Originally from Sicily, Placido Faranda now lives in Switzerland, where he teaches aerial photography. He also works for several clients on a commission basis. His impressive photographs taken on his trips all over the world were awarded twenty prestigious recognitions. Among international prizes were awards such as Prix de la Photographie Paris, International Photographer of the Year, International Photography Awards, and Sony World Photography Awards.
On this assignment for the Jordan Tourism Board and DJI, he flew his drone across Jordan. Showing us the beauty of this country, an absolute gem in the heart of the Middle East.
A well-traveled bridge between the sea and desert, east and west, Jordan is a land of mesmerizing beauty and contrasts, from the Jordan Valley, fertile, ever changing, to the remote desert canyons, immense and still. We start this aerial adventure with the natural wonder of the Dead Sea. Located between Jordan, Israel, the West Bank, and Palestine, the Dead Sea is a landlocked lake rather than a true sea. At 1,412 feet below sea level, its shores rank as the lowest point on earth.
First step: the Dead Sea
The leading attraction at the Dead Sea is the warm, soothing, super salty water – some ten times saltier than seawater, and rich in chloride salts of magnesium, sodium, potassium, bromine, and several others mineral encrusting the shores.
While this makes any life in the water impossible (hence this name), the nutrient-rich minerals of the water and unique quality of the air make the Dead Sea a rejuvenating place. Especially for people with many varying health conditions and a world-famous SPA destination.
The Trip Continues
Our trip continues along the dead sea shoreline, on the Route 65, to Jordan’s most famous site: the ancient city of Petra.
Petra, massive architecture and ingenious complex of dams and water channels. The ancient city is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and one of the new Seven Wonders of the World.
Drive 1.5-hours from Petra to land on Mars.
Wadi Rum, “The Valley of the Moon”, depicted as Mars in several Hollywood feature films (e.g., The Martian) is an Arabian fairy-tale waiting to be discovered.
Home to nomadic Bedouin tribes, Wadi Rum is a quiet getaway of stars, sand, and sun.
This whole journey has been documented in a 100-second video made solely with a Mavic 2 Pro and an Osmo Pocket.
