How To Become An Aerial Photographer

Are you aspiring to become An Aerial Photographer? Learn How To Become An Aerial Photographer by the following step by step process.

If you’ve always dreamed of holding a unique job that is exciting as it is rewarding, then becoming an Aerial Photographer is sure to give you the necessary high – literally speaking! Practical tips for becoming a pro are given below:

Learn about Aerial Photo Ops
You will be taking vivid aerial photographs that are sharp and consistent in quality, while operating from an airplane or a helicopter. So, try to gain experience working with a local pro, observing and learning various aspects of clicking photographs while the manned aircraft travels at speeds of 90 mph or more. You need to be able to take clear shots as you move site to site to capture a variety of images from different angles.

Build on your Aviation Knowledge
You need to learn about flying, a pilot’s operating limitations of pilots as per the area you will be working in (though you don’t need to be a pilot yourself to take up this profession) since you can hire a manned aircraft from national airports and book a commercial pilot by the hour for support service. Their charges range from $75 to $250 an hour.

Acquire the necessary Skills, be an Assistant to a Pro
You need to be great at multi-tasking since Aerial photographers usually operate alone for making a decent living when they start out. So join certified courses for learning how to take well-exposed long distance photographs (1,000 feet or more away from subject), process images using computer programs like Lightroom or PhotoShop, acquire business knowledge about handling finances (budgeting, credit lines) etc

Consider the costs and compensation of Operating from the air
As a professional Aerial photographer, you may sometimes need to photograph just one site or more than a dozen. To ensure that you receive adequate compensation for your efforts, keep in mind that the charges for covering multiple sites will usually be lower since airtime is divided between different locations for such an assignment as compared to a single site fly-over.

Another factor affecting compensation is area of operation; metro cities like New York, Chicago and Los Angeles have a higher demand for aerial photography due to the presence of lots of residential and commercial construction sites. These require your services more, as compared to smaller areas; therefore, the latter pay less, too.

Work on your Physical Fitness Levels
To deliver top results in your job, make physically fitness a priority and aim on being on the leaner side, as extra weight can limit your use of certain types of aircraft, like the FAA determines weights based on an individual weighing 170 pounds. But for smaller manned aircrafts like Cessna 150s, 152 airplanes, or the Robinson R22 helicopters only take on pretty light loads. Also, remember to carry motion sickness medicine if you are prone to this side effect of the job.

Market yourself to manage costs versus compensation
Work on marketing yourself to build on your ability to manage cost of operations so you can schedule a minimum of 6-8 sites in a 25-mile radius for your mode of operation to be lucrative. With a bigger portfolio, combined with networking and productivity enhancement measures, you can boost your earning potential from the beginner level salary of $10,000 to the coveted $100,000 for an annual contract as a full-time Aerial photographer! Don’t forget to build a website and market yourself using print and electronic advertising formats too, for reaching a targeted customer base.