Basic options for the land based Aerial Photographer

I'm going to assume that most people starting out in Aerial Photography will not have or have access to a flying machine capable of lifting them off the ground, this would be an Airplane, Helicopter, Microlight, etc. If you do have access to this type of thing then I am pretty jealous but you're welcome to stay and read the rest of the blog, but the most of it won't be very applicable to you.

The majority of people will have to keep their feet firmly on the ground and sent their camera up into the heavens, here I will give a very basic discussion on the various ways of doing this.

First option is using Remote control vehicles such as Airplanes and Helicopters,

Pros -

• Very controlable
• Can be used in difficult to access areas

Cons -

• Can be expensive to buy the kit
• You would need a fairly large piece of kit to be able to lift your camera
• You would need a lot of experience to be able to control the craft and also the camera at the same time
• If using an Airplane you will be shooting photos from a moving base

Second option is to use a kite to lift your camera

Pros -

• Can lift a good amount of weight
• Can use a fairly basic setup if you wish
• Can use a fairly cheap setup if you wish
• With a little practice and a good kite you can fly it quite easily
• A good kite with favorable weather and you can have a very steady shooting platform

Cons -

• You are at the mercy of the weather, if you don't have enough wind you can't fly
• You can have limited access to some areas, where there isn't enough space to launch a kite or if there are overhead cables or if the wind is going the wrong way

The third option is to use a lighter than air craft, such as balloons, a blimp or a hot air balloon

Pros -

• Will work in very low wind conditions
• Can lift a large payload if you use a big enough craft
• Will allow access in some areas where nothing else can fly
• Can be used indoors
• Will provide a very stable platform

Cons -

• If they are used frequently they can get to be very expensive as they do consume gas at a high rate
• They are dependant on good weather with a relativley low wind speed
• Balloons are fragile, and can pop, which isn't good if it happens in mid flight.

OK that's me for now, don't forget to check back soon.