F HLIYGIN
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aerial photography is, quite literally, the big
picture. It sets the stage of where a story
is taking place. It also captures anything
involving a lot of motion or high speed.
Who then is responsible for seizing such images? A
three-man team comprised of Paul Barth, Steve Cassidy and Brook Cowan criss-crossing the country by
land and sky going by the name of Camera Copters.
While the business is based out of New York, Florida
and California, in the spring of this year, they found
themselves, once again, in Destin. Crediting its natural
beauty as an allure for a variety of shoots, Barth estimates they are in the area filming at least once a year.
Camera Copters is a six-year-old aerial photography company that uses a customized tractor trailer,
various helicopters and highly specialized camera
equipment to capture images from great heights and
at tremendous speeds. Working on jobs as diverse
as real estate marketing to reality television to noted
motion pictures, Barth, a Screen Actors Guild (SAG)
camera pilot, Cassidy, the aerial videographer and
photographer, and Cowan, the man responsible for
transporting the helicopter, via the aforementioned
tractor trailer, work together as what Barth calls “a
well-oiled machine.”
They all came together by chance several years
ago when Barth, who currently lives in Miami, and
Cassidy, who is originally from Miami, crossed paths
due to their similar interest, aerial photography. With
Barth’s helicopters and avid aviation experience and
Cassidy’s practiced photography skills, the two joined
forces to create what became Camera Copters. Once
the logistics of what this business would be were
worked out, the two commissioned the creation of
their “big rig.” In another chance meeting, Cowan,
who just so happened to have a commercial driver’s
license, was hired by the trailer’s production company
to deliver this prized possession.
“Once we got it, we realized we didn’t have
anyone to drive it,” recalls Barth. At that point, they
offered a job to Cowan and he accepted.
From that point on, they each claim their life
has been an adventure. Whether it’s a scenic view of
the country at large or an up-close experience with a
celebrity, or a shark, “Most people will never see, at all,
what we see on a regular basis,” says Barth. “And from
such an amazing perspective.”
Cassidy contributes that getting to travel and see
so much so often makes the job for him, especially
after having worked for years doing voiceover work
in what he recalls being “a literal padded room.” The
freeing sensation working like he does now offers a
