Pilot Spotlight: Interview with WWD Ambassador Joumana Hathout
Tell us your story. How did you get started in the drone industry and when did that happen?
I have been in Dubai for almost 14 years now.. Dubai can be very tough and extremely hot during the summer which is why I try to travel as much as I can during that period. I found myself to be somehow the designated photographer of the group, trying to take the nicest pictures for my friends which evolved eventually to landscape photography... somehow this made my travels much more enjoyable, always looking for the best spots to take pictures, more often than not they were off the beaten path. The only thing that was missing was aerial photography, taking pictures from a complete different angle and this is how I got into drone photography.
What kind of drone(s) do you fly and what's your favorite thing about it?
Mavic Air - I find it the best drone to travel with, no compromise on the quality of the footage and at the same time pretty light and compact.
Have you learned any valuable lessons being in the drone industry you can share with our female drone community?
It does not take a genius nor a professional, your passion should be enough... the best pictures I have seen are taken by amateurs.
Whether its from a creative, commercial or humanitarian perspective, tell us about your most memorable drone flight you have piloted thus far.
It was right after the desert storm in Dubai, I decided to go on a off road into the desert and took a footage of the roads engulfed by sand. The feeling you get when you see back the footage was amazing... you truly feel the power of nature when its angry and how humans can never ever stop it
What would you say to women and girls about the drone industry to spark their interest in getting involved?
I think the more you share your passion, the more the community will grow and strive...
What excites you most about more women joining the drone industry?
Breaking the stereotype mostly... its not about gender or diversity, its more about passion... anyone can do it. On another note the more people join, the more we are able to share the beauty of the planet. I'm sure there are tons of places that are not represented where landscape is equally stunning.
Is there anything else you would like our readers to know about you?
More than photography, I am super passionate about people; the reason why I have stayed most of my career in HR.. I don't think I can live without music and I can easily live in my car driving from one place to another.
Hi I'm, Joumana. There are so many people in the world who never have the opportunity to pursue the career they love. I’m not one of them. I love what I do and since starting my career in Dubai around 14 years ago, I’m thrilled to say that I’ve learned from so many amazing professionals in my field. Super passionate about people and their dynamics, a strong believer in building organizations bottom up and have always worked the closest with colleagues who are in immediate contact with the customers be it while I was in a commercial role or a people centric role. I was born and raised in Beirut, was lucky enough to travel around with my family during the civil war and came back to settle in Dubai. My passion for travel and photography started since I was a child and continued to grow ever since. It has allowed me to see people and places from a completely different perspective, there are certain emotions that you capture while taking pictures that you can never do otherwise. I love driving around and going where the roads take me, I always stumbled on the most beautiful places while doing that... I started droning around 18 months ago, it's truly amazing the things you can see from a completely different angle. Proud mommy of 2 dogs :).
