To become an aerial photographer, you need good equipment, knowledge of spatial and visual composition, and the ability to work in planes or helicopters. Aerial photography is often used for real estate and architecture. A high shutter speed and different lenses are necessary, and joining a professional group can be helpful.
To become an aerial photographer, you must start with the equipment you need, in addition to looking at spatial and visual composition. While you don’t need to take photography classes to become an aerial photographer, it can certainly make it easier for you to gain much of the basic knowledge needed for this career. Basically, you’ll want to have a good quality camera or two, some lenses for different conditions, and the ability to work in planes or helicopters, keeping your cool and finding compelling visuals for your photographs.
A good deal of aerial photography is taken for real estate companies and architects, both looking to better showcase their work or real estate investment opportunities. Many buildings and land display best when viewed from the air, especially for land or structures that are enhanced by the surrounding environment. To become an aerial photographer, you must capture landscapes from the air in a way that makes the area look more attractive and brings out the best aspects of a region.
Buying a good camera or two, plus some lenses, is an excellent place to start as you work towards becoming an aerial photographer. The nature of aerial photography is such that you will normally be working in airplanes or helicopters. Both vehicle types have strengths and weaknesses that you want to know how to take advantage of and compensate for. One of the first things you should consider is that airplanes and helicopters vibrate a lot during operation, which can lead to problems with motion blur in photographs taken from these vehicles.
A good camera that you can set to a high shutter speed, around 1/500th or 1/750th of a second should be enough to virtually eliminate motion blur in photos. Most high-quality digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras will allow you to increase the shutter speed to this level, as will some compact digital cameras. Digital cameras can often help you become an aerial photographer as they allow you to record dozens or hundreds of images and then select the best ones. You’ll also need some lenses to help you deal with the fact that you’ll probably be about 1,000 feet (about 305 meters) above what you’re shooting in a plane, or about 300 feet (just over 91 meters). when in a helicopter.
Of course, once you have the necessary equipment to become an aerial photographer, you’ll need to get up and take some pictures. If you’re lucky, you might meet someone with a pilot’s license and a plane or helicopter that can take you there at low cost. Otherwise, you can hire a pilot to fly you in a plane or helicopter and charge you by the day, although this can be expensive. If you are operating in the United States, also consider joining a professional group like the Professional Aerial Photographers Association for more information and opportunities to get started.
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