Today we’d like to introduce you to Stuey Bowers

Hi Stuey, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?

I was in Portugal on a yoga retreat when one of the other members pulled out something from his pocket. It was a small drone and he was able to fly it above and ahead of us a few miles to scout out the cliff hike we were doing. After that, I got home and got my own drone. I started filming surfers on Folly Beach, SC and began practicing on my friends. I started getting good enough where I could start charging clients; mostly surfers. The surf community in Charleston really supported me and got me to where I am today. I soon learned about a federal exam I could take to legitimize my droning, called the FAA Part 107 exam. I studied harder then I ever have in my life, since I have not had to take a test in years. I passed and was so excited, since its a difficult exam and requires comprehensive knowledge on not only drone laws and physics, but also airport and military terminology and laws. I eventually got my LLC and am now the proud owner and creator of Stueys Drones LLC.
I am forever grateful for the surf community in Folly Beach, Charleston, SC. This is where it all began. I started practicing droning on my friends until I started to get the hang of using the controllers on the drone and tracking surfers. As a surfer myself, I know how much surfers love getting footage of themselves to see what they can do better, or are super excited when i catch an awesome shot of them on a wave.
I moved back to Folly after covid and was seeking a community. Lucky for me there was and all female surf club call Shes On Edge that fostered like minded girls in an uplifting way. They have meetups for skating, book clubs, and surf events. This group helped me gain confidence in my surfing and also gave me friends for life. The support from a lot of these women have helped me improve my surfing and also my droning.
I also became close with the Warrior Surf Foundation crew, a group for Veteran surfers. I heard about the FAA Part 107 federal certification from one of our mutual friends. I had no idea what it really meant, but I knew it would give me more legitimacy and I realized I could start making a little money with my drone sessions. I hadn’t taken a test since college in 2015, so I was very nervous preparing for this exam. Not only is it a comprehensive exam on general drone knowledge, but you also have to be able to read military maps and understand the language and certain places you cannot operate a drone. I was so overwhelmed with joy when I passed since I had some serious anxiety going into the exam. I studied for two weeks straight and really dedicated everything I had to take it. If you do not pass, you have to wait two weeks to retake it. This certification helped launch my career.
Fast forward to the last week in July, I became a sponsor for the all female surf competition on Folly called the Wahine Classic. One of my friends at a local surf shop gave me the idea to donate my services and prints to this event. I made prints for over 200 goody bags for everyone who participated in the event. I also donated larger framed prints and 3 drone sessions to the top winners. I then was asked for a logo for promotional reasons for this event, and I didnt have any idea where to start. Legacy Digital really helped me when I needed a logo in under two weeks, and I was so awestruck that my logo made it to the top of the T-shirts and banners! I was above Roxy, the coast guard, and other huge contributors. I was so proud of this accomplishment and grateful for the community that helped me get to where I am now.
I was also a social media coordinator at the event itself and took photos and videos for the Wahine’s instagram and other socials. I participated in the tandem surf, and since I was a sponsor, I was able to sponsor 3 surfers so they did not have to pay the entry fee for the competition. This was also another way of me giving back to the community and sharing my talents for other surfers to chase their dreams.
I also got my LLC and Business License so legally I was able to start charging clients and was getting better at droning, so I was also increasing my pricing for shoots. Currently, you can find some of my prints being sold locally at Bert’s Market on Folly for only $4.00! I wanted to sell them at an affordable price, just to share some of the imagery and perspectives I see from my drone that some surfers don’t get a chance to experience. This isn’t about making money for me- I truly love what I do and want to share my gift with others.
One of the biggest steps in my career was pairing with Barebones Surf retreats and getting into contact with Jose “Bamba” Diaz in Surf City, El Salvador. Surf City, El Salvador is the host of some of the top surf events in the world including the 2024 ISA World LongBoard Championship, ISA World Championship, WSL Pro Tour, and more. Bamba is the president of the Salvadorian Surf Federation, a certified surf judge, and has multiple championships that he has won. He is respected and a huge icon in the small town of El Tunco in Surf City, so when he started reposting my reels and collaborating on some of my social media posts, I immediately started growing my audience. His staff of world class surf instructors offered amazing guidance and services to our group on the world class wave known as Sunzal.
