To get in the business of aerial photography and make a profit, you have to work on your market. Always find out before venturing into any business if there is a need for it. If so, you can narrow down the field to capture an even more specific market. This is a sound practice every time you’re venturing into a new business for yourself for it to succeed. Once you’ve established your place in the market, you can start to get creative by applying simple ways to get great shots and make a name for yourself. Here are some tips on getting started with aerial photography what techniques and equipment you can use to get great shots without having to get on a plane.

 

Aerial photography is probably one of the lesser tapped niches in photography. Many photographers have the misconception that it is expensive to get into when in fact today’s modern advances in the field has made it much more accessible. For example, there is equipment available in the market that allows you to attach a camera on a telescoping mast enabling you to take photographs from a relatively high point without leaving the ground.

 

Aerial photography can be a lucrative business because it now only requires minimal investment. It can be done at your own time and you have the opportunity to work outdoors if that’s what you love.  It also involves a wide client base, from the regular stock buyer to the high end corporate and private clients such as commercial property owners and agents, as well as individuals or companies producing outdoor events.

 

Some of the more efficient ways of capturing the best aerial photographs are by using the right equipment. Check out your local camera stores but aerial photo equipment is available online. For 40 feet and less, a mast or a pole would be the most convenient to utilize. A mast comes with guy lines that support it at all times, it is very easy to set-up and can be transported without trouble from one location to another. It normally weighs less than 20 pounds and when collapsed is around five and a half feet tall.

 

Another way to capture aerial images is by using a telescoping mast. This is either a push up application which is raised manually by pushing sections and locking it in place or a pneumatic application which is raised with low pressure air using a compressor or a hand pump. A bird’s eye view image can be achieved using this technique at a height of about 30 to 40 feet.

 

A digital ground control unit consists of a digital camera used for aerial mast photography. It has high resolution that enables live preview and remote capturing of images. This involves camera functions that are operated through a ground control unit such as a laptop computer. This allows the photographer to actually see through the eyes of the camera instantly and make adjustments on composition to get great shots.

 

A remote control pan and tilt unit facilitates camera positioning through vertical tilt and horizontal panning and applications for such equipment can be used for its versatility in capturing aerial images for many much needed purposes. To name a few, media coverages, traffic reports, structural engineering needs, land developers, archeological site, field studies, residential developers and real estate agents, production companies and many more.

 

There is a growing niche to fill in aerial photography services and having the right equipment, the desire and talent to venture into the business is a start. Before deciding to go into the business always plan what your approach will be. Study the market, how to promote yourself and most of all make sure it fits your budget. Aerial photography may be a specialized subject matter but it is also an exciting endeavor every photographer should try if the opportunity arises.