Westport By Drone: Alex O’Brien’s Young Business

Every day, I get at least a dozen photos.

Beach sunsets. Dogs. Entitled parkers — they keep coming.

Many are good. Some are similar. All are appreciated.

I’m a sucker for drone shots. They offer a perspective on Westport we seldom see. They enable us to look at our town in fresh, unique ways.

The other day, I got this one. It shows a frozen Saugatuck River, near the Levitt Pavilion:

It came from Alex O’Brien. He said he loves taking aerial photos around town, and recently started his own company: Westportdronephotography.com.

I didn’t recognize the name. I asked for more images, and offered to chat by Zoom.

That’s when I learned that Alex is 13 years old — and not even a full-time Westporter.

Alex O’Brien, with his drone.

His parents moved here from New York during COVID. He went to Saugatuck Elementary School. They moved back, but return to their Westport home on weekends.

Alex is an 8th grader at St. Ignatius Loyola School. In addition to drone photography, he loves engineering and using his 3D printer. He’s part of the National Children’s Chorus. They’ll perform this spring at Carnegie Hall.

Last year, they toured Australia. Alex sang at the Sydney Opera House. He told me that off-handedly, as if every middle schooler does that at some point.

Alex began drone photography after getting a DJI Mini 4 Pro for his birthday. He realized people might want to buy his shots, so he got a domain and set up his business.

Alex O’Brien flies his drone over the Saugatuck River.

It’s Westport-only right now. Manhattan has restrictive bans on recreational uses.

So Alex has gone to town, in our town.

He loves shooting Compo Beach, the river, and many other interesting places.

Compo Beach

Drone photography has helped Alex learn about Westport. It’s also helped him see the beauty all around.

Sunsets and beach scenes “could be like vacation spots,” he says. “But they’re here.”

Summertime ritual: a Levitt Pavilion concert.

Marketing is mostly word of mouth, through family and friends. Requests come in on his website.

On it, he says: “My passion lies in capturing breathtaking aerial images of the local landscape. I take pride in being a 13-year-old Westport local, bringing a fresh perspective to the art of drone photography. My goal is to share the beauty of our area through the unique and beautiful photos captured by drone, both with locals and those further afield.”

Downtown Westport.

But — just as Alex buried the Sydney Opera House story — there’s one other aspect of his business to report.

He’s donating 10% of all profits to Homes with Hope‘s food pantry.

Alex — who has celiac disease — cannot eat gluten.

In 5th grade, during a Saugatuck Elementary walkathon, he learned about the HwH pantry. Every month since, he and his mother bring a gluten-free donation.

They also gave a gluten-free Thanksgiving dinner to a local family.

The great note he received — and the smiles he sees at the food pantry — help him realize the importance of giving back.

Cribari Bridge.

Alex looks forward to hearing from “06880” readers about new places to photograph.

It would be great too to get a few jobs, to keep his drone busy.

And the Homes with Hope pantry well stocked.

Ned Dimes Marina

Looking toward Old Mill Beach.

Saugatuck River (Saugatuck Elementary School at lower right)

Frozen river (All drone photos/Alex O’Brien)

(Every day, “06880” offers fresh perspectives on Westport. If you enjoy learning about our town — from new and ever-changing angles — please click here to support our work. Thank you!)