Pole Aerial Photography (PAP)

Pole Aerial Photography taken at dusk

I have developed a method of taking photos of my listings from a different perspective. I felt this would cause the prospective buyer to notice the property a little more than the average photo.

This system includes a 30 foot telescoping pole, a digital camera, a pocket TV so I can see what the camera sees and a remote shutter release. I think I have the technique down, but I sure would like to know if anyone else is doing anything similar.

This type of photography is called Pole Aerial Photography or PAP. I have done research on KAP or kite aerial photography, but that doesn't work for my purpose. I also understand people use large helium balloons to loft their cameras.

Beyond finding out if anyone here uses similar techniques, do you think I should start a group seperate from photography for this subject?

Posted by Lee Jinks on 01/04/2007 12:17 AM

Comments (83)

83 Comments on Pole Aerial Photography (PAP)

JAN

2007

Did you buy it or make the system yourself? I don't have a set-up like yours but I use a similar technique sometimes. When trying to get a good exterior shot of a home that's "tall" I extend my tripod all the way, set the shutter to timed release and then hold it up over my head as high as I can and hold still. I can get my camera about 18 feet off the ground using this method. This was a STEEP driveway...

Steep driveway!

Don't start a new group. There's not that many people in the photography group to begin with!

There used to be a company in our area that did that - had the telescoping pole mounted on their van. I haven't seen them around lately.

No need to start a separate group -

I have seen the commercially available systems that can be purchased, but they start at $10,000. I have less than $1,000 in mine including the camera. Yes I designed and built my own system.

I started out with bull float handles and set the timer as you explain. That was before I even had a tripod. Adding the pocket TV saved me a lot of time and improved the photos greatly. I can help with suggestions on adding a TV to your system if you would like. It would probably cost you less than $130.

Very cool Lee! You're really going all out to capture interesting shots.

I agree with the other comments about another group. This seems like a perfect fit for the photography group.

Where does one buy a 30 ft telescoping pole?

I'm using a Hastings Hotstick which I purchased from a company 2nd hand. I paid $200 for this one. I think they are around $400 new. These poles are used by linemen to work on powerlines. The fact that it's not conductive made me like it even more. I try to be aware of my surroundings but it only takes one stupid moment to get yourself killed in this situation.

I think you might also do a google search for Tel-o-pole. Hastings also makes a 40' model, but above 25' it's quite a bit to handle. I think any height above 30' would require some sort of mounting system. I know a man who had a mount made for his Toyota Matrix. It's light enough that you won't need a one ton truck to mount it on.

What I like about my system is that panning the camera is accomplished by twisting the pole. Limited tilt can be accomplished by leaning the pole forwards or backwards. If I had to mount the pole, I would have to have a seperate pan/tilt unit to go on top of the pole with the camera. This means more weight on the top of the pole causing more sway and more complication on the ground with additional controls.

Honestly, most homes are shot at 15' to 20'. If you get too high, all you get are the shingles and that's not attractive.

This would be better described in a picture, so listen closely. If you use a wide angle lens, you can get much closer to the house. If I stand closer to the house at a 20 foot height, the down angle is greater making for a photo that feels like it was taken at a greater height. Did that make any sense? I'm saying you don't need to go all that high.

One more thing I like about this pole over most others I evaluated is that it has push button locks. Extending the pole is a matter of pushing the section up until it lock. Brining it down is a matter of pushing the button, be careful not to pinch your thumb, and lowering the pole. I can fully extend to 30' and lower this pole in probably 15 seconds.

Okay, I found at least one place to purchase this Hastings Hotstick I spoke about. http://www.geodatasys.com/pole3.htm

I had to search "Tel-o-pole" to find it. As I said before, I was lucky to find mine used. It is not "certified" for line work anymore, but I don't mind.

I should warn you that at maximum height, the pole does sway a bit. In high winds, I have to time the shutter release to get a level picture. My night shots are done using guy wires from the top of the pole. This helps to stablalize the pole for the slow shutter speed required during low light photography.

