It Actually Can Make Money

By Bruce Brandon

As pilots, we have all seen beautiful sights that we wish we had a camera to capture. Aerial photography is something that not only something one can do as a hobby but can actually make money performing according to David Rodwell (pictured), the owner of Aerial Photo Academy, located in Winston Salem, NC. In his seminar at AirVenture he explained some of the basis of the “how tos” of being a photographer and the business of aerial photography. It doesn’t take as much equipment as one might think.

Getting started doesn’t require a lot of high end equipment. A digital camera with reasonable lenses will suffice. Of course, the better the camera and lenses, up to a point, the better the picture but one can get dramatic results with less than outrageously expensive equipment. David explained that, while nothing is engraved in stone, generally when photographing objects on the ground, it is better to use “shutter priority” speed of = 1000. A zoom 28-200 lens is helpful. Turning off lens stabilization is also suggested.

Marketing of course is critical. There are a number of ways to skin this cat. There is a high demand from those who own what is to be photographed. Consequently listing your business under Craigslist “farm and garden” will be viewed by people who own their own homes and farms. The “yellow pages” is good but it can be expensive. Cold calling is also effective. Having samples of your work is also very important as well as presenting yourself as a professional and not as a hobbyist.

Time didn’t allow David to go into the details of air-to-air, which is the most complicated, expensive and lucrative segment of the market. He does offer online courses and has written several books on the topic to help one get started.

Sometimes it requires thinking outside of the box to help afford our passion of aviation. If you enjoy photography and flying aerial photography can be contributor to the expense.

One caveat, when acting as a photographer, don’t simultaneously act as a pilot. This is NOT the time to multitask. Remember, the majority of the time you are photographing something you are probably low and slow (sound like part of a accident report?) and looking at the ground not for other aircraft and not flying the airplane. You also aren’t going to take very good photographs. To try to fly and photograph simultaneously is a prescription for disaster.

FMI: http://aerial-photography-academy.com/