The community in El Salvador lives off of the surf industry since they do not have any textiles to export. I also started selling some of my photos as cards in Bamba’s surf shop called Bambaords, as well as a local coffee shop called Mr. Coffee. I shot some promotional videos for this coffee shop as well to help grow their social media. The hostel where Barebones is based out of is called Casa Makoi, and I also partnered with them to help shoot their new pool they just installed as well as other material for their social media.
Barebones Surf retreats are all-inclusive no frills surf trips. They make travel more accessible by providing safe and affordable experiences. They work with locals, such as Bamba and Pedro from Casa Makoi, to ensure authentic trips that support and serve the community. Not only is the surfing amazing, but the local food and culture is one of my favorite parts. The iconic Sunzal wave is about a 10 minute paddle out, and Im not used to point breaks. Barebones sends a monthly training bootcamp before the trip to help you get in shape for this paddle out and other good exercises for surfers. They also offer a nutrition consultation to make sure you are fueling your body and preparing for an intense week of early morning surfs and sunset surf sessions.
Some of my favorite images are from this trip; when I first arrived, I did not realize that we were actually nestled in the mountains as well. I immediately started droning my friends attempting to paddle out before we were taught about the channel in the ocean that pulls you out easily by our surf coaches and how to make it out to the point break. Although their egos were hurt at first, I showed them the footage I took and how I could zoom up and out and show the gorgeous mountains that surrounded us.
The collaboration with Barebones was amazing- it combined my love of travel, surfing, and culture all into one. I was able to surf and get amazing footage at the same time. They thrive on being in the moment, unplugged from cell phones, so they did not have a lot of footage for their socials. My droning was perfect so I could show the public and future clients what to expect when they arrive in El Salvador. In one video, we take a tour around the small town of El Tunco. This gives future guests a frame of reference of where they will be and what they can expect. I actually created a little slide show for some of my friends going on another one of their trips after mine explaining how you have to walk with your surf boards about half a mile over some rocks before you even get to the paddle out. From personal experience and carrying all of my equipment, I knew how tiring this can be. It was so fun getting them excited for the trip and giving them a heads up on what to expect.
El Salvador will always hold a special place in my heart. El Tunco is a very tight knit community- you will see everyone you saw out at Sunzal at the same restaurants later that night, giving each other high fives on all the waves you caught or just for getting out there. I loved this experience so much I actually got a tattoo of the Barebones logo on my ankle- a Skeleton walking with a longboard- and it is a constant reminder of this special place. I am grateful that I’ve been able to go on two of their trips as a photographer//videographer and hope to continue working with them in the future.
Another magical place that has forever changed my life is Rincon, Puerto Rico. I heard rumors of the amazing surf and had to continue my journey trying to catch the best waves with my drone. I was lucky enough to get into contact with Tony Silvagni, owner of Tony Silvagni Surf School, 2 time North American Pro Longboard Champion, 2011 ISA World Longboard Champion, and number 5 in the WSL for 2023. He is from Wilmington, North Carolina, and is one of the most humble people you will ever meet. We met at a secret local spot and I was sworn to secrecy not to share the location in order to protect the spot for the locals. Every single surfer that day knew Tony by name, gave him a handshake, and spoke with him. I was nervous meeting my first pro surfer, but Tony was amazing and adapted to the situation when my drone would not fly since I was close to an airport. He literally pulled out a whole camera set up with a tripod for me to get footage of him and to collaborate on a post. This would in turn help me get more followers as well as future clients.
After my session with Tony, a few locals reached out to me for a drone session. One of the girls I ended up shooting was Ali Lebron, another pro surfer. At the time, I did not know she was a pro and I was just excited to have my first client in Rincon. Some of my favorite shots are of her paddling out into the white water. Not only is she an influencer, but she also supports local and sustainable designed surf wear with the company Good Lines Surf Club. I ended up going to a local Walgreens and making cards with some of these images, and going to local surf and coffee shops to try to sell them.
One of the coffee shops where my friends went everyday is called Stoked Rincon. We would go before and after our surf sessions at Maria’s, my first reef break I ever surfed and droned. The images I got from the reef were amazing- you can literally see the sunken boat that is notorious in Rincon. As a surfer, the reef is so shallow that when you fall off your board you have to lift your feet right up in order to protect yourself from touching the reef.
After building a report with the staff at Stoked, I randomly ran into someone that lived on Folly Beach for years, and we had tons of mutual friends. This place really felt like home, and I was gone for about a month so it was one of my favorite spots to come back to. One day I came with all of my cards printed out, nervous, not really knowing what I was doing; since I’m a photographer, not a salesman. The manager, Dagi Rodriques, took me under her wing and really helped me out.
