Picture the Earth from above. In your mind's eye, what do you see? Today, we have access to air and space technology that lets us see various views of the Earth with ease. 

However, before the development of practical aircraft photography, aerial views of the Earth were obtained in different ways. Our first looks at the Earth from above came from kites, rockets, balloons, and even pigeons. 

A color drawing looking down into a river valley. Ships dot the surface of the river, and buildings look like small specs along the river banks.
Early interest in the aerial view took the form of idealized sketches depicting how cities would look from above. In the 19th century, towns across the U.S. commissioned these "bird's-eye view" drawings. (Library of Congress)

Pigeons 

In 1903, Dr. Julius Neubronner patented a miniature pigeon camera activated by a timing mechanism. Equipped with the cameras, the pigeons photographed a castle in Kronberg, Germany around 1908. 

A pigeon mounted to a wooden stand that has a small camera strapped around it.
The pigeons atop a barrel standing next to each other. Each bird has a camera strapped to its chest.

Pigeons wearing cameras. (Deutsches Museum, Munich)

Balloons 

From their early beginnings, balloons soon soared to great heights. They became useful tools in the fields of art, science, and reconnaissance. In 1860, James Wallace Black conducted the first successful aerial photographic effort in the United States when he took a series of photos from Samuel Archer King’s balloon overlooking Boston. Black had previously attempted to photograph Providence, Rhode Island from a balloon but was unsuccessful.

“Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It” by James Wallace Black is the earliest surviving aerial photograph.
An aerial view of Boston taken by James Wallace Black in 1860. (Boston Public Library)

Black’s success came on the eve of the Civil War, where photography from balloons became a key tool in military reconnaissance. Thaddeus Lowe, a pioneer in balloon reconnaissance, flew high above the battlefields to observe troop movements during the Civil War.   

  • Thaddeus Lowe
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    In this photo, Lowe is shown reporting the approach of a Confederate regiment in an area where Union officers had expected only friendly forces. (Defense Visual Information Center)

  • A yellowed piece of paper with a short note scrawled on it.
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    Note dated July 25, 1861, from President Lincoln urging Lt. Gen. Winfield Scott to meet with Thaddeus Lowe to discuss his balloons. Lincoln was impressed by the potential of balloons for reconnaissance, but the skeptical General Scott, a senior military commander, needed some convincing. Lincoln urged him to provide Lowe with any necessary assistance. (Smithsonian Institution)

  • A handwritten letter that takes up almost two whole pages.
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    Letter from Major General George Stoneman praising Lowe's achievements. (Smithsonian Institution)

    Read transcript.

  • A handwritten letter that takes up one and a half pages.
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     Original correspondence between Thaddeus Lowe and Joseph Henry, first Secretary of the Smithsonian Institution. Henry gave Lowe much support in his quest to use his balloons for Civil War reconnaissance. In 1861 with Henry's aid, Lowe demonstrated the value of his balloon on the site where the National Air and Space Museum now stands. From his vantage point, 152 meters (500 feet) above the ground, he telegraphed a message to President Lincoln thanking him for his encouragement. (Smithsonian Institution)

    Read transcript. 

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  • Thaddeus Lowe
  • A yellowed piece of paper with a short note scrawled on it.
  • A handwritten letter that takes up almost two whole pages.
  • A handwritten letter that takes up one and a half pages.

Balloon aerial photography continued to be an asset in military reconnaissance long after the Civil War. In 1956, more than 500 plastic reconnaissance balloons were launched for a program called Moby Dick. Under the guise of gathering meteorological information, the balloons were equipped with cameras to photograph Soviet territory.

A balloon floats just above the Earth's surface with a camera attached to it. A group of people stand in a semi circle on the ground below it.
The reconnaissance balloons from Moby Dick floated with the winds and were retrieved after passing beyond Soviet borders. Only 44 were successfully recovered. (Defense Visual Information Center)
Skyhook Aerial Camera
Skyhook panoramic cameras were flown on balloon reconnaissance missions very similar to those of the Moby Dick program. (Smithsonian Institution)

Kites 

In 1895, Lt. Hugh D. Wise of the 9th Infantry Division experimented with photo kites at Madison Barracks, New York. He built a 5.4-meter (18-foot) high kite and attached a box camera to the string. Triggered by a timing device, the camera took photos from an altitude of 180 meters (600 feet). 

