Gaspard-Felix Tournachon is widely believed to be the first producer of aerial photography. Tournachon, a balloonist, took images mainly of Paris, France in the late 1850’s. The earliest surviving aerial photograph, however, was one created in 1860. James Wallace Black and Samuel Archer King’s aerial photograph was titled “Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It”.
Aerial photography taken from balloons, airplanes and eventually satellites have provided extensive benefits to militaries and governments for more than a century. Additionally, aerial photography has been used for land-mapping, agriculture, scientific research, and other purposes. It has also evolved into an art form of its own, with abstract shapes, interesting landforms, and brilliant natural colors revealed from above.
The technologies of flight have greatly propelled our ability to see the changing Earth from above. Today, photographers have many tools available to capture aerial imagery. The use of drones has enabled photographers to capture local landscapes, structures, and other subjects more easily and at significantly less costs over time.
Balloon over Garrotxa Natural Park,Girona province. Catalonia. Spain Photo: Lucas Vallecillos/VW Pics/UIG 
Aerial overhead view of boat speeding up in the ocean, freedom concept. Photo: Gagliardi Giovanni/REDA&CO/UIG 
Aerial Photo, cross, Dubai, Emirates Arab United. Photo: Franco Cappellari/REDA&CO/UIG 
Roped climbers , Mont-Blanc, France, Europe. Photo: Franco Cappellari/REDA&CO/UIG 
Aerial view of Langhe, Barolo vineyards, Piedmont, Italy, Europe Photo: Franco Cappellari/REDA&CO/UIG 
Sunrise landscape of Lake Bled Island reflections and the Church of the Assumption of St Mary, Gorenjska, Slovenia, Europe Photo: Matthew Williams-Ellis/UIG 
Aerial view over rows of colourful tulips in tulip field in spring, Noordoostpolder / North-East Polder, Flevoland province, the Netherlands. Photo: Jonathan Vandevoorde/Arterra/UIG 
Aerial view over solitary common oak / pedunculate oak / English oak (Quercus robur) tree in plowed farmland showing circular tractor tracks in summer. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Aerial view of Nairobi roads at the sunset. Nairobi. Kenya. Africa Photo: Leonardo Mangia/REDA&CO/UIG 
Low income Nairobi suburbia buildings, Nairobi, Kenya, Africa. Photo: Leonardo Mangia/REDA&CO/UIG 
Aerial view over sailing boats moored at wooden jetty in lake Ratzeburger / Ratzeburger See in summer, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Cemetery. Photo: Edwin Remsberg/VW Pics/UIG 
Aerial view of Medieval village of Montfalco Murallat in Lleida, Catalonia. Photo: Sergi Reboredo/VW Pics/UIG 
Rice fields and small mud villages near Sandrandahy, on the National Route RN7 between Ranomafana and Antsirabe, Madagascar. Photo: Carlo Morucchio/REDA&CO/UIG 
Aerial view of Porto Giunco beach and tower, Villasimius, Sardinia, Italy, Europe. Photo: Fabiano Caddeo/REDA&CO/UIG 
Aerial view over farmland with tractor track running and turning through flowering oilseed rape field (Brassica napus) in spring. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Aerial view over solar panels of photovoltaic power station / solar park for the supply of electricity, Mecklenburg-Vorpommern, Germany. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Tractor with plough, agricultural ploughing machine working on a field in spring. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Aerial view of Bernal glacier in the Las montanas fjord On The Edge Of The Sarmiento Channel in Bernardo O’Higgins National Park in Patagonia Chile fjords near Puerto Natales, Chile. Photo: Sergi Reboredo/VW Pics/UIG 
Boston, as the Eagle and the Wild Goose See It, 1860, Albumen silver print from glass negative. Photo: Sepia Times/UIG 
Lighthouse Westerheversand and salt marshes at Westerhever, North Frisia, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany. Photo: Sven-Erik Arndt/Arterra/UIG 
Aerial view over highway roundabout interchange / motorway interchange with slip roads leading to industrial estate. Photo: Philippe Clement/Arterra/UIG
UIG’s aerial photography collection spans the globe and includes historical and contemporary content provided by drone, airplane, and satellite. Thanks to our partnership with Planet Observer, UIG can also provide detailed satellite aerial photos of nearly every location on Earth. Please contact us for all of your aerial needs at info@universalimagesgroup.com
All images featured in this post and on Kaleidoscope are available for licensing. Please contact us at info@universalimagesgroup.com
Sources: