This method has advanced significantly since the first live aerial photography back in the late 19th century and is now an essential form of modern image making. Both in monochrome visions and color perspectives from the inception of the photography and up to the current year, aerial photography had influenced the manner and way of telling and sharing stories and images to the world.
Due to historical specification in the beginning, photography was mainly used for taking images from above for geographical and military or related purposes. But as the media of photography developed, aerial photography was established for more purposes such as news and media, cinema, and artwork. Modern aerial photography is a common practice in different fields of activity, from commercial advertising to scientific research , and it is actively developing in the field of visual storytelling.
A Brief History of Aerial Photography in Visual Narratives
The use of aerial photography as a mode of telling stories visually, dates back to the beginning of the year 1900. Perhaps the most obvious use of aerial photography in telling a story can be linked back to the silent films, here, directors used aerial shots to emphasize the greatness of a scene or try to create an appalling or marvelous scene. Using ground level scenes, these early aerial visual scenes were employed to add continuity to the movie’s story telling.
With the gains in technology, applications for aerial photography successively developed and so did the roles of such accomplishment in the expression of visual narratives. During the mid twentieth century, Aerial photographing was extremely important in the development of the documentary film where director would only take aerial shots in order to capture that place an idea of an objective storytelling method.
Use of Aerial Photography in Modern Storytelling
Over the past few years the use of aerial photographs in modern narratives, or stories, has increased, due to the improvements in technology such as unmanned aerial vehicles or commonly referred to as drones. Filmmakers, photographers, and journalists have adopted drone photography as the new technological advancement that has transformed how people shoot images and or videos from the sky.
The ways aerial photography can be applied in today’s visual narrative is rather extensive, ranging from construction of beautiful and vivid landscapes, inventive action sequences, to breathtaking story telling. Aerial photography in documentary filmmaking It has now dumbed that when it comes to telling captivating stories, getting aerial view has emerged to be vital, as it aids the filmmakers to portray perceptions while emulating a sense of place to make the documentary more sensitive to the viewers.
Basically, aerial photography affects the contemporary storytelling through visuals in many ways including in the field of advertisement and marketing. The chance to take different and lively pictures from the height has become a great opportunity for brands to develop the unforgettable challenging campaigns. Starting from the glamorous fashion shoots, and ending with real estates, aerial imagery have transcendent the boundaries of advertising and have become the necessity for any company that is willing to make a difference, and to meet the public on the aesthetical level.
Photography has also changed journalism dramatically to become the cornerstone of documenting events and reporting stories across the globe. For journalists, aerial photography has given them a fresh standpoint in conflict area where it is sometimes impossible to maneuver in person. Likewise, even the cases of natural disasters including the hurricanes, the wild fires, etc. have been photographed aerially to create awareness and bring about change in sentiments.
Inefficiencies and Obstacles to Aerial Photography in Storytelling
As a result, while modern users have adopted aerial photography as a popular approach to visual narration, there are certain problems and difficulties that arise when using this concept. Without doubt, technology is a large factor; how do you consistently obtain pictures and aerial video of sufficient quality, especially in bad weather or where you are flying at a low altitude? Cameras and other filming equipment must be usable in challenging environments, and the filmmakers and photographers must be able to navigate the rules on everything from drone operations to privacy and safety in certain regions.
The last concern which is related with aerial photography is a problem of privacy and violation of private property. When drones are available to the public or civilians, some people have been worried that helicopters carrying cameras might intrude into private property especially in residential areas. This has result in formulation of new laws an regulations which try to mix between the privacy issue and the advantages of taking photos form the sky.
The Effects of Aerial Photography on the Social Culture
Consequently, society and culture at large cannot underestimate the influence of aerial photography particularly in today’s visual realty. The increasing incidence of aerial images in movies, television shows, and other forms of media has instilled more value and understanding of aerial photography and at the same time, made people more aware of the need to protect the environment and the historical landmarks that they have.
It also brings forth new debates about the portrayal and responsibility of the visual journalism in now days era with the advent in aerial photography. As aerial photography gives splendid and engaging visual from the birds eye view, film makers, photographers and journalist are now under pressure to use these equipment appropriately with more concern to an aesthetic way to shape the whole picture and influenced by the outcomes to the people and society being photographed.
Conclusion: A Possible Direction for a Film of Aerial Perspective and Documentation
Taking into account general trends in the development of aerial photography as one of the types of visual communication, it is possible to conclude that there are prospects, as well as threats on the horizon. It goes without saying that with further development of technologies, we will encounter even more of exciting and diverse forms of aerial photography’s application in the sphere of narration, including the expansion of a brand new tool in the format of VR and the introduction of possibilities provided by AI-based drones for obtaining photographs and movies.
But we have to go on pointing at the problems and difficulties of aerial photography and finding out new approaches to its legal regulation as to an effective and creative but potentially dangerous means. In the process we stand to prevent unnecessary invasions of people’s privacy and respect their dignity in an attempt to preserve the use of aerial photography as a relevant tool in today’s world of visual journalism.