All You Need to Know About Aerial Photography

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All you Need to know about Aerial Photography
Aerial photography involves creating
larger-than-life imagery that leaves a lasting
impact on viewers. Its the image that allows you
to make a grand entrance irrespective of the
type of industry you are in. Aerial photography
is also an excellent way to show details that
would otherwise have been less obvious to the
viewer. Aerial photography has gained a lot of
traction in recent years, all thanks to the
advancement in drone technology. Using drones for
aerial photography is now a common thing. Drone
photography is now possible and affordable
irrespective of the size of your business, which
means you have endless possibilities now to
market yourself better. If you are new to the
whole concept of aerial images or still
discovering how it can benefit your company, you
are at the right place. This post will help you
understand more about aerial photography and its
applications. So, what are you waiting for, lets
dive in! What is Aerial Photography?
Aerial photography is the way of taking photos
from the air. Basically, aerial photography is
the technique of shooting the Earths surface or
highlights of its climate or hydrosphere from
the elevated/direct-down position with a camera
mounted on an aircraft, helicopter, balloon,
rocket, kite, or skydiver. Aerial photos are
important to obtain useful data and information
about an area. Today, aerial photography is
being used extensively in agricultural
management, forestry, pollution and
conservation, urban planning, wildlife
management, and more.
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History of Aerial Photography- French
photographer and balloonist, Gaspar Felix
Tournachon, also known as Nadar, was the first
man known to take an aerial photograph. The very
first aerial photograph was a view of the village
Petit-Becetre in France. The photo was taken
from a tethered hot-air balloon, 80 meters above
the ground. Given the complexity of the early
collodion photographic process, it was no mean
feat. Gradually, advancements in photographic
technology made it easier for photographers to
take cameras into the skies using hot air
balloons. However, that was not the only carrier
they used. It was also common to see aerial
photographers use kites, pigeons, and rockets to
carry their cameras aloft. And when the airplane
was invented by the Wright brothers, it became
the next most commonly used means for taking
aerial photographs. Even though Wilbur Wright
was not a photographer, he took the first aerial
photograph from an airplane in 1909 to market
his planes to the Italian government. So, you can
also say that was the first time someone used
aerial photographs for marketing
purposes. During World War II wartime aerial
images and video became commonplace in
newspapers, magazines, and movie theater
newsreels. Following the end of the war, the
aerial camera was used for non-military purposes.
Sherman Fairchild took a series of overlapping
photographs and made an aerial map of Manhattan
Island. Thus, aerial photography also became an
important means for conducting land surveys and
mapping. Until just a few years ago, aerial
photography was mostly limited to military,
hobbyists, and people with access to airplanes
and helicopters. It wasnt until 2013 that
companies around the world started investing in
drones. New hardware and software gave rise to
the availability of drones in stores. Combined
with commercial permission to fly drones given
by the Federal Aviation Administration led to an
explosion in the use of drones in aerial
photography. From commercial uses, like real
estate agents getting eye-catching photographs of
the property for listing, to artistic
expressions, like beautiful images of cities from
above on social networking sites, aerial
photography is now booming. What are the
Different Types of Aerial Photography? Based on
the camera axis, there are three types of aerial
photography vertical, low oblique, and high
oblique. Each of these types involves tilting the
camera to a specific degree for specific
needs. Vertical Photographs- As the name
suggests the camera axis is in a vertical
position that results in an image with a
relatively small amount of area covered. As
these vertical images are taken overhead, they
are perfect for mapping.
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• Low Oblique Photographs- For this, you need to
  tilt the camera axis to more than three degrees,
  which means the horizon wont be visible in the
  final image. Such photographs are very useful
  for taking close-up aerial shots that require
  more detail. So, this is the most common angle
  you would find in advertisements, real estate
  listings, etc.
• High Oblique Photographs- For covering larger
  areas that also include horizon in the final
  shot, the camera axis is tilted to approximately
  60 degrees. This is perfect for giving you a
  wider view of an area so you can identify
  geographical features and landmarks. Such images
  are ideal for topography, geographic surveys, and
  identifying archaeological features.
• Commercial Applications of Aerial Photography-
  The uses for aerial photography are endless, we
  have only just started making sense of its
  possibilities. Our clients have used the aerial
  images we have captured for different purposes
  such as data collection, assets management,
  showcasing properties, presentations, etc. This
  means the uses are endless, so lets learn how
  commercial aerial photography can help propel
  your business to the next level.
• Real estate listings- With the help of drones,
  now its easier than ever to make your property
  stand out. High-quality aerial photos of the
  property help showcase your homes exterior and
  neighboring areas in detail, so you can close
  the deals quicker.
• Agriculture- Drone photography is also excellent
  to survey crops and huge farms, which would have
  been very difficult and time taking otherwise.
• Inspection- Routine safety inspections are
  critical in industries that deal with wind
  energy, construction, oil and gas pipelines, etc.
  Aerial photography can easily assist in safely
  capturing the images of the required locations.
• Advertisements- Aerial photography makes your
  advertisement stand out from the crowd by
  providing eye-catching images that have the power
  to grab consumers attention. Recreational
  properties like golf courses, amusement parks,
  water parks, cruise ships can benefit hugely from
  incorporating aerial photography into your
  advertising campaigns.
• Social Media Websites- With millions of people
  spending a huge amount of time on social media
  channels like Facebook and Instagram and
  accessing websites for more information,
  maintaining an online presence is more important
  than ever. Including high-quality, eye-catching
  photos is a powerful way to make your website
  and social media channels stand out from your
  competition.
• Construction- Construction companies are
  benefitting hugely from aerial photography by
  using the images captured to document their
  progress, build strategies, and also avoid
  litigation. As an aerial photography agency in
  Dubai,

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• we have spent a great amount of time working with
  constructing companies in the region.
• Sports Photography- Drones have made it possible
  to capture stunning aerial photographs of
  fast-paced outdoor games like baseball, football,
  soccer, and auto racing.
• Cartography- Aerial photography is not just great
  to look at but also a powerful tool for
  cartographers to use when mapping new roads or
  unexplored areas.
• Event Photography- Its often very difficult to
  capture large-scale events. Aerial photography
  can be easily used to capture unique angles of
  the event. These stunning photographs can also
  be used to market your events in the future.