Before you order your Hotstick, I would recomend two bull float handles. They are 6' aluminum poles that screw together. They are very ridgid and very light. You should be able to hold the pole above your head as the timer from the camera runs out. Depending on your height, I would guess one could average an 18' height with this system. And really, that's about all you will need to get a different looking photo from the other agents in your area. The only other thing I would add would be the pocket TV so you can see what the camera sees. This will save you a lot of time viewing your shot and having to make adjustments and viewing again and again until you get an acceptable shot. That's the way I used to do it. The pocket TV is really worth it.

I can't find the model I have but I fould this Portable LCD TV on the Radio Shack site:

Presidian 2.5" Portable LCD TV
Model: LMD-259 | Catalog #: 16-151

The price is under $80. Just make sure whatever you get has an A/V input. If I had to buy all over again right now, I would look into the portable DVD players. I have seen them for under $100 and you go from a 2.5" screen to a 7" or even a 9" screen. Again, just make sure you have video input.

I'll include details on the camera mount in another post.

A small sized gizmo for small cameras .... the Quik Pod looks like it could be used this way ....

http://www.quikpod.com/home.asp

I like the QuickPod...very nice. I wish I had a camera mount that worked so neatly. The only thing is that the minimum length of the poles I'm talking about is 6'. Two bull float handles will get you a 12' pole which is light enough to raise above your head giving you at least 17'. The mount I will describe later is no were as neat as this QuickPod. However, total cost of the mount should be about $5.

JAN

2007

Lee and Aaron - great shots, both of you!

I agree with everyone else, don't start another group; you're addressing a really valid point that all of us camera nuts are paying close attention to. It looks like we can learn from some of your mistakes :)

MISTAKES! I don't call them mistakes...maybe research or validations, I don't make mistakes.

JAN

2007

I was reading the Feburary 2007 issue of Shutterbug this evening and came a cross a company which supplies the pole, portable TV and shutter release all in a neat complete package. The 21ft model is just under $1,500 before adding the camera and the 50ft model is +-$15,000 depending on options.

http://www.tepcophoto.com/

As I said, my system reaches 30ft for about $1,000 including camera. You just have to be willing to do a little engineering. Tepco's 21ft system might not be a bad buy.

I still plan to detail my system as soon as I have time...hang in there.

JAN

2007

Very cool Lee, but as it has been said no need to start anew group as of yet!..But the look certainly stands out.I can also pay a tree guy $ 20 and get a pic from a palm tree.Kidding aside the Hastings Hotstick mentioned by Lee Jinks seems the way to go. I wonder what kind of camera he needs on it. Thanks for the tips. It does give a very professional look to your slides.

JAN

2007

Any camera will work on the pole. Considering the height, just remember there's a long moment arm so a little more weight will make it much more difficult to handle. The lighter, the better.

JAN

2007

THanks for the ideas - keep them coming - I look forward to a more detailed post about your system!

FEB

2007

Wow - these are great pics. You guys really go above and beyond your competition. (pun intended)

MAR

2007

The first shot looks great thank you for sharing your technique looks like you have put a lot of work in to perfecting this skill way to go.

MAR

2007

This pole (SpectroScope) is something they sell at www.nachi.org. Some inspectors are using it as a tool for reaching points they cannot easily get to. I've seen it used for still photos and usually an inspector will use it with a wireless camera attached, then just view the video on your laptop. Great for clay tile roofs.

I really like the idea of the aerial photography.

MAR

2007

Do you have any suggestions on how to mount an SLR-size camera to a pole?

I've had thoughts about buying a WonderPole and bonding a cut-off tripod head to it for mounting.

I bet the cut-off tripod head would be the best. Then you need the remote or wired control for the slr. I know with my digital slr remote, when you get about 6-8 feet away from the camera it's usually too far.

MAR

2007

I haven't used a DSLR on the pole yet. I don't think the remote shutter release should be a problem. I just don't think you can get a live video feed from the camera so you won't know what you are shooting until after you shoot it. With my setup, I also have zoom control which isn't used much, but it's nice not to have to bring the camera down just to reset the focal length.

