Aerial Photography Tips: Patterns Are the Key

Aerial photographs offer a rogue view of the world that we don’t often see. You could get fine aerial shots by using a ladder, bedroom window, or riding in a hot air-balloon. But for Jason Hawkes, a noted aerial photographer, the only way to go is in a helicopter:

Landmarks that are rather mundane from the ground take on a whole new meaning when viewed at 3,000 feet. Number one rule for shots like this: a great harness! You also better have a crackerjack pilot because you’are flying low and slow all the time, which is rather dangerous.

Once you’re strapped in, Jason doesn’t want to you look at the usual landmarks. Instead, he likes to focus on patterns. Crop formations, salt marshes, or just a highway when photographed from the air take on a whole new meaning.

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Occasionally, it is good to capture an object in your pattern. Jason states it is nice to get something man-made in, even if it is just a person or a boat. You can be 10,000 feet high or just 50 feet; it’s very difficult to work out what exactly you are looking at. Just adding an electrical pole or something similar can give the frame a fantastic sense of scale.

It may not be for everyone, but no one can deny that Jason Hawkes is showing us a dazzling view of the world with his stunning shots.

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