Types of Aerial Photography

You might think aerial photography is a fairly easy thing to define - taking a photograph from the
air. We would agree with you for the most part, however, there are some varients of aerial
photography that it is important to understand and there are also an increasing variety of
photographic methods referred to as aerial photography that are not so obvious.
The two main branches of aerial photography are those known as "oblique aerial photography"
and "vertical aerial photography"; the latter is sometimes also referred to as "overhead aerial
photography".
Oblique aerial photographs are taken from some kind of aircraft whether this is a fixed wing
aeroplane, helicopter or "lighter than air" craft (balloon). The subject is seen at an angle and
therefore the photographs are perceived by the human eye as having depth and definition. As
the name suggests, vertical aerial photographs are taken from directly overhead looking down
vertically and they therefore produce a mostly flat image almost like a map. Both methods were
largely developed for military purposes also have many civilian uses. Oblique aerial
photography is commonly used for aerial construction progress reports, archaeology,
advertising and promotion work, in the sale of commercial and residential property and land, in
legal disputes or just to produce a stunning aerial photograph for display. Vertical aerial
photographs are most commonly used for mapping projects, for land use or geomatic surveys,
farm evaluation, flood risk assessment and scientific studies.
A growing number of alternative photographic techniques are referring to themselves as aerial
photography when in fact they may more properly be called "elevated photography". These
techniques employ the use of various equipment to raise a camera (and sometimes the
photographer) above the ground to an elevated position. The method used to raise the camera
varies and examples include the use of telescopic poles or masts, kites or even the use of a
portable raised platform on which the photographer can stand.

Oblique Aerial Photography

Oblique photographs (also known as oblique aerial photographs or oblique air photographs) are
taken from a high point, which is at an angle neither horizontal (ground level photograph) nor
perpendicular (vertical aerial photograph) to the area being photographed. This angle is often
referred to as a slope. Not long after the development of the camera in the 19th century, to
achieve photographs from a sloping angle, oblique photographs began to be taken from
cameras attached to balloons, kites and even carrier pigeons. With the advent of modern
technology in more recent times, oblique photographs are now taken from an aeroplane or
helicopter.
Oblique photographs are usually divided into two main types. A high oblique photograph
features the horizon in the image. In high angle oblique aerial photography, the resulting image
captures a larger and wider view of the structure to be photographed and its surrounding areas,
both immediate and far. Because of the nature of the shot, it can include various structures and
a view of the horizon in the image. It can include mountains and hills, bodies of water and other
structures which are located some distance away from the subject.
A low oblique photograph is directed at a lower angle, which means that the horizon is not
visible. On the other hand, shots taken with low angle oblique aerial photography do not include
the apparent horizon of the structure. The resulting image includes only the subject and the
other things in its immediate surroundings as it covers a smaller area as compared to images
taken using high angle oblique aerial photography. This is quite limiting in the sense that it
excludes some geographical or structural landmarks which can be used to enhance the overall
view and feel of the image. However, this aerial photography technique provides a nearer and
much clearer view of the structure as opposed to high angle oblique aerial photography.
The uses of oblique photographs are endless. Cartographers use them to construct physical
and topographical maps. The property and construction industries also use oblique photographs
to record and measure properties, as well as to track the progress of development sites.

Marketing and Advertising

Shots taken from both low angle oblique aerial photography and high angle oblique aerial
photography are used by real estate marketers and advertisers to promote their commercial and
residential products. They can be added to brochures, magazines, posters, and may even be
made into a slideshow. Images taken using oblique aerial photography can be use alongside
ground level photographs to further attract potential buyers.

Urban Community Planning

Oblique aerial photography is also helpful for community planners. Unlike flat and map-like
images from vertical aerial photography, oblique aerial photography provides the community
planners with a better and more realistic view of the whole area, including the surrounding
mountains and hills and others.

Construction Progress and Damage Analysis

Oblique aerial photography also helps engineers and architects to survey the upper outside
levels of the building or structure they are working on. It can help them assess outside damage
which cannot otherwise be seen from the inside. In addition, they can use the images taken for
progress report.

Advantages and disadvantages

Oblique photographs have a number of advantages. They show more of an area than ground
level photographs, since their view is not obscured by hills, trees or houses. Oblique
photographs can also easily be assessed and understood. The perspective of an oblique
photograph is similar to that of a conventional (ground-level) photograph, so the physical and
cultural features of the landscape are still recognisable. This is unlike vertical aerial photographs
which are presented from a map-like perspective.

Another advantage of oblique photographs is that they do not require the aircraft to fly directly
overhead the area being photographed. This is particularly useful in the case of photoreconnaissance by the military.
A major disadvantage of an oblique photograph is that scale is inconsistent. This means that
while distances can be calculated in the foreground, according to the provided scale, distances
which are closer to the horizon would be completely inaccurate if calculated using the same
scale.

High oblique photo

Low oblique photo

VERTICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Vertical aerial photography is an aerial photography technique where the shots are taken from
directly above the subject of the image. Hence, this method of aerial photography is also often
referred to as overhead aerial photography. As such, in the resulting image, all you will see is a
flat and map-like image of the rooftops and canopies of the building and structure being
photographed, as well as the roads or other items that surround the subject.

TYPES OF VERTICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

There are three common ways that vertical aerial photography can be conducted by your choice
aerial photography company.
Low Altitude For this particular shot, the resulting images will show bigger and closer
shots of the subject and its surroundings.
Medium Altitude Here, the resulting images of the subject and the surroundings are
smaller than those produced in low altitude vertical aerial photography, but still bigger
than those produced in high altitude vertical photography.
High Altitude The images of the subject and its surroundings produced from high
altitude vertical aerial photography are way smaller than those produced from low
altitude and medium altitude vertical aerial photography. Nonetheless, they are able to
cover a wider section of the land or estate.

DRAWBACKS OF VERTICAL AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Because of the nature by which the image of the subject and its surroundings is taken, the
resulting photo from vertical aerial photography is a flat and map-like image. This in a way can
be considered its biggest drawback since it does not help the viewer gauge the scale and the
height of the subject or structure being photographed. In addition, viewers are unable to develop
an idea about the depth and definition of the subject and the surroundings, unlike the resulting
images from oblique aerial photography.

Examples of vertical photo