A method for controlling photography using an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is performed by a mobile terminal. After obtaining a photographing start command, the photographing start command being associated with a photographic sample, the mobile terminal generates a combined operation command according to the photographic sample. The combined operation command may include one or more flight parameters of the UAV. Next, the mobile terminal establishes a wireless connection with the UAV and then sends the combined operation command to the UAV via the wireless connection. The UAV then performs a corresponding series of actions sequentially according to the combined operation command to capture an image.