Google's mapping applications, Google Earth and Google Maps, are extremely useful tools for low level aerial photographers and a number of previous posts have addressed the utility of these mapping tools including:
Integrating low level aerial photographs into Google Earth
The Sky Gypsies: Even Google Earth is getting into low level aerial photography
Integrating Google maps with with Flight paths, photographs, and video
But Google has just released a new video, shown below, and described plans to incorporate 3D imagery of several cities created using a fleet of small aircraft (light sport aircraft?). What is interesting are the camera angles and scenes presented. Viewing any random video produced by a trike pilot at Trike Pilot Social and the same viewpoints, camera angles, and scenes may be observed. It suggests that Google has figured out that just rising above the landscape even a 100' gives a whole new perspective to the landscape. It is as interesting to observe the use of relative motion in presenting heir images. Relative motion, the movement of foreground objects with respect to background objects, only enhances the results.
Showing posts with label Google maps. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Google maps. Show all posts
Thursday
Monday
Even Google is Getting into Low Level Aerial Photography
Google hosts the Sky Gypsies blog and Goggle Earth is the repository for many of the low level aerial images of New Mexico's bootheel created from weight shift control light sport aircraft. In fact Google Earth is routinely used to design low level aerial photographs using the tilt down feature. I have written several postings about the utility of Google Earth and how to create low level aerial photographs to enhance the viewers experience. It appears that now the Google folks are getting into the idea themselves. In this article and this article, Google is reportedly testing a small aerial drone with photographic capabilities. The article suggests that the inclusion of low level aerial images would complement the satellite images and street views available on Google Earth and Google maps. I fully agree and I went so far as to submit a proposal to them, see text below. It was also partial impetus for the creation of the bootheel photodocumentation project, which brings together a number of the aerial images from the multi-image aerial panoramas (big picture) to the low level pictures of erosion features (the little picture) in a demonstration of what can be achieved with weight shift control light sport aircraft.
While the battery powered quadcopter can stay up for an hour gathering data I would like to point out that only a pilot with a photographers eye can find the great shot and then place the aircraft in a position to get the picture. That takes planning but also a good deal of moving the aircraft around while looking at the scene from a number of different angles to get the right view. While 2 people (a pilot and a photographer) may be able to coordinate their activities a single person can do the job faster, easier, and get the aircraft into areas ground based personnel can not reach. Finally, a word of advice, the coolest aerial photographs are those taken either looking out or looking up at ground based features.
Draft of proposal submitted
Creating meaningful images takes time, patience, and skill, and the submitted results visible on Google Earth attest to the creativity of various photographers. But as human beings we are limited to the creating photographs within about 6 feet of the ground and generally within walking distance of our car. We circumvent this limitation by climbing buildings or any structure to get a better view, or by driving till the road ends then hiking up mountains, standing on cliff edges, or hanging off ropes, all in an effort to capture a unique image. But there are severe limitations in accessing many areas of the country. Land ownership prevents many from going where photographic opportunities exist. Landowners, especially in the west, jealously guard access to their property even if the photographer is only crossing to access public lands. But while the land maybe owned by an individual, the airspace is not. Rather it is regulated by the Federal Government and belongs to no individual and best of all starts just above the dirt.
Using open cockpit weight shift control light sport aircraft, affectionately known as trikes, a photographer can place the camera anywhere from 6 feet on up. In addition by flying low (within the regulations) they can place the camera view on any spot not accessible to the ground based photographer creating either landscape photographs or up close shots of specific subjects without trespassing and becoming the immediate recipient of a landowners wrath.
So how does Google Earth fit in with this “extremely low flying aircraft as a tripod” approach to photography? Well, it can be stated in a single word, composition. Flying around looking for the right scene rapidly becomes time and cost prohibitive, but with Google Earth and high resolution satellite imagery it is possible to design a landscape photograph before every going outside. Time spent working with Google Earth and the tilt down feature allows the photographer to test different camera placements from the flats of the valley to inaccessible hilltops and get an idea if there is a hidden photograph waiting to be captured from that vantage point. If so, it then becomes a matter of flying to the spot and placing the aircraft at the altitude of the hilltop or close to the ground and then capturing the image. That is not to say it is an easy task using a light sport aircraft as a tripod. There are still all the usual photographic considerations such as lighting which must be accounted for. In addition, piloting an aircraft and taking photographs takes some expertise especially in tight quarters. Weather also plays a major factor, winds can move the aerial tripod in different directions ruining a shot. But the amount of time and energy saved in preplanning photographs using Google Earth is well worth the effort.
