The Art Of Outdoor Aerial Photography
Author: I Henman

Dating back to the early nineteenth century when the French
used photography from high above the ground to find enemy
positions in the First World War, aerial photography or the
method of taking pictures with a 'bird's eye' view of the
ground below from an airplane, rocket, satellite or kite has
become a common method of reconnoitering land features.

Aerial photography is extensively used during war to guide
invasions through land and is a guiding factor in naval
warfare. Apart from military operations, aerial photography
also unravels geological irregularities and can pin point
international boundaries with relative ease and conviction.

Aerial Photography – Is it Legal

Though there is an element of foreboding surrounding aerial
photography, since it is mostly done without much fanfare, it
is considered quite legal since taking photographs do not
necessarily involve trespassing or seizing the photographed
part of a property – land or sea. However, certain strategic
locations in any country are beyond the reach of the aerial
camera for the safety and security of the nation.

Benefits of Aerial Photography

It is ideally suited for studying the topography of a region.
Mountains, valleys, river systems and terrain can be
classically pictured. It helps to select the sites of important
installations like hydroelectric power projects or irrigation
channel, which otherwise could have posed problematic. Aerial
photography is also preferred by real estate developers whose
area of operation is usually very extensive, sometimes covering
several miles where a complete new township or rural community
living quarters often takes shape. These aerial photographs are
also useful for promotional work.

The United States Geological Survey has done some remarkable
work with the help of aerial photography by categorizing
different zones based on altitude, terrain type, nature of
sub-soil, vegetation and other resources. Aerial photography is
also used in GIS, which deals with maps and charts. Various
state and federal governments benefit from this while planning
or relocating satellite townships as well as restructuring
existing ones.

Aerial photography – the only answer

Natural disasters like earthquake, flood, tornado, timber fire,
volcanic eruptions etc can only be photographed from air to
ascertain the enormity of the damage. The same is also true for
space photographs. Aerial photography done by spaceships in
mapping our planet is simply remarkable. Aerial photographs of
the moon's surface and the interior of Mars is yet another
achievement, hitherto inconceivable to mankind.

Aerial photography – for the wicked one, too

Paparazzi all over the world are ready to pay anything to get
aerial photographs of celebrity activities that are usually
away from the public eye. The late shipping tycoon, Aristotle
Onasiss is believed to have paid a million dollars to suppress
the scantily clad Jacquiline's photographs surreptitiously
taken by an aerial camera from the couple's personal island.


About The Author: If you found this article interesting about
aerial photography then take a moment to visit our website for
more photography and outdoor resources at
http://www.allphotographytips.com/ and
http://www.openairactivities.com/