The art of aerial photography involves taking pictures from above. Aerial photography can be performed with many different aircraft, including hot air balloons, helicopters and planes. However, drones are the most popular type. This art form dates back to the middle of 19th century. In 1858, the first aerial photographs were taken in Paris from a hot-air balloon. A couple decades later, a British meteorologist named E.D. Archibald created a kite with a camera and a tiny explosive on a timing device that triggered a photo.
Since then, aerial photography has evolved a lot. Drones, planes and other aerial photography equipment have made this genre more accessible for photographers of all levels. While aerial shots of the landscape still inspire admiration, competition has increased.
To get an impressive aerial photo, it is important to think about more than the drone or aircraft that you use. For aerial photos that are unique, composition, timing, and technique are all equally important.
Enjoy Inspirational Tips and Tricks for Aerial Photographers
The majority of online articles on aerial photography are focused on the gear, technique and camera settings. We won’t go into the technical details, even though they are important for sharp photos, because there are so many other posts that have great information. You can, for example, read this article on 12 professional tips to take sharp aerial photos.
After you master the technical aspects of aerial photography you will face a new challenge: composition. What are some ways to create images that will catch the eye? What should your subject be? The same questions apply to all genres, even aerial photography. Here are some images and ideas to help inspire your answers.
TIP 1: Shoot early in the day or late at night
The angle at which the sun is positioned during outdoor shootings can have a significant impact on the photos you take. The same applies to aerial photography. The angle of the sun is more critical during aerial photography. Your subjects’ appearance will change dramatically depending on what time it is.
You’ll get more dramatic shadows in the early morning or evening, and beautiful colors that are tinged gold. You’ll have a better chance of getting interesting shots and stunning views if you plan your photo shoot for the beginning or the end of the day.
Ragnar Th Sigurdsson/Arctic-images – Ittoqqoormiit Village, North side of the Scoresby Sound, Greenland
Find people.
Naturally, people attract attention. They can be a small part of your composition but still ensure viewers are able to focus and relate with the photo. These elements can add emotional depth to photos, and also create an impression of size, by showing the true scale of a landscape. Negative space and minimalist photography are often used in aerial photography when people appear in the picture. The subject appears small and is surrounded by empty space.
Simple and clean compositions are best.
When your photo is full of details, it can be difficult to focus on specific aspects. If you capture too many details, viewers will not have much to look at. Your viewers will get distracted by the scenery, making your photo less memorable.
Keep your photo simple and clean to allow viewers to appreciate your scene. It may be necessary to remove elements that you like, but it is better to take multiple photos than to try and fit everything in one.
Janette Anderson – Luxor, Egypt
Tip 4: Have a clear horizon.
Try to make your image with a level, strong horizon. This will make the horizon the main focus of the image. The horizon will be the focal point of your image. Your viewers’ eyes will use the horizon as an anchor to take in all other details.
Mark Sides – Sunrise over Manitoba
Tips 5) Create your picture with horizontal/vertical line…
You can also use horizontal and vertical lines to anchor your picture. You can create horizontal lines using a train track, a coastline or a river. The horizontal line may not look as level and straight as an horizon but will still attract viewers.
Steve Stanger – tracks (DJI Phantom photo)
You can also use diagonal lines.
As with horizontal and vertical line, diagonal lines guide viewers to the image even if it is full of details. If you want to create a street-like composition, use many diagonal lines. Or, stick to a strong, single line that cuts across your photo.
Janette Anderson – Luxor, Egypt
Tip 7) Try a portrait (vertical) orientation.
Remember to rotate aerial photographs so you can get landscape shots (horizontal), as well as portrait photos (vertical). A portrait orientation is equally effective, even though most aerial photos are landscape oriented.
You can also use this to add more creativity when you print or submit your photographs for publication. You may end up needing a vertical image. Variety is good for magazines and agencies that sell stock photos.
Gerardo “Tito” Paez – Paso de montana
Tips 8) Do not allow condensation or smudges to appear on your screen.
A distracting reflection or smudge can ruin a beautiful composition. The best aerial photographs are usually taken through open windows, or with drones.
You can take great photos through the windows of commercial aircraft if prepared. It’s essential to bring a clean cloth with you so that you can remove any smudges. You won’t have the ability to remove ice or condensation outside but you can still snap photos at an early stage of your flight before they build up.
The next step is to minimize reflections. Wear neutral colours like gray to start, since your reflection is the biggest problem. Gray shirts will create reflections, but they won’t distract as much as a red shirt.
Instead, you can cup your hand around the lens to block reflections while holding the camera close to the windows. You can also cup your hands around the lens and hold the camera near the window to prevent reflections.
You’ll also want to switch off the flash as it will only reflect on your window. If you haven’t done so already, change to manual focus. You can then keep the camera’s focus on the outside scene, and not the window pane.
Michael Paul – Sometimes clouds can paint the sky a certain way ….
The images above were chosen from the Flickr and newsletter community. Many of the images were taken from a challenge we had on “Aerial photography.” Join our mailing list to be the first one to know about future challenges!