Dagi majored in marketing and has a skill for turning products into profit. She helped me price all of my cards, photos, and framed prints when I was nervous about putting a price on my inventory. I could not fly back with all of the material I printed, so I gave her everything and said, If it doesn’t sell, I can just get one of my friends to come pick it up. She helped me take beautiful pictures of my prints to sell for their social media. I also shared all of my footage with her so they can use them for posts, and she gave me the idea to make a youtube channel with a lot of this footage. She said they play random surf videos on their huge screen TV, but how cool would it be to show surfers on the wave they are about to go out on? She really helped me start dreaming big, and I am forever grateful for her guidance and faith in me that I would be successful. Not only am I still selling my material at Stoked Surf and Coffee Shop, but she also sent me a huge bag full of surf clothing, bathing suits, and other clothing they sell in the store, all in my favorite color; turquoise. I am still in touch with Dagi as I sometimes accidentally order prints to Rincon and we have a laugh that Puerto Rico is still plugged into my favorite locations.
I am so grateful to have had a job at Half Moon Outfitters in Charleston that allowed me to travel and plan big trips. Every trip I spend months in advance planning and trying to find the most affordable way to make it a success. My aunt in Puerto Rico was the one that planted the seed in my mind about checking out Hawaii; she put me into contact with a family friend, and from there I was already planning my next trip after Puerto Rico.
My trip to Hawaii was life changing. The mountains are insane and as a hiker, I wanted to catch some awesome footage of these beautiful places. A lot of spots I hiked were no drone zones, so I would just use my cell phone. In order to go to Hawaii, you need to learn and respect the culture. I was lucky enough to travel to three different Islands; Oahu, Maui, and Kaui. I had friends here and there I would stay with for a couple weeks, and then would stay at a hostel on the North Shore of Oahu.
The North Shore of Oahu is where I began my journey. I stayed at a hostel called Backpackers, which is right down the road from Pipeline and other world class surfing. It has a camp vibe to it- where we are all staying in a row of cabins and people from all over the world come through. I became fast friends with a few of the people staying there, and found a surfer that I could film. I love filming people that I know so I can give them the footage and show them the beauty that I see.
Maui was also beautiful, but one week my drone accidentally got wet and I could not use it. I was so upset because the whole point of my trip was for work and to get amazing footage (or so I thought.) I began journaling and connecting with the Island and seeing the bigger picture of what my purpose was and is. I found I had an old friend from Charleston that lived on Oahu, where I was ending my trip, and was able to expedite my drone to her. Kauai was next after Maui, and I learned before I got there that the locals do not like drones. I am glad I had a heads up, since I wanted to respect the locals and never feel like I am exploiting their islands.
Once I got my drone back, I was already so used to living more in the moment and not stressing about getting content. I ended my trip at the same hostel on Oahu where I started my journey. I made some new friends, and really felt connected with the Island. I realized that Hawaii really started to feel like home- I could see myself really happy being there. I started asking all the workers/ volunteers if they were happy and if they liked their job. I was already planning in my head a trip back before I had even left Hawaii. Being right down the road from Pipeline, I thought this would be the perfect location for this winter to really go above and beyond and start filming big wave surfers. I sent them a copy of my resume before I even left Hawaii, knowing I would be back.
My last day in Honolulu, i saw one of the influencers I follow just also happened to be in Hawaii. I reached out, a shot in the dark, to see if he would want any drone footage of him surfing. He actually messaged me back and we met; I got some amazing footage in Waikiki and with the sky scrapers behind the surfers. Again, it was nice to meet someone who is an “influencer” and semi famous and learn that they are truly humble and down to earth human beings. I loved collabing with Will and got some advice from him about how to continue to grow my company. He just told me to keep reaching out like I had done, and something might stick. I ended up getting some of my favorite shots in Waikiki right before my flight out of Honolulu my last day. The water is beautiful and the skyscrapers are just amazing. I am so excited to announce that I will be moving to Hawaii September 1st to work at the hostel where I stayed! I am going to get into a routine and get my daily tasks dialed in, and slowly start to get ready for the big wave season to roll in. Now I have merch and a new website to help promote my business, and I am excited to finally have a new drone that is bigger and has higher quality imaging. I am so grateful for all the experience and places I have been to, because they all helped prepare me for this next chapter in my life. I cannot wait to update you all about my life in Hawaii- as for now, Aloha! It means Hello and Goodbye :)

