Get Interviewed: Tim Kuratek | Joshua Tree Drone Photographer

There are people you meet, and then there are people you spot as talent from a mile away and immediately figure out how to get them into your world.

Tim Kuratek was the second one.

I first spotted Tim on Instagram when he had just started posting some of his early drone videos around Joshua Tree. I immediately recognized that he had an eye for it, not just that he could fly a drone, but that he understood movement, composition, architecture and how to capture the scale of the desert in a way that actually felt different.

So, obviously, I hired him.

One of our first shoots was for a Joshua Tree-area land listing of mine, filming Kim Wexman doing yoga on the building pad. That property eventually sold to one of my clients, and later Tim was back at the same property filming an entirely different chapter of its story: trucks, cranes and modular homes being picked up and dropped onto the land.

That was pretty much the beginning of Tim being pulled into my world.

Over the last year, I've hired him for project after project, and in the process he's had a very unusual front-row seat to the behind-the-scenes of me and my business.

He's followed me around Joshua Tree and the High Desert with cameras, multiple drones and what seems like an ever-growing amount of gear through real estate listings, raw land, construction sites, architectural projects, renovations and some pretty ridiculous situations.

He's filmed inside Sandora Domes while contractors were up on scaffolding replastering the walls around us. He's been there for cranes moving modular homes, active job sites, properties in every possible stage of construction, long shoot days, last-minute changes and all the other things that happen before you ever see the pretty finished photo.

At this point, he's pretty much seen it all.

Including at least one occasion when we paused filming so I could take a call that wasn't going particularly well. Tim very professionally stopped recording my mic while I may or may not have temporarily lost my shit, waited for me to finish, and then we went right back to filming.

That's the kind of working relationship we've developed.

And while I originally hired Tim because I recognized his talent, I've continued working with him because of who he is professionally.

He does what he says he's going to do. He's prepared, reliable and somehow remains completely unfazed by whatever situation I've brought him into that day. He invests back into his business, takes what he's building seriously and understands the value of collaborating with other people who are doing the same.

I recognized that pretty quickly because it's how I approach my own business too.

This summer we spent even more time together while shooting a ridiculous amount of content for the launch of JTTP Realty. Somewhere between long shoot days, cameras, drones, business problems and our personal lives happening in the background, Tim also became a friend.

We've been an ear for each other while juggling the businesses we're building with the lives we're also trying to keep together encouraging each other to keep going, keep investing in what we're building and not let anyone convince us that we need to settle, make ourselves smaller or slow down.

He's incredibly talented, but I've also come to know him as a loyal, solid human who I'm very happy I spotted on Instagram and decided needed to be in my world.

It only took me almost a year to finally convince him to let me interview him.

For this edition of Get Interviewed, I’m excited to introduce Tim Kuratek.

Tim is the the creative behind Tim Kuratek Photography - a local photographer, licensed and insured drone pilot specializing in cinematic drone photography and videography. His work also includes traditional handheld video and still photography across real estate, architecture, hospitality, local businesses, brands, events, athletes and tourism.

Before moving to Joshua Tree, Tim spent more than 15 years working in entertainment, including experience with CBS, Netflix and the advertising world. After years of working alongside photographers, directors, producers and other creatives, he was ready to get back to something more hands-on.

Then he moved to Joshua Tree.

And like so many of us who live here, he started noticing just how much was happening.

Incredible homes were being built. Businesses were opening. Artists were creating. Hospitality properties were taking shape. Events and experiences were bringing people together.

Tim also noticed something else: there was a real need for high-quality, cinematic drone work from someone who was actually local and understood professional production.

That became the beginning of what he does today.

From Entertainment to Building a Creative Business in Joshua Tree

Tim brings something pretty unique to his work here.

He isn't just someone who learned how to fly a drone. His background in entertainment means he understands production, storytelling, composition, and what it takes to create something that feels polished and intentional.

As Tim explained to me, it's really the combination of his production background and his obsession with flying cameras.

And I love that description.

Because when you look at his work, the drone doesn't simply feel like a tool for getting a higher angle. It becomes part of the story.

Tim wants the camera movement itself to add something to the experience.

Whether he's moving through architecture, following an athlete, capturing a hospitality property, or showing the scale of the desert, there's a cinematic quality that makes you feel like you're actually moving through the scene.

