Aerial photography is the art of taking photographs an in elevated position from the ground. Aerial Photography is usually the term that is referred to when the images taken from the camera are not supported by any type of ground based structure. Aerial Photographs may be triggered remotely, they may be triggered automatically or they may be taken by photographers, the cameras can be hand held or mounted. There are many different types of platforms for Aerial Photography, some og these include:
Fixed Wing Aircraft
Balloons
Kites
Helicopters
Dirigibles and Blimps
Rockets
Parachutes
Poles
The History of Aerial Photography
Gaspard-Felix Tournachon was a balloonist and photographer from France, he was the first person to practice Aerial Photography. He was widely known as 'Nadar' in Paris (France) 1858. It was on April 24th 1909 the first use of a motion picture camera was used, this camera was mounted to a heavier-than-air aircraft and was used over Rome. It was used in 'Wilbur Wright und seine Flugmaschine the 3:28 silent short film.
Some of the uses of Aerial Photography
Aerial Photography has many different uses, and is becoming more and more popular today, as technology gets better, the images and ways they can be taken in an aerial sense also improve. Bellow are some examples of what Aerial Photography is used in today:
Cartography uses Aerial Photography; they are particularly relied upon in Photogrammetric Surveys. Photogrammetric Surveys are often the basis for Topographic Maps
Commercial Advertising - The camera is usually mounted on a plane or helicopter allowing a great range of movement and speed to achieve the required photography.
Surveillance - This is performed similarly to the Commercial Advertising but will use very high tech equipment, that can take many shots in a short period of time, the image quality will be great zoomed in aswell
Archaeology
Movie Production - This type of Aerial Photography will be like Surveillance, also high tech equipment but also accompanied with video footage.
Conveyancing
Environmental Studies
Artistic Projects - Aerial Photography will tend to focus on landmarks and great views above land.
GIS systems are often what are used to process Aerial Photography. Property Analysis (Phase Environmental Site Assessments) heavily use Aerial Photography in the United States.
Low altitude Aerial Photography is now possible by radio control due to advances in today's technology (Radio Controlled Models). The camera equipment is mounted on to radio controlled equipment like (planes and blimps), Blimps are usually the preferred choice as they are easier to control at low speeds. Real Estate advertising has greatly benefited from this, this is because a full manned aircraft by law is prohibited from flying at low altitudes above populated locations. Therefore small scale model remote controlled models which are allowed to fly above populated areas open up the possibilities for better Aerial Photography. These small planes cannot replace a full size aircraft tho as they only have short fly times. Lower altitudes and can carry less equipment.
I have been interested in photography for as long as I can remember. And have experimented with many different forms. Among my favorites are photographs that I have taken from a unique perspective such as a single engine airplane or glider. These are among my most fascinating accomplishments in the field of photography. And I have learned that aerial photography can lend some assistance to your personal creativity.
History
Aerial photography is defined as the taking of photographs from the air with a camera mounted or hand held on an aircraft, helicopter, spacecraft, balloon, rocket, kite, skydiver or similar airborne vehicle. Aerial photography is an important artistic and commercial skill, which was first developed by a French airman by the name of Felix Nadar who took his first aerial photos from a hot air balloon 1858.
This new technology was first used extensively during World War I where in 1918 units in France took as many as 10,000 photos per night during peak activity. Throughout World War II aerial photos where used extensively for military operations to spy on the enemy and assess their installations and ground fighting capabilities. These photographs provided updated and realistic impressions of the topography as well as troop movement on the ground and potential targets. Once an attack against the enemy was complete aerial reconnaissance photographs were used to assess damage and to form an opinion as to success of the mission.
In 1957, aerial photography reached new heights with the Russian's first satellite launch of the Sputnik. This was the beginning of satellite imagery. Then in 1972, with the first launch of Landsat satellites by NASA satellite imagery was sold commercially for the first time.
Today's Uses
There are many potential commercial and non-commercial uses for photographs taken from above. Today they are used for developing topographic maps, planning land use, archeology, production of movies, espionage, environmental and weather studies, commercial color advertising for magazines, billboards, posters and postcards, hobbies, and many other fields.
The use of technology has also crawled into this field of photography. Advances in radio control technology have allowed for the use of aircraft models which are controlled from the ground to conduct low-altitude photography. This solution is primarily used for advertising and in the real estate industry to address safety regulations that prohibit manned aircraft from flying at low altitudes over populated areas. These radio-controlled aircraft work well in this environment and offer a low cost solution to the photographer.
Public Domain
Aerial photographs are considered public domain because the pictures are taken from aerial views which are considered public places. As a result you will find that there are many ways to view aerial photographs on-line. One of the most popular today can be found at Google Earth, which provides satellite imagery as well as aerial photos of the planet. You can actually use the service to search for places in a given area such as parks, restaurants, schools and hotels. It can also be used to identify the best routes for reaching a given destination. You can also view the aerial photographs from different angles by tilting and rotating them on screen.
If you are interested in learning more about this topic you can browse through some basic materials at your local library or use the internet, which offers a wealth of information on the history, benefits and commercial service providers. Additionally, if you are just starting out or wish to expand your hobbies as a photographer just stop by your local community airport. There you will find a number of flight schools and other flight services where for a reasonably small investment you can enjoy a one hour flight and add many interesting photos to your portfolio.
Both Daniel Owen & Rick Calligaris are contributors for EditorialToday. The above articles have been edited for relevancy and timeliness. All write-ups, reviews, tips and guides published by EditorialToday.com and its partners or affiliates are for informational purposes only. They should not be used for any legal or any other type of advice. We do not endorse any author, contributor, writer or article posted by our team.
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