Aerial photography for conservation information and education

Excerpt

GOOD aerial photographs often convey information far more effectively than graphs, tables, or other visual aids. For information and educational purposes, 35-mm, hand-held color photography taken from light aircraft offers several advantages over the traditional, large-format, vertical aerial photography. Flexibility in choosing perspective is perhaps the greatest single advantage. With lenses of several focal lengths, large or small areas can be photographed at oblique angles, in any direction.

A second advantage is timeliness. If a photographer owns a plane or can rent one on short notice, he or she can photograph natural resource use and abuse at the most illustrative or critical times.

A final, important advantage is cost. Short missions can be completed at relatively low cost using moderate-performance, single-engine airplanes and 35-mm cameras.

I have taken aerial photographs for 14 of my 16 years as an extension soils specialist. These photos add significantly to my educational program in agricultural and natural resources management.

Water resource applications

California's water resources are highly developed to serve both municipal and agricultural needs. A complex of reservoirs and aqueducts store and conduct water so the threat of drought or flood is reduced-reduced, but not …