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Aerial photography can be as challenging as it can get for the pro photographer. Numerous choices are necessary to get stunning results, everything from type of aircraft to subject material and time of day. Working together is also essential as the photographer and pilot need to communicate effectively in order for the photographer to obtain the sought after pictures. This post covers aerial photography platforms with a modest volume of photography technical data. Part two will give you the technical and creative facet of aerial photography.

While aerial photography has been attained with everything from hot air balloons to space shuttles for many of us we’re somewhat limited in the options we have available. I have used helicopters, fixed wing airplanes and ultralights for my work and I’ll deal with these in a little more depth in my individual order of preference.

Helicopters:

Aerial photography from helicopters is probably the easiest platform to work from under most circumstances. When used especially for photography the majority of pilots will allow the removal of a door providing a large workable shooting area available. This can be very advantages since you can literally pan the cameras to maintain the subject within your frame while continually travelling in a straight forward direction. Helicopters also provide very impressive turning characteristics so you will find that there’s far less lost time while you circle back to shoot from a alternative altitude or perspective.

There are several downsides to shooting from helicopters however. Firstly is the major cost, very easily $500 per hour or so for a Robinson R22 to $1,500 or even more for a large jet. It’s very impressive the amount you can shoot in a few hours but the bank card can take a big hit once you land. Do you really need a jet helicopter for the majority of uses? I have utilized both the smaller Robinson’s and large jet helicopters and have had excellent results with each. Some will argue that the larger helicopters may be a little less dangerous but I will leave that up to the experts. Jet helicopters tend to be considerably quicker so if you are travelling significant distances they can provide an advantage. Secondly, vibrations can be an issue depending on a number of factors. My personal experience has been that a good pilot can often hit a “sweet spot” where the helicopter settles into a relatively smooth forward motion. This generally isn’t when you hover, forward movement plays a part.

Helicopter photography from a technical standpoint may be both a challenge and an exhilarating experience. If you cannot remove the doors wear darkish clothing and make sure you have a lens shade installed. Most of the windows are Plexiglas and are apt to have scratches so you will probably want to shoot relatively wide open to restrict the depth of field. Window tint may additionally be a problem although this can usually be cleaned up in Photoshop or some other editor. I suggest 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 to the camera and cause unsharp photos. Life is easier without doors but be aware of the turbulence in the event you lean out a little too far. The buffeting can be quite strong. All gear and other equipment needs to be safely and securely attached to your body or a harness, you don’t want to think about what could occur 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 likely make quick work of a lost lens hood, perhaps with negative consequences. If possible use a few different cameras so you can keep switching lenses and memory cards down to a minimum.

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

Ultralight:

When i first did airborne photography from an ultralight in Costa Rica a few years back. I have to disclose I really did not know what to anticipate because all my prior aerial photography had been performed from helicopters up to that point. I was expecting a large amount of vibration as well as bad wind buffeting but was in for a shock. Ultralights are actually a fantastic aerial photography platform under the right conditions which is when you normally fly them anyway. They do get thrown around slightly but generally the vibrations are not as bad as helicopters. Although they aren’t as maneuverable as helicopters they are better than fixed wing airplanes. Perhaps the only disadvantages are, they’re somewhat slow and you’ve got to feel comfortable in them as they are extremely bare bones and seat of the pants!

Fixed wing aircraft:

Likely the majority of aerial photography is done with fixed wing aircraft. While not as maneuverable as helicopters they’re still very competent shooting platforms within the correct conditions. Make an effort to get an plane having a high wing such as the Cessna 172 Skyhawk to obtain the best view. The low winged airplanes definitely limit 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 position for photography. I am sure some photographers fly with the doors off but in general you will end up flying either shooting through the small opening window or perhaps through the glass. In either case, positioning of the aircraft is extremely critical to set up the image so a superb pilot preferably with experience working with photographers is a must. What is the biggest benefit of a fixed wing platform? Cost! Probably 1/4 or even less of what the helicopter will cost.

Getting organized:

Flying in circles searching for photos could possibly be very exciting and entertaining until you land and find out how much money you spent without really achieving anything. Do your research beforehand and obtain a good concept about what you want to photograph and the way you’ll accomplish it. What side of the plane will you be shooting from? What altitude or various altitudes are needed? When will the light be the best? Frequently you’ll find that one flight won’t generate all the necessary images due to a few of these decisions and a second or third flight might be necessary.

After you have performed your research it’s time to find your aircraft. What is your price range is likely the largest decision here as well as which kind of aircraft are available? Hire a good pilot, ideally one that has experience working with photographers! Pilots do vary and some are much better than others in terms of understanding the requirements of aerial photography. Review a flight plan and stay with it. The most essential part of the shoot is the pilot calls the shots and has the final say in what is going to be done. They understand the rules, safety issues and the bottom line; they are responsible for you, the aircraft and the individuals on the ground!

Happy shooting!

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