What is aerial photography?
Aerial photography is photography from above: from balloons, airplanes, helicopters, kites and, today, mostly drones. Seen from the air, fields, cities, rivers and coastlines turn into patterns and maps. The same pictures are used for art, journalism, mapping, science and real estate.
Main approaches
Landscape and pattern. Forests, deserts, coasts and farmland seen as shapes and colors. Yann Arthus-Bertrand photographed landscapes in many countries from helicopters and balloons for Earth from Above (1999).
Land use and environment. Pictures that show how people shape the land: farms, mines, suburbs and infrastructure. Alex MacLean, a pilot and photographer, has documented the American landscape from his own small plane for decades.
Cities. Street grids and skylines, often at night. Vincent Laforet photographed New York and other cities at night from helicopters for his series Air.
Exploration and science. George Steinmetz became known for pictures of deserts made from a motorized paraglider.
Drone photography. Small camera drones made low-altitude views easy and cheap. Straight-down views, from above at 90 degrees, are typical of drone work. See bird’s-eye view.
by Yann Arthus-Bertrand
History
The French photographer Nadar made the first aerial photographs from a balloon over Paris in 1858, but none of them survive. The oldest surviving aerial photograph is Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It, made by James Wallace Black and Samuel Archer King from a balloon on October 13, 1860.
Photographers soon tried kites, rockets and even pigeons carrying small cameras. In 1906 George R. Lawrence photographed the ruins of San Francisco after the earthquake with a large camera lifted by a train of kites, as a 160-degree panorama. During the First World War, aerial reconnaissance became a major military use of photography, and after the war companies such as Aerofilms in Britain (founded in 1919) made aerial photographs for mapping and business.
In the second half of the 20th century, aerial pictures became part of art and environmental photography. Satellites later added views of the whole Earth. From the 2010s, consumer drones with stabilized cameras put aerial photography within reach of almost anyone.
Techniques
Shutter speed. From aircraft, vibration and movement are the main problems. Photographers use fast shutter speeds, often 1/1000 second or faster, and keep the camera away from the airframe.
Light. Low sun in the morning and evening brings out relief and long shadows. Haze is thinner after rain and in clear, dry air.
Composition. Look for lines, repetition and contrast in color. Without a horizon, the picture can become an abstract pattern.
Rules and safety. Drones are regulated. In the United States, registered drones must broadcast Remote ID. In the European Union, drones are sold in classes, from C0 for the lightest, that set where and how they may fly. Check local rules, no-fly zones and privacy laws before every flight.
How to start
A small drone under 250 grams is the easiest way to start, and in many countries it has the fewest restrictions. Practice in open areas, learn the rules of your country and register if required. You can also start from a tall building, a hill or a passenger flight: a window seat on the shady side of the plane and a clean window help.
Books to start with
Earth from Above by Yann Arthus-Bertrand (Abrams, updated edition). Landscapes around the world seen from the air.
Air by Vincent Laforet. Cities at night photographed from helicopters.
by Vincent Laforet
Legacy
Aerial photography changed how people see the Earth. Military reconnaissance, maps and satellite images grew from it, and pictures from above made the scale of cities, farms and environmental damage visible. Drones have made the aerial view part of everyday photography, from weddings to news.
Discover aerial photographers · Aerial photography in the Photopedia Dictionary
Last updated: November 2026