Each new setting for the camera requires that I bring it down from height. I believe there is software for the Canon where you have total control over the camera from a laptop. This might be a solution, but my setup is simple and one person can easily move from the front to the back to inside the house. I really think it works well.

As far as mounting, I wouldn't destroy a perfectly good tripod when you can make an acceptable mount for about $5. On the top of my bull float handles is a threaded male end like you would find on the end of a mop handle. Screw a modified paint roller onto the end and you are in business.

Modified paint roller: take the roller off the hub, screw nylon straps to an aluminum plate around the hub and mount the camera on that. This will give you tilt and just twist the pole for pan. I'll try to get you pictures. For my Tel-O-Pole, I made an "L" bracket that does the same thing. You don't need all the articulation of a tripod head.

I researched the Wonder Pole and it's probably similar to my Tel-O-Pole in stiffness. What I like about mine is the quick locks. I just push a section up until it locks. To bring it down, press the button to release the lock and bring it down section by section. I could probably fully extend to 30' and bring it all back down in less than 15 seconds. I'm not sure on the Wonder Pole price, but my thirty footer retails for about $400 and I got mine used for $200.

MAR

2007

Hello All,
I found your discussion during a google search and I find the topic very informative
I have just completed building a 24' system using a painters Long Pole 3 section twist lock pole and a LCD display and a remote control with servos to control the zoom and focus and snap. Doing this allows multiple shot while I have the camera hoisted and I can move the picture at will. I used a camera mount head with locking quick plate to attach the pole to the camera, allowing some tilt on the camera without leaning the pole over making for difficult control.

All said and done the price is less than $200 complete for the basics using cheap 2 channel remotes scavenged from "toy RC's"

Thanks for the helpful info

Mark

APR

2007

I use this method for real estate photos.You can see my set up on my website www.propertysnaps.com.au my pole goes up about 10 metres in the air and uses a lap top controlled pan tilt head with a canon SLR.

The pole is air powerd.

You can see some more pics here.

Works really well and pleanty of work for it.

Any questions drop me an email.

Vince

That's impressive Vince. Nice work!

There is a full write up on how it was built on larry lohmans real estate blog, http://larrylohrman.wordpress.com/2007/02/28/how-to-build-a-aerial-photography-mast/

Cheers

Vince

That is an elabrative setup, however interesting.

Another tip is to go across the street and ask the neighbor to cooperate by letting you take the picture from his second or third level window. They will often agree and it is a good way to develop contact with others in the neighborhood.

You can also adjust vertical distortion in Photoshop.

I almost forgot. Another technique to correct vertical distortion is to purchase a tilt-shift lens as mentioned in one of Bryce Mohan's tutorials on this groups blog. However this type of lens is fairly expensive. Thus it may coast as much or more than the pole setup. However it will be less work to take the photograph.

I also want to second the other comments not to set up a seperate group just for this specialized technique.

APR

2007

Greetings from Cornwall UK!! I have just launched a new business here called SkyHighPhotographs.co.uk - www.skyhighphotographs.co.uk the website will be online fully in about 10 days time.

Telescopic masts are readily available both in Europe, the USA and Canada at reasonable cost. They come supplied with everything you need to get going immediately, full pan and tilt rig operated by remote control, camera fixings and what have you. Specialist software is also supplied as part of the package, allowing you to use your laptop to zoom in and out and release the shutter whilst viewing a live screen on your laptop. If anyone requires this equipment in the UK or Europe, please contact me for prices and full specifications. Certain cameras will work with the software whilst others will not. Cost wise it is not prohibitive, I have set this company up from being recently unemployed with an avid interest in photography. You have the choice of either a 33' or 50' telescopic pole. Images captured are as crisp and sharp as can be, fit for professional use. The mast/s themselves are extremely sturdily built, very well constructed and are extremely highly portable. I am now in full time employment using this system in the south west region of England. The number of applications this technology can be put to is truly immense. If anyone wishes to contact me, please do so: inlunarsunphotography@gmail.com

Best regards!!

