Aerial photography can be as challenging as it can be for the pro shooter. Quite a few choices need to be made to obtain exceptional results, everything from style of aircraft to subject material and time of day. Working together is also necessary because the photographer and pilot have to communicate well in order that the photographer to obtain the desired images. This article covers aerial photography platforms with a small volume of photography technical data. Part two will give you the technical and creative side of aerial work.

While aerial photography has been achieved with everything from hot air balloons to space shuttles for the majority of us we’re somewhat restricted with the resources we’ve got available. I’ve utilized helicopters, fixed wing airplanes and ultralights for my work and I will deal with these in a little more detail in my individual order of preference.

Helicopters:

Aerial photography using helicopters is probably the easiest platform to work from under the majority of conditions. When utilized especially for photography nearly all pilots will permit the removal of a door providing a sizable workable shooting area obtainable. This is very advantages since you can literally pan the camera to keep the subject within the frame while still traveling in a straight forward path. Helicopters also provide spectacular turning characteristics so you will find that there’s far less lost time when you circle back to shoot from a alternative height or angle.

There are several disadvantages in shooting from helicopters however. For starters is the big expense, easily $500 each hour or so for a Robinson R22 to $1,500 or more for a large jet. It is extremely impressive the amount you can shoot in several hours however the credit card can take a huge hit after you land. Do you really need a jet helicopter for most uses? I’ve utilized both the smaller Robinson’s and large jet helicopters and have had very good results with each. Some will argue that the bigger helicopters are a little less dangerous however I will leave that up to the experts. Jet helicopters are considerably quicker so if you are going large distances they might have an advantage. Secondly, vibrations are an issue based on a number of factors. My experience has been that a good pilot can frequently hit a “sweet spot” where the helicopter settles into a somewhat smooth forward motion. This generally isn’t when you hover, forward motion plays a part.

Helicopter photography from a technical point of view can be both a challenge and an exhilarating experience. If you can’t remove the doors wear dark clothes and make certain you have a lens shade installed. The majority of the windows are Plexiglas and tend to have scratches so you will probably wish to shoot relatively wide open to restrict the depth of field. Window tint may additionally be a problem although this can typically be cleaned up in Photoshop or some other editor. I recommend shooting RAW for this reason. Whatever you do, don’t place any part of your body or camera against the sides of the helicopter because the vibration will transfer over to the camera and cause unsharp photographs. Life is easier without doors but be aware of the turbulence in the event you lean out a little too far. The buffeting could be very strong. All gear as well as other equipment needs to be securely fastened to your body or a harness, you don’t want to think about what might happen should you drop a lens or camera out of the door! I go as far as taping the lens hood to the lens as a safety precaution as I’m sure the tail rotors would make quick work of a lost lens hood, possibly with bad consequences. If at all possible work with a few different cameras so you can keep switching lenses and memory cards down to a minimum.

I try to keep my shutter speeds around 1/1000 or faster if at all possible but have had reasonable success close to 1/500. If this means boosting the ISO as the light fades I do this in preference to having relatively blurred photographs. This should allow for an aperture of about f5.6 in most conditions although as the light fades you might be looking at f2.8 or so, a good reason to have fast lenses.

Ultralight:

When i first did aerial photography from an ultralight in Costa Rica a few years back. I have to disclose I really didn’t know what to expect because all my previous aerial photography had been done from helicopters up to that time. I expected a significant amount of vibration as well as undesirable wind buffeting but was in for a great shock. Ultralights are definitely a fantastic aerial photography platform under the proper circumstances which is when you tend to fly them anyway. They do get thrown around slightly but usually the vibrations are not as bad as helicopters. While they are not as maneuverable as helicopters they are better than fixed wing aircraft. Perhaps the only downsides are, they are somewhat slow and you have to feel comfortable in them because they are extremely bare bones and seat of the pants!

Fixed wing aircraft:

Likely the bulk of aerial photography is done using fixed wing aircraft. Although not as maneuverable as helicopters they are still very capable shooting platforms under the right conditions. Make an effort to obtain an airplane with a high wing such as the Cessna 172 Skyhawk to get the best view. The low winged airplanes seriously restrict the view below! Even with high wings the wing strut will probably be in the way, it’s just not generally located in a good placement for photography. I am sure some photographers fly with the doors off however in general you will be flying either shooting through a small opening window or perhaps through the glass. In either case, placement of the plane is extremely critical to line up the photograph so a good pilot preferably with experience working with photographers is a must. What is the greatest benefit of a fixed wing platform? Price! Probably 1/4 or even less of what the helicopter will cost.

Getting organized:

Flying in circles searching for photographs could be very exciting as well as entertaining until you land and discover how much money you invested without having really achieving anything. Do your research ahead of time and obtain a good idea about what you would like to photograph and how you’ll accomplish it. What side of the aircraft will you end up shooting from? What elevation or various altitudes are needed? When will the light be the best? Often you’ll find that one flight will not produce all of the required photographs as a result of some of these decisions and a second or even third flight may be necessary.

Once you have done your homework you’re ready to find your aircraft. What is your budget is probably the biggest decision here in addition to which kind of aircraft are available? Employ an excellent pilot, ideally one that has experience working with photographers! Pilots do vary and some are better than others in terms of understanding the requirements associated with aerial photography. Go over a flight plan and stick with it. The most important component of the shoot is the pilot calls the shots and has the final say in what is going to be done. They understand the regulations, safety issues and the bottom line; they are responsible for you, the aircraft as well as the individuals on the ground!

Happy shooting!

Kevin Oke is a professional aerial photographer living on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada.

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