Aerial Photographs JC

An aerial photograph is a view of the land surface taken from the air. 

Vertical Aerial Photograph – Taken straight overhead 

Oblique Aerial Photograph – Taken at an angle  

Vertical Aerial Photo 

• It shows a view taken from directly above the landscape, with the camera pointing directly downwards at the ground 

• The dominant feature is the roofline of buildings  

• It does not show the horizon 

• The scale on a vertical aerial photograph is true throughout the whole photograph 

 When examining an aerial photograph it is possible to identify when, in terms of the time of year, the photograph was taken. Some of the evidence for determining time of year is as follows: 

• Summer: Fewer shadows on the ground, land has bright colours due to crops being ready for haravest, trees are in full foliage 

• Winter: There are long shadows on the ground as sun is low in sky, land has dark colours as ground is ploughed, and trees have lost foliage 

Colours in Photos and What They Might Be 

• Green – Pasture/Grass 

• Dark Green – Forests/Trees 

• Yellow – Ripened Cereals Crops (Late Summer) 

• Brown/Black - Ploughed Fields (Spring) 

• Blue/Silver - Rivers or Lakes 

• Grey – Roadways 

• A Variety of Colours – Cereal Crops 

Identifying Buildings in Aerial Forms 

• Housing – An organised pattern of white biuldings (housing estate) 

• Church – Usually in the shape of a cross (if Catholic) or has a steeple 

• Hospital – Helipad on Roof 

• Stadium – Oval or Circle in shape with a green patch in the middle 

• School – Playground is sometimes middle 

• Shops/Supermarkets - Large building with a car park OR colourful shopfronts along a street (CBD) CBD – Central Business District 

• Factory – Large building with heavy machinery visibe/corrugated roof 

• Harbour – A long grey line extending out to sea with boats moored off it 

• Beach – Strip of yellow beside the sea