  • A giant four sided kite. Several men stand in front of the kite, and it is more than twice as tall as they are.
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    Lt. Wise and his kite. (Defense Visual Information Center)

  • A camera hangs from a wire, elevated off the ground.
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    Wise’s kite camera. (Defense Visual Information Center)

  • An aerial view of the city of San Francisco in ruins after an earthquake in 1906.
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    San Francisco after the 1906 earthquake. The photographer, G.R. Lawrence, flew an array of 17 kites, which he called a “captive airship,” to hoist his camera aloft. (Library of Congress)

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  • A giant four sided kite. Several men stand in front of the kite, and it is more than twice as tall as they are.
  • A camera hangs from a wire, elevated off the ground.
  • An aerial view of the city of San Francisco in ruins after an earthquake in 1906.

Rockets

You might think rocketry would enter the picture in the 20th century, but in 1888 Frenchman Amedee Denisse designed a photo rocket. The design is thought to be the first of its kind—however, it wasn’t the last. 

  • A drawing of a simple spear shaped rocket.
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    This photo rocket was conceived by the Frenchman Amedee Denisse in 1888. On the left is a 12-lens camera that fits beneath the rocket's nose cone. After the film was exposed, the camera and rocket would be parachuted back to Earth. It is not known if the rocket was ever built. (Smithsonian Institution)

  • A portrait of a man sitting in a chair at a desk, facing the viewer.
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    Alfred Nobel, famous for establishing the Nobel prize, also designed a photo rocket in 1897. (Nobel Foundation)

  • An image of a village from up high. The image itself looks as if it was taken through a peep hole.
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    View of a village in Sweden thought to be taken by Alfred Nobel's photo rocket in 1897. (Nobel Foundation)

  • A photo of the landscape of a part of Germany as seen from above.
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    German landscape photographed in 1904 by the camera system of Alfred Maul, a trailblazer in photo rocketry. (Smithsonian Institution)

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  • A drawing of a simple spear shaped rocket.
  • A portrait of a man sitting in a chair at a desk, facing the viewer.
  • An image of a village from up high. The image itself looks as if it was taken through a peep hole.
  • A photo of the landscape of a part of Germany as seen from above.

Aircraft

From the first clumsy flights and fuzzy photos, airplane photography developed rapidly into a precise and useful tool for looking at Earth. Surveyors, mappers, geologists, resource managers, urban planners, and military strategists have all come to rely on the airplane view of our world. Beyond these practical uses, however, air photographs reveal landscapes of beauty and symmetry that go undetected on the ground level. 

  • An aerial photograph of a harbor.
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    This picture captured San Diego, CA in 1911. The aerial panorama, taken from a Curtiss Hydroplane, is thought to be the first photograph taken from an airplane in the U.S. (Defense Visual Information Center)

  • An aerial photo of a cityscape that has been razed almost entirely to the ground.
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    George T. Murray of the Boston Journal photographed Salem, Massachusetts on June 26, 1914, following a disastrous fire. The photograph was enlarged to cover the entire front page of the Journal. This is the first known use of aerial photography for journalism. (Defense Visual Information Center)

  • A photo taken looking down at Earth. Blurry boots can be seen in the corner of the frame.
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    Early airplane photography was not without its technical difficulties. In 1911, this enthusiastic flyer photographed his own feet. (Defense Visual Information Center)

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  • An aerial photograph of a harbor.
  • An aerial photo of a cityscape that has been razed almost entirely to the ground.
  • A photo taken looking down at Earth. Blurry boots can be seen in the corner of the frame.

The Many Uses of Aerial Photography  

Using balloons, and later aircraft, for aerial photography proved to be useful in conducting military reconnaissance—but aerial photography has practical applications in many fields. When the Earth is viewed from the air, patterns, boundaries, and landmarks appear that are often not visible at close range. From this vantage point, the camera can record natural and man-made features and events, from the remains of ancient civilizations to the aftermath of a modern disaster.  

Geology

  • Aerial photograph of shale and sandstone beds that form an oval shape.
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    Fremont County, Wyoming 

    With aerial photographs, geologists can easily spot rock structures like the one pictured here. Shale and sandstone beds have been folded to form this elongated dome. (U.S. Geological Survey Photograph) 

  • An aerial photograph of swooping coastline.
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    New Jersey Coastline 

    Aerial photographs such as these allow scientists to monitor shoreline erosion. (U.S. Geological Survey Photograph) 

  • An aerial photograph of a large volcano.
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    Kilauea Volcano 

    A record of Kilauea's volcanic activity is documented in this aerial view of the summit crater. (U.S. Geological Survey Photograph) 

  • An aerial photo of a river winding through land on either side.
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    Ohio River 

    Curved lines tell the tale of the river's shifting path from right to left. (U.S. Geological Survey Photograph) 

  • An aerial photograph of what looks to be a white river, but is actually a glacier cutting through the land.
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    Columbia Glacier, Alaska 

    Studying rugged and inaccessible glacial terrain is made easier by the use of aerial photography. (National Snow and Ice Data Center) 

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  • Aerial photograph of shale and sandstone beds that form an oval shape.
  • An aerial photograph of swooping coastline.
  • An aerial photograph of a large volcano.
  • An aerial photo of a river winding through land on either side.
  • An aerial photograph of what looks to be a white river, but is actually a glacier cutting through the land.

