Introduction To Aerial Photography

By Author: Toufic Araman
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Aerial photography is broadly defined as any photography of the ground that takes place from an elevated position. From a technical point of view, the camera taking the photographs should not be attached to any ground-based structure. Aircraft and helicopters are most commonly used for aerial photography but rockets, blimps, hot-air balloons, kites and parachutes can also be used.

Early Applications of Aerial Photography
French balloonist and photographer, Gaspard-Felix Tournachon combined his two passions and created what is believed to be the first aerial photographs. In 1858, he successfully took stills of Paris while flying in his hot air balloon. Almost 50 years later, a short German silent documentary film on the Wright Brothers flying machine was shot over Rome using a motion picture camera. With the success of the film, it wasn't long before the benefits of aerial photography became clear. By 1911, a Russian military engineer invented a semi-automatic aerial camera and this was used in World War I. Other engineers grasped onto this idea and refined the use of the aerial camera for military purposes. The ...
... information obtained became vital in several major battles during the war. By World War II, aerial photography became an essential part of military planning and strategy.

Modern Applications of Aerial Photography
Today, aerial photography is widely used in real estate and property development. Aerial photographs allow developers to get a bird's eye view of the terrain and effectively map out real estate developments. Many topographical maps were created using aerial photographs combined with land surveys. Powerful cameras can zoom in on specific areas that may be more inaccessible over land.

Many geological and environmental surveys use aerial photography to map out sections of land. Often, the topography reflects the underlying rock terrain. Geologists can predict with a relative degree of certainty if an area would be suitable for mining, for example. Environmental scientists can evaluate the effects of development or mining in a particular area. The full extent and effects of destruction of natural vegetation and erosion are rarely seen on the ground but an aerial photograph can provide a clearer picture. Aerial photography is a non-intrusive way of evaluating land use in a wide variety of industrial applications.

Marketing applications have also grown and aerial photographs and videos are frequently used in advertisements. Think of one of the many car advertisements where you see the new model vehicle hugging a coastal roadway. The shot was most likely taken from a helicopter hovering nearby. Or think about the tropical island resort as seen from the air, giving you a sense of flying over it in a plane. In the travel and tourism industry, aerial photography is used quite extensively, especially when showcasing large expansive properties, resorts and regions.

Technical Aspects of Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is not as simple as taking your camera into an aircraft or helicopter. There are many additional factors to consider if you want to come away with a good photograph. The first thing to keep in mind is that the aircraft will be moving at high speeds. Often, you will have to time your shots just right to be able to effectively capture your subject matter. Adjusting light and shutter speeds are important considerations. Motion control or stability settings are also important. On the ground, photographers would typically use tripods but an aircraft vibrates as it flies so a standard tripod with be completely ineffective in providing stability control while flying. There are brackets and tripods that are specifically designed for aerial photography. These are usually for the semi-automatic type cameras that are fixed to the underside of an aircraft.

There are also regulations relating to flying altitudes and speeds, especially in residential or developed areas. For this reason, you may not be able to use a piloted aircraft to capture your photographs. For projects such as real estate developments where photographs are required at an altitude of less than 500 meters, radio-controlled helicopters have provided a solution. Able to fly at relatively slow speeds compared to larger piloted aircraft and at much lower altitudes, radio-controlled aircraft can capture excellent aerial photographs for a real estate development project.

The type of aircraft used in aerial photography will depend largely on the subject matter and type of project. Shooting advertisements generally requires a great deal of mobility so a helicopter is usually the aircraft of choice. This is because a helicopter is able to hover in one position, fly straight up to gain greater perspective, turn at relatively sharp angles and even go backwards. For a more industrial application, such as geological aerial mapping, the area to be surveyed is usually quite large. It is also frequently uninhabited so limitations on flying speed and altitude are less of a concern. In this instance, the aircraft of choice will probably be a fixed wing airplane. It is usually fitted with a semi-automatic camera that is located under the belly of the aircraft.
About Author:
Araman Studio is a creator of beautiful things. When you need a photographer dubai or virtually anywhere in the Middle East to capture the beauty of the area and you in it, visit us today. Araman is the Middle East official photographer for Starwood hotels - Sheraton, Meridien, Grosvenor House, Four Points by Sheraton and The Westin. He also teaches photography at the American University in Dubai.