To become an aerial photographer, you must first acquire the necessary equipment as well as a sense of spatial and visual composition. While you do not need to take photography classes to become an aerial photographer, it will make gaining much of the basic knowledge you will need for this career much easier. Basically, you’ll need a good camera or two, a few lenses for various situations, and the ability to work in planes or helicopters while remaining calm and composing appealing visual elements for your photographs.
Aerial photography is frequently used real estate companies and architects to better showcase their work or real estate investment opportunities. Many structures and plots of land, especially those that are enhanced the surrounding environment, look best when viewed from the air. To become an aerial photographer, you must be able to photograph landscapes from the air in such a way that the area appears more appealing and highlights the region’s best features.
As you work to become an aerial photographer, investing in a good camera or two, as well as a few lenses, is a great place to start. Because of the nature of aerial photography, you will most likely be working from planes or helicopters. You’ll want to know how to take advantage of and compensate for the strengths and weaknesses of both types of vehicles. One of the first things to keep in mind is that airplanes and helicopters both vibrate a lot while flying, which can cause motion blur in photographs taken from these vehicles.
A good camera with a high shutter speed, such as 1/500th or 1/750th of a second, should be enough to virtually eliminate motion blur in your photos. Most high-quality digital single-lens reflex (SLR) cameras, as well as some digital compact cameras, will allow you to increase the shutter speed to this level. Digital cameras can assist you in becoming an aerial photographer allowing you to shoot dozens or hundreds of images and then choose the best ones. You’ll also need a couple of lenses to deal with the fact that, in an airplane, you’ll be about 1,000 feet (305 meters) above what you’re shooting, and in a helicopter, you’ll be around 300 feet (just over 91 meters).
Of course, once you’ve acquired the necessary equipment to become an aerial photographer, you’ll need to get up in the air and take some photos. If you’re lucky, you might know someone who has a pilot’s license and owns an airplane or helicopter and can take you up for a reasonable price. Otherwise, you might be able to hire a pilot to transport you in a plane or helicopter for a fee per day, though this can be costly. If you’re in the United States, you might want to join a professional organization like the Professional Aerial Photographers Association for more information and opportunities to get started.