can be practiced at any level, on any court, and still be beautiful. The challenge was conveying emotion without showing faces, reactions, or fatigue. In my work, you won’t find expressions—poetry and emotion come through shadows, light, and imagination. It’s about showing the artistic side of sport that we don’t often get to see. The question is: What if we change our perspective?“

Sky’s the Limit

“The timing couldn’t have been better. Right after my book was published, the Olympics were hosted in France, and suddenly, the book became not just an achievement, but the beginning of something new. It became my business card. With the Olympics around the corner, opportunities came flooding in. Last summer, I had eight exhibitions happening simultaneously across France, two in Paris, reaching millions of people around the city. Thanks to those exhibitions, I received an official invitation from the Olympic Committee to join the ‘Cultural Olympics’ program. It was an incredible honor to be part of it.

Now that the Olympics are over, I’ve transitioned to being a full-time photographer. It’s not easy, but I’m working hard to connect with professional athletes and elevate my work to the next level. This year, I’ve got some exciting photo sessions lined up for a project with members of the French Olympic team, and it’s growing bigger every day. My goal is to print some of these photos and organize an exhibition where all the proceeds will go to charities that support kids involved in sports. Another dream of mine is to capture rugby with a drone. It’s huge in France and I’m missing it in my book. I’ll make it happen.

There are still a few sports missing from my portfolio—like water polo, BMX—that’s because I’ve mostly focused on outdoor sports, but I’m eager to explore indoor sports and bring a more artistic approach to them. We’ll see how that goes.

In the meantime, I’ve wrapped up my exhibitions and am diving deeper into new aspects of my work as a travel photographer. I’m doing workshops, teaching drone photography, and writing another book. The key is to never stop—always growing, always improving. Sky’s the limit.”