aerialphotography

Drone Photos from Around the World That May Not Be Legal to Shoot Anymore

After camera drones started taking off -- both literally and figuratively -- in the photography industry over the past few years, there was a brief window of opportunity for photographers to legally shoot aerial shots at many famous tourist locations around the world before authorities decided to make those spots off limits to drones.

Photographer Amos Chapple spent two years traveling the globe and doing as much drone photography as he could while "staying ahead of local laws against their use."

Aerial Photographs Capture the Aftermath of This Week’s Brutal Snow Storm in Buffalo, NY

Earlier today, we showed you what the massive snow storm that passed through Buffalo, NY looked like from the inside (courtesy of some brave drone piloting) but even that aerial view really doesn't do the scope of this storm justice.

So, here to help give us some perspective is Buffalo News Chief Photographer Derek Gee, who took to the skies to capture the aftermath of the storm as people began to try and dig out.

Behind the Scenes with Lockheed Martin’s Fighter Jet Photographer Liz Kaszynski

Liz Kaszynski has one of the coolest photography jobs in the world. As one of the 10 Lockheed Martin aerial photographers certified to take pictures from the back of fighter jets -- and their only female photographer for the F-35 -- she photographs and rides in some of the most advanced flying machines on Earth.

In the video above, we get to go behind the scenes with Kaszynski and see her in action.

Six Production Companies Get an Official OK from the FAA to Use Drones

Government agencies aren't exactly known for speed or efficiency. Hank Green once said that, "if Congress was on fire they couldn't pass the 'pour water on Congress' bill," and most people would probably agree with him.

Fortunately, the FAA is defying the stereotype somewhat by taking concrete steps towards allowing properly regulated commercial drone photography and cinematography, the first of which was giving six production companies an official stamp of approval.

Aerial Photo Company Gets Cops Called on Them After Drone Startles Naked Woman

Update on 12/16/21: This video has been removed by its creator.

Portland-based aerial photography company Skyris Imaging found themselves in an awkward situation earlier this week when a not-fully-clothed woman was startled by a camera drone hovering outside of her 26th-floor apartment in Seattle and, naturally, called the police.

Flying High: A Conversation with Bill Yates About His Aerial Photography

Bill Yates is based in North Florida and travels extensively shooting personal projects. Primarily known for his stunning aerial photography, Bill recently discovered nearly 400 rolls of old film he shot in the 70's & 80's squirreled away in an old storage locker, which has led to his newest project called "Found Film Recently Developed."

We sat down with Bill to talk about his history in this industry, how he got into aerial photography, and see if he had any advice for the up-and-comers.

Hexo+ Autonomous Camera Drone Lets the Adrenaline Junkies Film Their Own Stunts

Adrenaline junkies who want to capture their stunts on video have thus far been limited to two options. They either had someone else photograph/film them, or strapped an action cam to themselves for some first person point of view shots. Now, thanks to Hexo+, they have a third option: have your autonomous drone film you from above.

Take a Ride in the Goodyear Blimp with Photographer Dan Marker-Moore

Riding in the Goodyear Blimp might not be a lifelong dream for everybody, but it was for photographer Dan Marker-Moore, and it's now one he can cross off his bucket list. Last week, he got to ride in (and even fly!) the blimp, capturing video and photos that he graciously sent our way to share with all of you.

Gorgeous Photo of NYC and the One World Trade Center Taken from an Airplane

The rules might say to keep your electronics stowed during takeoff and landing, but sometimes, you just can't help yourself. And even though we certainly don't condone breaking FAA regulations, the above photograph is a prime example of one of those times when not being able to help yourself pays off.

Taken by photographer James Kastner, the snap beautifully captures the sun glinting off the One World Trade Center just as the glare on the harbor aligned with Liberty Island. It's no wonder the shot has gone viral.

Aerial Photos Capture the Damage Left in the Wake of Colorado’s Fires and Floods

Over the course of 2013, the beautiful state of Colorado has been ravaged by many fires and, most recently, devastating flooding as well. When it comes to capturing this kind of mass-scale destruction in photographs, the best option is to take to the skies, which is exactly what aerial photographer and Colorado resident John Wark has been doing.

As wildfires and flooding took their turns on the Colorado landscape, Wark captured it all from his Husky A1, compiling all of the photos into two series titled Colorado Flood of 2013 and Colorado Wildfires.

Dronestagr.am: The Social Photo-Sharing Network for Drone Photographers

Although drone photography might lead you onto some sticky legal ground in some states, it is nonetheless often quite beautiful. It makes sense that those who have spent good money on drones are eager to put that money to use, and now they have an Instagram-like social network on which to share their results.

AirCam: A $50,000 Homebuilt Airplane Kit for Serious Aerial Photographers

When it comes to aerial photography, things are getting more and more complicated. Setting up a drone business in the US is getting to be a major headache in some states, and other options (e.g. paragliding) might just get you arrested if you fly over the wrong thing or take off from the wrong place.

AirCam is a solution, albeit an expensive one, that frees serious aerial photographers to do their thing -- and do it in style.