Mark

OCT

2007

You really stepped outside the box with your pictures. I am impressed.

OCT

2007

I have to agree with Vicky - that was indeed thinking outside the box!!!

NOV

2007

Kite aerial photography (KAP) is another option, especially for larger properties in which 25 or 30 feet may not be sufficient height. Granted not every site is accessible for kite flying, but you’d be surprised that most experienced fliers can safely fly most anywhere, provided some leeway is provided for favorable wind direction. This photo was among many taken within two hours of launching the kite to packing it up. The hobby is becoming more and more popular throughout the US and it’s only a matter of time before their services become available commercially. I fly in the Tampa/St Pete and have more examples of what can be done with 2 hours, favorable wind, and highly specialized electronics and camera! http://www.flickr.com/photos/dprite/sets/72157594574045543/

NOV

2007

It is so wonderful to see people getting interested in this form of photography. It is a thriving industry in the United Kingdom and to see it becoming increasingly popular in the US is exciting.

We use the telescopic mast system as many people have talked about above. It is vehicle mounted so we are able to reach heights of over 65 feet. It was mentioned above that the price can be more than $10,000.00 and from what we have noticed, this is a field where you get what you pay for. Our system well exceeded number after we paid to get it shipped from the United Kingdom. It has been worth every penny though.

Our business is based out of DeBary, Florida (about half-way between Orlando and Daytona Beach) so we are able to travel nearly everywhere in the state. Below are some pictures of what this system can achieve. The typical setup from arrival through departure is about 30 minutes. This is especially important in Florida since the weather can change from sunny to raining in a matter of minutes. And because it's stationary, the possibilities of damaging itself or anyone around are reduced to nearly nothing.

We did a lot of research on systems before finally deciding to purchase the one we have and are very happy with our decision. Having this system and its ease of use has made a dramatic difference on what we can photograph and the quality of the end result.

Central Florida Home

This was a beautiful home that really stuck out from the rest by using elevated photography. The house looks as though it has more heighth and the true size of the home and property are viewable.

Central Florida Home on Lake

This home had been on the market for some time. From the ground, you cannot see that there is a lake in the background. We were able to shoot the front of the home, give a good idea of what the back yard looks like and still see that the home is on a lake. All of this in a single photograph.

Feel free to check out our website at www.aviooptics.com or email me at klittle@aviooptics.com. I would be happy to speak with anyone who is interested in elevated photography.

Krystal Little, President of AviO Optics

DEC

2007

This was all so interesting! I doubt that I'll be able to do the photograhpy but no one else in our town is doing it either. Thanks so much for the info.

DEC

2007

Interesting. Very, interesting. <in an Artie Johnson German accent>

I'm an old model rocketeer. We used to launch a rocket made from Estes called the Astrocam. It used 110 film. It was hit or miss to what you got a picture of. It would be fun to take pictures of some land or a house that has very little trees to catch the rocket. ; )

Lee, you did such an awsome job with the system you built, Im impressed!

Lee- maybe you should charge realtors to take such photos and start a new business. Great stuff

I do charge other REALTORS to take elevated photos. I've partnered up with a photographer for such a business. Thanks, Mark.

DEC

2007

There is quite abit of PAP activity on a new forum, APLanding.com ... Mast suppliers, gimbles, remote control, video downlink information can also be found there.

