When we hear the term aerial photography, what instantly comes to our minds is high altitude photography from a helicopter or an airplane. Yes such high altitude photography is a separate branch on its own, but it should be noted that the term aerial photography also includes lower altitude photography from any height above eye level.
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| Photo by: Jijo John |
So to summarize aerial photography in a general sense means high altitude photography which usually gives us the whole site shots, but within the context of architectural work aerial photography means shots taken from any height above eye level. This includes shots taken from ground bases structures from a simple step ladder, to scaffolding towers, to scissor lifts, hydraulic platforms or from the roof of a vehicle or a building conveniently located near the site.
Such low altitude shots gives us a very different view showing an alternative perspective which we generally never get to see with our eyes thus making them special and interesting. This is the reason why such shots find their way into the portfolio of all major architectural photographers. If you notice shots especially of the front elevations, more often than not you will find at least one that is shot with the camera at a height greater than eye level. When it comes to photographing tall buildings, raising the shooting height becomes a necessary rather than an aesthetic choice. Refer the article How high should I position my camera for best results for more on this.
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