This is not aerial photography in its strict sense. The idea here is to place the aircraft in a spot normally inaccessible to ground based photographers and capture an intriguing image with the goal of creating images that could have been taken from a particular spot in a conventional manner but weren’t. For example, this photograph was taken from a height of about 75 feet, well below the surrounding hilltops, and captures Granite Peak from an unusual angle. It is 1 of 3 photographs made of Granite Gap and accepted at Google Earth. Or this photograph of Animas New Mexico was taken from the top of a local hill.
So by first using Google Earth to compose photographs then placing an aerial tripod in remote or inaccessible places it is possible to create scenic landscape photographs that have a much higher probability of success.
While the battery powered quadcopter can stay up for an hour gathering data I would like to point out that only a pilot with a photographers eye can find the great shot and then place the aircraft in a position to get the picture. That takes planning but also a good deal of moving the aircraft around while looking at the scene from a number of different angles to get the right view. While 2 people (a pilot and a photographer) may be able to coordinate their activities a single person can do the job faster, easier, and get the aircraft into areas ground based personnel can not reach. Finally, a word of advice, the coolest aerial photographs are those taken either looking out or looking up at ground based features.
Draft of proposal submitted
Creating meaningful images takes time, patience, and skill, and the submitted results visible on Google Earth attest to the creativity of various photographers. But as human beings we are limited to the creating photographs within about 6 feet of the ground and generally within walking distance of our car. We circumvent this limitation by climbing buildings or any structure to get a better view, or by driving till the road ends then hiking up mountains, standing on cliff edges, or hanging off ropes, all in an effort to capture a unique image. But there are severe limitations in accessing many areas of the country. Land ownership prevents many from going where photographic opportunities exist. Landowners, especially in the west, jealously guard access to their property even if the photographer is only crossing to access public lands. But while the land maybe owned by an individual, the airspace is not. Rather it is regulated by the Federal Government and belongs to no individual and best of all starts just above the dirt.
Using open cockpit weight shift control light sport aircraft, affectionately known as trikes, a photographer can place the camera anywhere from 6 feet on up. In addition by flying low (within the regulations) they can place the camera view on any spot not accessible to the ground based photographer creating either landscape photographs or up close shots of specific subjects without trespassing and becoming the immediate recipient of a landowners wrath.
So how does Google Earth fit in with this “extremely low flying aircraft as a tripod” approach to photography? Well, it can be stated in a single word, composition. Flying around looking for the right scene rapidly becomes time and cost prohibitive, but with Google Earth and high resolution satellite imagery it is possible to design a landscape photograph before every going outside. Time spent working with Google Earth and the tilt down feature allows the photographer to test different camera placements from the flats of the valley to inaccessible hilltops and get an idea if there is a hidden photograph waiting to be captured from that vantage point. If so, it then becomes a matter of flying to the spot and placing the aircraft at the altitude of the hilltop or close to the ground and then capturing the image. That is not to say it is an easy task using a light sport aircraft as a tripod. There are still all the usual photographic considerations such as lighting which must be accounted for. In addition, piloting an aircraft and taking photographs takes some expertise especially in tight quarters. Weather also plays a major factor, winds can move the aerial tripod in different directions ruining a shot. But the amount of time and energy saved in preplanning photographs using Google Earth is well worth the effort.
This is not aerial photography in its strict sense. The idea here is to place the aircraft in a spot normally inaccessible to ground based photographers and capture an intriguing image with the goal of creating images that could have been taken from a particular spot in a conventional manner but weren’t. For example, this photograph was taken from a height of about 75 feet, well below the surrounding hilltops, and captures Granite Peak from an unusual angle. It is 1 of 3 photographs made of Granite Gap and accepted at Google Earth. Or this photograph of Animas New Mexico was taken from the top of a local hill.
So by first using Google Earth to compose photographs then placing an aerial tripod in remote or inaccessible places it is possible to create scenic landscape photographs that have a much higher probability of success.
Wednesday
Intigrating Google Maps with Flight paths, photographs, and Video
There has been some discussion ( here and here) about the use of the iphone to track flights which can then be saved and shared. This is a great idea but it can be made even better. What about adding photographs and video? Google maps allows users to create their own maps and add information, the final product can be either private (don‘t want to share the location of your favorite spot with the world) or public (everybody wants to fly there). Here is a sample map of sights in the San Simon Valley I created with a 110 mile flight route to the major sights and photographs of those places, I’ve even thrown in a couple of videos (you can also geotag your new videos on YouTube during uploading to correspond with your map).
View Flying in the bootheel, the San Simon Valley in a larger map
Here is the YouTube tutorial on creating maps.
The integration of photographs and videos with Google maps and the ability to place a flight path connecting the locations seems like a useful tool for pilots who want to share their flights.
View Flying in the bootheel, the San Simon Valley in a larger map
Here is the YouTube tutorial on creating maps.
The integration of photographs and videos with Google maps and the ability to place a flight path connecting the locations seems like a useful tool for pilots who want to share their flights.
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