Company Plans to Send 28 Tiny Satellites Into Space to Collect Aerial Photos

There are a couple of different types of imaging satellites currently orbiting our planet. On one end of the spectrum are specialized satellites that gather very high-resolution imagery in which you can identify objects as small as 3 feet across. On the other are the lower resolution satellites that beam down photos of larger areas.

California company Planet Labs wants to fill the space in-between, by providing an affordable middle-of-the-road option for companies interested in using it. To that effect, they're planning on launching 28 tiny, mid-resolution satellites called "Doves" into space before the year is out.

The Captive Airship: George Lawrence’s Panoramic Kite Photography Rig

George Lawrence was a commercial photographer with a knack for engineering and business. Born in Illinois in February of 1868, his career reached its zenith in the early 1900s when he took to the skies, creating incredible aerial panoramas using an invention of his called the 'Captive Airship.'

Bing Maps Adds 270TB of Beautiful High-Res Flyover Imagery

With Google being the powerhouse that it is, and Google Maps along with it, it's easy to forget that there are other maps out there. It's safe to say that it has been a long time since anyone mentioned the likes of MapQuest or picked Yahoo! Maps instead.

Another search engine/maps provider we don't hear a lot about is Microsoft's Bing, but today the company is announcing the addition of a staggering amount of "bird's eye" imagery to its Maps repertoire.

Undoctored Abstract Aerial Photos of the World’s Largest Beta Carotene Farm

Australian engineer turned photographer Steve Back has been working for several years to put together the completely un-edited images you see here. Although they may seem like abstract art you might find on a museum wall, they're actually aerial photos of Kalbarri, Western Australia's Hutt Lagoon, the world's largest Beta Carotene farm.

The Oldest Surviving Aerial Photograph

According to the Professional Aerial Photographers Association, the father of aerial photography was French balloonist Gaspard-Félix Tournachon, who photographed Paris from a hot air balloon way back in 1858. Unfortunately, none of his work remains today, and so the title of oldest surviving aerial photograph goes to the picture you see above.

Titled "Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It" the photo was taken by photographer James Wallace Black in October of 1860 from an altitude of about 2,000 feet.

FAA Grounds Minnesota-Based RC Aerial Photography Business

Under the FAA's remote control guidelines, most photographers and videographers can get away with doing as much UAV photography as they want. Problems arise when you try to turn your aerial photography into a business, as one Minnesota-based company found out earlier this week.

Proposed New Hampshire Bill May Make Aerial Photography a Misdemeanor

New Hampshire House of Representatives member Neal Kurk (R) recently backed a bill that plans to ban almost all aerial photography in the state by classifying it as a class A misdemeanor. The bill, HB 619-FN, seems to be aimed at protecting people's privacy; however, the fact that it specifically excludes government officials from the ban has raised concerns regarding just that.

There Are Giant Camera Resolution Test Charts Scattered Across the US

When people test cameras and lenses for resolution, they commonly use special resolution test charts that are filled with black bars of varying lengths and thicknesses. They're kind of like eye charts, except for cameras instead of eyeballs, and with lines instead of letters.

Well, did you know that in dozens of locations around the United States, there are gigantic resolution test charts on the ground?

The Invention of the Pigeon Camera for Aerial Photography

We've featured a couple of projects involving cameras strapped to birds recently (see here and here), but photographing with birds is anything but a new idea. It was actually invented a little over a century ago, in 1907, by a German photography pioneer named Julius Neubronner.

Drones For Peace Aims to Bring Aerial Photography to the Masses

Aerial photography isn't something just anyone can afford to do; even the "cheaper" systems out there have you spending quite a bit of money to make it happen. Fortunately, a company that goes by the name Rotary Robotics is trying to remedy the situation with a project they're calling "Drones for Peace."

Photographing Pilots and Their F-16s In the Rocky Mountains

Behind the scenes videos, like the one earlier about Dave Hill's Ford Fusion shoot, typically show off a photographer's technique, or the challenges he or she faces when trying to get a certain shot. But Aspen-based photographer Tyler Stableford's Buckley AirForce Base shoot posed some unique challenges.

Shoot Your Own Google Earth-style Aerial Photos with the E382 Drone Kit

If you happen to have $600+ just lying around (who doesn't?) and are looking to take photos from a whole new vantage point, then Event38's E382 Aerial Mapping Drone may be worth looking into. The $600 starter kit includes the plane, motor, speed controller, and the ArduPilot Mega 2.0 autopilot system to handle all of the pressure, GPS and flight data.

Aerial Photographs Showing Patterns and Repetition

Alex MacLean is a Massachusetts-based photographer and pilot who uses his dual interests to create epic aerial photographs.

Alex MacLean has flown his plane over much of the United States documenting the landscape. Trained as an architect, he has portrayed the history and evolution of the land from vast agricultural patterns to city grids, recording changes brought about by human intervention and natural processes. His powerful and descriptive images provide clues to understanding the relationship between the natural and constructed environments.