I’m Islay Joy, an aerial filmmaker and visual storyteller whose work explores the relationship between scale, solitude, and the natural world.
Working primarily with drone cinematography, I capture landscapes from above to reveal patterns, textures, and moments often missed from the ground. My imagery moves fluidly between remote wilderness and densely populated environments, documenting both with a restrained, documentary sensibility. Whether filming salt flats in South America, volcanic terrain in Iceland, or cultural moments in urban centers, my work focuses on the intersection of environment and human presence without imposing narrative.
I attended the College of Charleston, where I was recruited to sail for the varsity team, but later transferred to the Savannah College of Art and Design to pursue a more creative direction, majoring in advertising and 2D and 3D motion media across both the Savannah and Hong Kong campuses.
During my three trimesters in Asia at SCAD Hong Kong, I picked up my first camera to capture life abroad in a new city, as well as to document life on the road as I began traveling more throughout Southeast Asia between school terms. What started as a way to document my travels beyond my beat-up iPhone quickly turned into documenting anything that caught my attention—everything.
In my final year of university, I picked up a drone, and without question, that was the last nail in the “work a 9–5 and have a stable income” coffin. I knew my future couldn’t be confined to dark rooms, rendering on computers, or selling ideas within agency walls. Aerial videography felt like my path forward. It gave me a way to work independently, be outside, and build a life centered around travel. At the height of the pandemic in 2020, with no jobs and little clarity, I decided it was time to make it work. I converted my Honda CR-V into a home and lived out of it for three months. Not long after that trip, I was picked up by my first major brand, DJI. This was followed by an interview with the creative director at Getty Images, and soon after, the opportunity to work with SpaceX and be the face of Starlink for global web campaigns and television across North America.
For four years, I have worked closely with the art director at Getty Images to bring my work—captured from above—to wider audiences online. My footage is distributed globally through their platform, where it is licensed for both editorial and commercial use. Since becoming a brand ambassador for DJI, I’ve also collaborated with leading global brands including Avis, Sixt, Liqui Moly, and Hertz.
I have now been on the road 6 years, never rented an apartment, live in a van part-time, and have managed to travel to 63 countries, truly living my dream life grounded in mobility and independence. As a digital nomad, I leverage emerging technologies to work across continents, often in challenging or isolated conditions.