More Than Just Drone Photography

While cinematic drone photography and videography are Tim's specialties, his work goes well beyond aerial footage.

He also shoots traditional handheld video and still photography and works across real estate, architecture, hospitality, local businesses, brands, events, athletes, and tourism.

That can mean anything from professionally color-graded photography and individual video clips to fully edited short films and social media content.

Basically, if it looks cool in the air, Tim is probably interested.

And honestly, the High Desert gives him plenty to work with.

The Clients He Loves Working With

When I asked Tim what makes someone a great client, his answer was one of my favorites.

Someone who knows who they are.

His favorite clients have a strong identity and a clear sense of their brand, but they also trust him to figure out the best way to capture it visually.

He loves collaboration, but he also appreciates when someone can say:

"You know what you're doing. Go make something cool."

Those are often the projects where the best work happens.

There's something to be said for finding that balance between having a clear vision and trusting the creative person you've hired to bring it to life.

From Video Games to Flying Cameras

Every good Get Interviewed needs at least one unexpected fact, and Tim definitely delivered.

He grew up playing a lot of video games and was pretty good at them.

Turns out, that wasn't completely useless preparation for his career.

There's a surprising amount of crossover between years of using video game controllers and learning to fly FPV drones.

The difference?

Now the controller is connected to a flying camera.

And there is no reset button.

I think that's probably one of the better explanations I've heard for FPV flying.

From Nantucket to the Mojave

Tim was born and raised on Nantucket, which makes his move to Joshua Tree pretty fun to think about.

An island surrounded by ocean to the middle of the Mojave Desert.

The landscapes couldn't be more different, but Tim says there's something surprisingly similar about the two places: the sense of community.

He loves the neighborly feel of a smaller town, supporting local businesses, and being part of a tight-knit creative community.

And of course, he's already developed a very specific High Desert food obsession.

The Skaagen Dog at 29 Palms Beer Co.

According to Tim, he probably eats an unreasonable number of them.

Honestly, I respect it.

Why Local Matters

One of the things Tim is most passionate about is giving local businesses access to the same level of visual content they might expect from a production in Los Angeles or another major creative market, without having to bring an entire crew into the desert.

And I think that's such an important part of what is happening here.

The High Desert near Joshua Tree National Park has incredible architecture, hospitality, art, food, events, businesses, and creative people.

We don't need to import all of the talent.

There's so much of it already here.

Tim's work is helping local businesses and property owners tell their stories in a way that feels elevated while still feeling connected to the place itself.

Seeing the Desert Differently

When I asked Tim what he loves most about his work, his answer came back to his drone cinematography.

He loves showing people a place or experience from a perspective they wouldn't normally get to see.

And I think that's exactly what makes aerial photography so powerful here.

The desert is big and expansive. From Joshua Tree to Palm Springs to Route 66...

You can stand in one spot and see an incredible view, but getting above it changes the entire story.

You see how the buildings sit within the landscape. You see the relationship between the property and the surrounding desert. You see the scale, the textures, the roads, the mountains, and all of those little details that make the High Desert what it is.

For Tim, the goal isn't simply to show people another angle.

It's to create something that makes them feel something.

Supporting the Creative Community

This is exactly why I love doing Get Interviewed.

There are so many people quietly building really interesting things throughout Joshua Tree, Yucca Valley, 29 Palms, and the surrounding High Desert.

Tim is one of those people.

He took years of experience from a major entertainment market, combined it with a genuine love of flying cameras, and built something that allows him to work creatively while helping other local businesses, property owners, and brands tell their stories.

That's the kind of local talent I want to see more of.

People who aren't just living here, but contributing to what makes this place special.

Where to Find Tim

If you're looking for professional photography, cinematic drone footage, real estate imagery, hospitality content, brand photography, event coverage, or something completely outside the box, Tim is worth knowing.

You can see his work at timothykuratek.com and follow along on Instagram at @kuratekphoto, where he shares his newest drone and video work.

And if you're a local business, real estate professional, designer, hospitality owner, or creative with a story to tell, maybe it's time to look at your own project from a different perspective.

Literally.

Thank you, Tim, for sharing your story with us and for helping showcase the people, places, and creativity that make the High Desert so interesting.