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?

Stueys Drones started from word of mouth and local support. I have grown as I have begun to travel the world, and have been able to reach other communities. I recently received a lot of help with Legacy Digital Media with a full website build out. They have helped me so much pull together all of my images, stories, and offerings into a professional website. I really needed their help, since I know nothing about building websites. They gave me the ability to start writing a blog and continue telling my story, as well as linking my etsy page to guide clients to purchasing prints or other merchandise. They helped me think out of the box and also put everything down on paper. As a photographer, my job is to be outside everyday and collecting images and content. I am not as well versed in the business side of things, and they helped me with marketing. Social media comes natural to me, but I feel a website always legitimizes a business. I also travel a lot and sometimes clients do not know where to find me to book a shoot- my website will be a great place for people to connect with me and also read other people’s testimonials about my work ethic. I am so grateful for this team that helped me pull together a logo, website, and etsy page in only a few months.

We’ve been impressed with Stueys Drones LLC, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?

At Stueys Drones, I specialize in capturing stunning aerial imagery and cinematic videos from unique perspectives. Utilizing state-of-the-art drones equipped with high-resolution cameras, I deliver exceptional quality that exceeds expectations. I concentrate on capturing the exhilaration and beauty of surfing from breathtaking aerial perspectives. Stueys Drones combines my passion for surfing with expertise in drone operation to deliver stunning visuals that showcase your skills on the waves. I have mastered tracking surfers and getting amazing footage to use for social media or for your own personal use. I also concentrate on delivering exceptional still photography using the advanced capabilities of the Sony Alpha a7 III Mirrorless Camera and a range of high-quality lenses. Whether you’re looking to capture portraits, events, landscapes, or products, I bring a blend of technical expertise and artistic vision to every project. I understand that each client and project is unique. That’s why I work closely with you to understand your vision and requirements, ensuring that my photography aligns perfectly with your expectations. I also offer services such as brand promotion, Real Estate, Weddings, still photography for families and other special events,

So, before we go, how can our readers or others connect or collaborate with you? How can they support you?

You can follow me and reach to me on social media @StueysDrones, and also checkout my full website at Stueysdrones.com. On my website, I have a page for my portfolio, frequently asked questions, and ways you can book a session with me. I also offer a few of my images on stretched matte canvas which you can find on my etsy page, Stueysdrones.etsy.com. I also have had so much fun making merchandise out of my logos that my friend made for me. I have created crop tops, t-shirts, hoodies, cropped hoodies, stickers, koozies, and so much more. I love collaborating with other companies and help sell their product. I am moving to the North Shore of Oahu, Hawaii and will be there working at a hostel as well as continuing my passion for photography. I will be focusing on surf photography and this winter, big wave photography, since the swell gets as big as 50 feet at Pipeline. Pipeline is one of the most notorious breaks in the world, and I am so excited to follow my dreams and pursue my passions. I will also be offering other services, all that can be found on my website.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://stueysdrones.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/stueysdrones/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/StueysDrones
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@Stueys_Drones
• Other: https://stueysdrones.etsy.com

Image Credits

Katelyn Ferrara, Clara (Gitans de la Mer)