4 Tips for Shooting Aerial Photos

Aerial tours over stunning landscapes are the perfect way to make a vacation even more memorable, and the only thing better than the experience is capturing it on camera. With a simple click of the shutter, you can take breathtaking photos to add to your albums. However, there are a few things to keep in mind to ensure you get the shots you want. Keep the following tips in mind when you take off to get the best results.

How to Take Stunning Aerial Photos

1. Fly With the Doors Off

While it’s possible to shoot through a window, the best shots result from a doors-off helicopter. Without glass between the lens and subject, your shots will be free of glare, grime, shadow, and other interference, yielding sharp, clean images.

Safety is key during this kind of flight, so you’ll have to stay buckled throughout the ride. You won’t be able to swap lenses or use spare gear in case the wind carries them off.

2. Shoot During the Golden Hour

To get even, full light during a shoot, schedule your aerial tour during the golden hours. These are the hours just after sunrise or just before sunset when the light dissipates into a gentle red or orange glow. Taking photos at these times of day will ensure the entire landscape is well-lit, so the shots will be vibrant and require less editing.

3. Use a Fast Shutter Speed

Helicopters can hover and fly slower than planes, but most flights will be at higher-than-normal speeds. Use a fast shutter speed to capture more frames and sharper photos. Speeds of 1/1000th of a second will suffice, but 1/5000th may produce better results.

4. Pack Extra Memory Cards & Batteries

Even if you’re taking a flight with the doors off, pack extra batteries and memory cards to avoid the risk of non-functioning equipment on the day of your excursion. Charge your batteries the night before, and bring memory cards with fast read and write speeds and at least 128GB of storage. Keep the spares secured in a sealed bag while flying to protect them.