Whether you work in surveying or real estate, or are a business owner who needs photographs of your own establishment, it is important to know the various angles and techniques aerial photographers can use to get the pictures you need.

In this article, we will discuss three different types of aerial photography: Oblique, Vertical, and Panoramic. Each method will produce a very different result and it is important to choose the method most suited to the situation you want to display.

Oblique Aerial Photography - In oblique-angle aerial photography, the camera is focused at any angle between three degrees from vertical and  the horizon. There are two basic types of oblique: high-angle and low-angle. In high-angle oblique, the apparent horizon is shown, while in low-angle oblique the horizon is not. With high oblique photography, atmospheric haze and clouds often prevent the viewer from seeing the true horizon. The furthest point viewable in high oblique aerial photography is called the apparent horizon.

Vertical Aerial Photography - In vertical angle photography, photos are taken from an aerial platform, either stationary or moving, where the camera axis is truly vertical at the moment of exposure. In photographic terms, a 3-degree variance can occur, after that, it becomes “oblique”. The advantage of vertical aerial photography is that the scale is essentially constant. Measurements of directions are easier and generally more accurate than on an oblique photograph. These types of shots often resemble a map as they look straight down and can be used to plot points on land.

Panoramic Aerial Photography - Panoramic photography is achieved by stitching a number of photographs together to form a single “Wide” shot. Panoramic aerial photography can be done using full-sized helicopters, their unmanned counterparts, or pole cams. Pole cams are good for very low altitudes but they are limited to about 100 feet and road access is needed. Full-sized helicopters are the platform of choice for high-altitude panoramas; however new technologies permit unmanned helicopters, coupled with advanced GPS autopilot stabilization systems, to be positioned within a few feet from any elevation or location. This type of aerial photography is perfect for showing views from proposed or under-construction high-rise buildings.



Knowing the different types of aerial photography available can help you get the exact type of photos you need.



Thanks to Gabriel Killian for contributing this article to our Photography blog:

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It doesn’t matter if the aircraft concerned is a helicopter or a high winged light aircraft. Strong winds or gusts may put the aircraft outside its operating limits and therefore make it unsafe to fly. In the UK this situation is not uncommon but its chances of occurring can be minimised if the aircraft is located at an airfield with many runways in different directions. This allows the pilot to minimise the crosswind component and take advantage of a head wind on takeoff and landing.

Once the aircraft is in the air the weather can pose a whole new range of problems for the photographer. The main problems that may be encountered while undertaking aerial photography and Aerial Event Photography include:

* Low cloud, mist and fog.

This causes the obvious problem of being unable to see the ground and the features which you are trying to photograph. This is likely to cause problems for nearly all forms of aerial photography.

* High cloud, poor light.

This situation is common throughout the UK and although it restricts some aerial photographic operations its affect on others are small. For example Survey Photography undertaken for the purposes of monitoring traffic or pipeline work may be able to operate in these conditions. However, Oblique Aerial Photography undertaken for marketing purposes would probably not be undertaken in these conditions. This is mainly due to the cloud shadows which would make the images unattractive and give a mottled effect.

* Haze, poor horizontal visibility

Haze is one of the biggest problems for Oblique Aerial Photography because it can reduce visibility down to several kilometres when the sky is clear and the weather looks spectacular from the ground.

* High winds.

High winds can make it very difficult to position the aircraft at a site. This is especially true when a specific view is required or while photographing position sensitive sites such as Horse Racing Event Photography. During this form of Event Aerial Photography it is very important not to go over the race course while the horses are out and if the wind requires the aircraft to ‘crap’ along the course it may not be possible to get the shots required.

It is obvious the weather has a major influence on commercial aerial photography and must be monitored closely to take advantages of the right conditions.

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Thanks to Keith McGregor for contributing this article to our Photography blog:

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