Archaeology

  • An aerial photo of the Diyala Plains that has ancient canals mapped out on top of it like streaks across the landscape.
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    Diyala Plains, Iraq 

    Aerial mosaic of the Diyala Plains found in Iraq, east of Baghdad. Ancient canal systems dating from 637 to 1150 CE have been mapped on the photograph. Identification of archaeological features such as these, which extend over vast areas, can be greatly facilitated by the use of aerial photography. (Robert McCormick Adams) 

  • An aerial photo of a once used dam and died out canals around it.
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    Close-up aerial view of the same region. Traces of the linear canals can be easily located in the upper left and right. Also visible are an ancient dam (center) and the basin where water backed up behind it. (Robert McCormick Adams) 

  • A map that shows the canal systems of ancient Diyala. The map as a central line cutting from the top to the bottom of the map, left to right, with smaller lines streaking out from both sides.
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    Map of Diyala canal systems from the period between 637 and 883 CE. By combining information gathered both in the field and from aerial photography, the layout of the canals can be mapped for different periods. (Robert McCormick Adams) 

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  • An aerial photo of the Diyala Plains that has ancient canals mapped out on top of it like streaks across the landscape.
  • An aerial photo of a once used dam and died out canals around it.
  • A map that shows the canal systems of ancient Diyala. The map as a central line cutting from the top to the bottom of the map, left to right, with smaller lines streaking out from both sides.

Disaster Assessment

  • An aerial photograph of a small city with large plumes of smoke coming up.
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    Alaskan Earthquake 

    Air photos are useful for pinpointing disaster areas and organizing relief efforts after major disasters such as the Alaskan earthquake of 1964. (Dino Brugioni) 

  • An aerial photo of a small city on the coast that lays mostly in ruin.
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    Landslides and an 8-meter (26-foot) wave combined to ruin most of the businesses in Seward, Alaska. (Dino Brugioni) 

  • An aerial photo of the coast of the Potomac River, which has overflowed onto the land and covered some structures.
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    Washington, DC Flood 

    In 1936, the Potomac River inundated low-lying areas of Washington, DC. The Washington Monument is visible on the left. (National Archives and Records Administration)

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  • An aerial photograph of a small city with large plumes of smoke coming up.
  • An aerial photo of a small city on the coast that lays mostly in ruin.
  • An aerial photo of the coast of the Potomac River, which has overflowed onto the land and covered some structures.

Monitoring the Environment

When workers became ill during the construction of a public park on Neville Island in Pennsylvania, environmentalists used aerial photos to look back through time and locate the problem. 

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
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    1938 
    Farmlands on Neville Island. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
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    1948 
    Signs of development. Apartment complexes have sprung up and a large Earth scar on the island's tip indicates increased construction. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Arrows point to dark patches on the southern parts of the island.
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    1952
    Dark patches suggest dumping of liquid wastes. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center.

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. AN arrow points to a channel in the middle of the island.
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    1959
    A long narrow holding trench has been constructed for liquid wastes. A new road leading to the shoreline may have been built to facilitate dumping in the channel. Trenches indicate burial of solid wastes. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

     

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Arrows points to dark patches near the center of the island.
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    1969
    Solid waste disposal has ceased, but many dark patches of liquids still remain. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Arrows point to dark spots at the center of the island.
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    Spring 1973
    Liquid wastes have been dumped along the central road. The apartment buildings have been knocked down suggesting plans for new development. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

     

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
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    Fall 1973
    By the fall of the same year all dumping has ceased. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

     

  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
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    1979
    The completed recreation area is empty and abandoned due to the hazards of wastes buried many years before. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

  • A near infrared aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. The center of the island is a paler red.
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    1980
    In this near –infrared photo, bright red represents healthy vegetation. The paler spots indicate areas where the long-forgotten wastes inhibited growth of grass in the park. Aerial photo analyses courtesy of EPA's Environmental Photographic Interpretation Center. 

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  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Arrows point to dark patches on the southern parts of the island.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. AN arrow points to a channel in the middle of the island.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Arrows points to dark patches near the center of the island.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. Arrows point to dark spots at the center of the island.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
  • An aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland.
  • A near infrared aerial photo of a triangular shaped island that has a bridge connecting it to the mainland. The center of the island is a paler red.

