Aerial photography is the process of capturing images from an elevated position, such as a plane or helicopter.
It’s used for everything from real estate marketing to military reconnaissance and disaster response.
While there are many types of aerial photography (including drone footage), this guide will focus on traditional manned aircraft as well as balloons and kites that carry cameras aloft.
History of Aerial Photography
Aerial photography is a relatively new field, but it has a long history.
The first use of aerial photography was in 1858 when French scientist Gaspard-F?lix Tournachon took a photograph from a balloon.
However, this image was only taken as an experiment and not used for any practical purpose.
Later on in 1861, another Frenchman named Nadar took photos from balloons using wet plates (glass plates coated with chemicals).
He also experimented with using cameras suspended from kites to take photographs from above ground level but he did not succeed because he could not keep them steady enough for any length of time due to wind resistance or turbulence caused by the kite itself moving through air currents at high speeds while carrying its payloads attached below its wingspan.”
Equipment for Aerial Photography
Equipment for Aerial Photography
Aerial cameras are the most important piece of equipment for aerial photography.
The camera should be able to shoot at least 4K resolution and have a wide angle lens with a minimum focal length of 24mm.
An ideal aerial camera would also have an interchangeable lens system so that you can use different lenses depending on your needs.
The aircraft used for aerial photography should be stable, easy to fly and able to carry heavy loads if necessary.
It should also have an autopilot feature so that you can focus on taking photos rather than controlling the aircraft manually during flight time (which could lead to mistakes).
For example: DJI Mavic Pro 2 drone is one such device which has all these features plus more!
Benefits of Aerial Photography
Real Estate
Environmental Monitoring
Surveying and Mapping
Disaster Management
Best Practices for Aerial Photography
Prepare for a Flight
Pre-Flight Safety Check
Weather Conditions
Camera Settings
Post-Flight Processing
Post-flight processing is the next step in creating your aerial imagery.
This process involves organizing and editing the data you’ve captured, as well as stitching together overlapping images into one composite image.
Data Storage and Organization
The first thing you’ll want to do is store all of your photos on a hard drive or other storage device.
You can use any sort of computer or laptop for this part–it doesn’t have to be an expensive machine!
Once they’re safely stored somewhere safe (like an external hard drive), organize them by date,
location and camera used so that it’s easy for you later when it comes time for editing or stitching images together into one larger file.
Image Editing
This next step involves getting rid of unwanted objects from within each photo taken during flight time.
Stitching Images
The final step before sharing with others takes place when multiple photographs are stitched together into one composite image using software such as Adobe
Common Aerial Photography Mistakes
Improper camera settings.
Poor lighting conditions.
Poorly stitched images.
Tips for Improving Aerial Photography Results
Choosing the Right Aircraft
Utilizing the Right Camera Settings
Using the Right Software
Aerial Photography Regulations
Before you get started, it’s important to be aware of the regulations surrounding aerial photography.
The FAA has strict rules about what can and cannot be done with drones.
For example, you can’t fly a drone over 400 feet (120 meters) in altitude or near airports without obtaining special permission from the FAA.
Additionally, there are privacy laws that may come into play depending on where your filming takes place;
if someone sees their property being shot from above and feels like their privacy has been invaded by this act then they could sue for damages.
Aerial Photography – Wrapping Up
This guide has covered a lot of ground, but there’s still much more to learn about aerial photography.
If you’re interested in learning more and getting started with your own drone, check out our guide on how to buy a drone.
If you have any questions or comments about this article, please leave them below! We’d love to hear from you!
