The complete view
When taking aerial photographs of a site, it is best to include low oblique views from the north, south, east, and west, as well as a vertical or AVAP (as vertical as possible) from above. The four individual low altitude oblique photos will show the property site in more detail, compared to one single high altitude radius shot.
Oblique: The oblique views are what you would see if you were looking out of the window of an airplane.
Vertical: The vertical view is looking straight down. When a true vertical is required we use a camera mounted in the belly of an airplane. The cameras range from 6.2 mega pixel digital camera to 9×9 aerial mapping camera.
AVAP (as vertical as possible): An AVAP is used as an economical substitute for the true vertical. The AVAP is captured looking out the side of the airplane with the camera looking down and the airplane in a bank. If the image does not have to been scaled this is a useful alternate.
The AVAP view is extremely useful as a detailed record of the site, thereby avoiding the additional time and expense of frequent visits. An enlarged AVAP print makes an excellent presentation at planning board meetings. Many questions will not be necessary since the answer is obvious from the photo. Vertical views provide independent third party documentation of the existing conditions, and they provide very useful input to the future design of the site.
Conditions for shooting
The more lead time you can allow us, the better chance of getting a perfect day for the shoot! We prefer at least 12 miles visibility to take a clear photograph. At certain times of year, that can mean a wait of several days.
The time of day can make the difference between a fair and a great photograph. If we are shooting a close-up of an office building, it will make a much better picture if the sun is on the front or best side of the building. When visiting your site take note of the sun’s position at that time, and be sure to request your preferred time of day for the shoot. Some photographers will do this for you, however, you’ll pay for a full day of their time to do so.
If you are looking for full parking lots or busy roads, the day of the week and time of day can be important. Some strip malls have stores that are closed on Sundays and Mondays. During winter, the available light limits the photographer. On the shortest days it’s best to shoot between 10am and 2pm, which is not always best for traffic unless it’s a weekend. When you request a Saturday, you need to provide a lot of luck also. Everyone remembers when it rains for 4 or 5 weekends in a row.
The final product will always be better if the photographer knows what you want to show and how you want to show it. Providing all of the information up front will get you what you need to complete your job.
Custom Graphics
Capitol Aerials can add custom graphics to your images, for easy identification of highways, access roads, site boundaries and neighboring facilities. Let the images speak for themselves!
Packages for Real Estate & Construction, Residential, Schools
The Deluxe Package includes five views: usually north, south, east, west and an offset overhead with two 8.5 X 11-inch color prints of each. The subject is normally located in the foreground of the image with the background go up to a showing just a touch of the horizon on top. This is the real estate standard site approval package. This package can also be any other required work such as construction or legal.
The Premier Package consists of ten views of your choice, one 8.5 x 11 of each. This package is most commonly used for brochures when both a variety of close-ups and area shots are required.
A CD may be purchased in addition with all the images in high resolution in a format of your choice (jpeg, tiff, etc.) The CD also comes with a license for the purchaser to reproduce these images.
Packages for Airplanes and Ships and special assignments
For Air to Air and Air to Water, we capture a large amount of images and can provide the digital equivalent of a contact sheet. We will then provide ten – 8.5 X 11 prints of your choice. We will tailor this package to your needs.
A CD may be purchased in addition with all the images in high resolution in a format of your choice (jpeg, tiff, etc.) The CD also comes with a license for the purchaser to reproduce these images.