Different Views 

High-altitude photography allows coverage of vast areas on a single frame. Large-scale structures and landmarks can be quickly and conveniently scanned, mapped, or surveyed. 

  • An aerial photo of the tip of Cape Cod, a peninsula which is shaped like a flexing arm.
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    The tip of Cape Cod, Massachusetts from 19,800 meters (65,000 feet). (NASA) 

  • An aerial photo looking down at land, which looks red and green colored and split into irregular squares.
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    Furnas County, Nebraska from 12,200 meters (40,000 feet). (National High Altitude Photography Program, EROS Data Center, U.S. Geological Survey) 

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  • An aerial photo of the tip of Cape Cod, a peninsula which is shaped like a flexing arm.
  • An aerial photo looking down at land, which looks red and green colored and split into irregular squares.

High-resolution photography provides coverage of large areas without loss of fine detail. Both a broad regional overview and a detailed local survey can be combined in one photo. 

  • An aerial photo of a dense city with a river running through it.
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    High-resolution view of New Orleans from about 13,000 meters (42,000 feet). (Raytheon Systems Company) 

  • An aerial photo of a dense city. A white box is drown around the top part of the image with a yellow circle in the middle.
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    The same scene enlarged 12 times. (Raytheon Systems Company) 

  • Am aerial photo of a dense city neighborhood.
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    The same scene enlarged 24 times. (Raytheon Systems Company) 

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  • An aerial photo of a dense city with a river running through it.
  • An aerial photo of a dense city. A white box is drown around the top part of the image with a yellow circle in the middle.
  • Am aerial photo of a dense city neighborhood.

Airborne radar provides the capability to study geologic structures and terrain characteristics as they extend over large areas. Because radar has the ability to "see" through clouds, imagery is available in all kinds of weather. Radar images have useful applications in the fields of mineral resource exploration and groundwater analysis. 

An aerial photo of a mountain range as scene from directly above the peaks.
Side-looking Airborne Radar image of the De Long Mountains region in Alaska. The "smiling face" is in reality a geologic structure of folded rocks called a syncline. (EROS Data Center, U.S. Geological Survey) 

Putting it all Together 

Aerial photography is useless without someone to interpret the images produced. Photo interpreters can read an aerial photograph like a book, and they employ many skills to help them analyze the terrain they are viewing. 

One method that aerial photo interpreters use to view large regions in one glance is called mosaicking. Several photos of adjacent areas are pieced together like a jigsaw puzzle to present the "big picture." 

A photo of a person inspecting a large array of photos that have pieced together to create one large image.
Laying mosaics at the Photo Interpretation Center on Guadalcanal. Mosaic lines between the photos are clearly evident. Today digital images can be processed by computer to produce smoother image transitions. (Defense Visual Information Center) 
A photo of a group of people sitting at desks inspecting various images.
Piecing together aerial mosaics at the Training School at Chanute Field, Illinois, in the 1920s. (Defense Visual Information Center) 

Stereo photography allows the interpreter to see the ground in three dimensions by viewing overlapping photos taken from different locations. To acquire complete stereo photography of an area from above, a series of overlapping photos must be taken along a designated flight line with more than 50% overlap between adjacent photos. 

Natural and human-made features can be seen in three dimensions with the aid of a stereoscope (now used mainly for educational purposes) and two overlapping scenes. With the addition of depth, aerial photos can provide the interpreter with more information on geologic boundaries, terrain characteristics, relative heights, and regional topography. 

If you have a pair of red/blue glasses, you can simulate the 3D effect of using a stereoscope by viewing these anaglyphs made from aerial photos below. 

  • An aerial photograph of a bridge with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
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    Carquinez Bridge, CA
    (U.S. Geological Survey/CEPS) 

  • An aerial photograph of a crater with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
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    Sunset Crater, AZ
    (U.S. Geological Survey/CEPS) 

  • An aerial photograph of a mountaintop with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
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    Mt. Capulin, NM
    (U.S. Geological Survey/CEPS) 

  • An aerial photograph of mountain tops with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
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    Menan Buttes, ID
    (U.S. Geological Survey/CEPS) 

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  • An aerial photograph of a bridge with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
  • An aerial photograph of a crater with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
  • An aerial photograph of a mountaintop with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.
  • An aerial photograph of mountain tops with a red and blue overlay which slightly blurs the image.

Aerial photography has a long history and serves as a functional tool for all kinds of work such as military reconnaissance, scientific research, and mapping. The technologies of flight have greatly propelled our ability to see the changing Earth from above.  

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The Beginnings and Basics of Aerial Photography
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