DEC

2007

Was inspired by this post and came up with an even more cost-effective system although I can only achieve about 15-20'. Has to be portable and fit in my Civic so I took a mini-step ladder (one of those 2' ones) and then used a telescoping pool pole. The detachable head from my tripod fits perfectly on the pole and the little holes in the end of the pole (used to attach different pool cleaning parts to the pole) made a perfect base to affix the head to the pole using cable ties. Then I used the 10 second delay setting on my simple Canon Powershot A510. For some background, here is the ground shot of this house (taken at a different time than the below pictures) : House - ground level

This is a tough front to photograph as the good side has a tree hiding the house and the rest is garage. With the above setup, i took this shot:

Elevated house photo

Now, to be perfectly honest, this isn't an amazing picture either (and BTW, this is a stitched picture of 2 separate photos that I took from the pole - notice the driveway line skewing at the bottom) but the change in perspective is amazing. For good measure, i also took some shots of the backyard:

Elevated - backyard

This is also a stitched picture (note the fence errata - top) and the lighting is horrible (this needs to be taken in the AM when the sun would be behind me) but again what an amazing change in perspective.

The pole costs about $25-30 or so and the ladder is about the same. You can add 4' by using a conventional 6' step ladder but the above system will fit in my car - I want to improve my photos but I'm not going haywire with a new car or anything like that.

DEC

2007

Eric, GREAT work! I plan to chronicle the evolution of my system. I too started out with a similar system using the timer. In reality, I think most of my best shots are taken around 15' to 20'. This means a pole like yours or a painter's pole would work well for a lot less cost. The only "nicety" you might add is a portable DVD player (I use a pocket TV) at the bottom of the pole so you can see what the camera sees. This will save a lot of time retaking photos you didn't get right the first time.

I would like to see how your camera mount works at the top of the pole. Could you take a picture of the top part of the pole for us?

I don't have the pole handy but here is a picture of the shoe from the tripod the camera attaches to: Camera shoe

Camera photo 2

Camera photo 3

The pole is just a long, hollow, telescoping aluminum pole. At the end there are holes cut in the sides for plastic tabs to stick into to hold on various pool attachments - skimmer net, pool brush, pool vac head, etc. They are perfectly placed to run a couple oversized cable ties through and around the tripod shoe/head above - 1 on each side of the camera for support. The pole itself fits perfectly into the square raised part on the bottom (in fact you can see wear marks on the shoe/head above). The whole setup was very stable and I had no problem setting the 10 sec timer, pushing the exposure button, running the whole contraption up as high as I could and getting it steady before the shutter went off. I had no blurry photos although I did have a few photos that were off-center (to be expected with no laptop or TV connection to preview) but I expect that will improve the more I use it. Furthermore, I use stitching software extensively and as you can see, had no problem creating pictures suitable for stitching.

This probably isn't anything that will help tremendously for my listings on smaller lots buried in the middle of a subdivision but as you can see from my prior post, these photos of the house showcased the mountains behind very nicely. BTW, for perspective on view I tried this 1st holding up my tripod standing on the ladder 1st and got this type of photo:

Elevated photo 3

Off-center but the best of the lot . I took many more pool pole photos than tripod photos - in fact, I initially went there just with the tripod and was inspired by the pool pole sitting out next to the pool on location.

Here is what I have so-called "engineered". I use that term loosely.

I took the head from a cheap monopod and glued it to the handle of a paint roller. I took the metal arm & roller off of the handle. Now I have an empty handle to mount my head on. I used a construction adhesive to glue them together. I've used a 20' painters pole and a shorter one also. It works ok, I haven't mastered the art of raising it efficiently. The only downside to the 20' painters pole is that when fully extended it's very flexible.

I have not had the guts to put my 40D on top of it yet... :)

PAP Camera Mount

Brian, My 30' pole is fairly flexible, that's why it's a good idea to have a monitor at the bottom of the pole so you can get things lined up before the shutter goes off. And you should see my paint roller camera mount. I think you would get a bigger laugh out of it than yours. I'll post it if I get the chance.

Eric, What I ment was how the camera mounted to the pole. I think what you ment is that you use the holes to tie zip ties to the quick release shoe.

I've been meaning to wrap the handle in something else, but just haven't. I've got tomorrow free so I might take care of it. Plus I might get out and see what kind of shots I can get.

Like I said, I don't have the pole handy but yes the cable ties go through the holes and then around the shoe, 1 on each side of the camera so that is evenly adhered.

Picture it this way - take a paper towel tube and about 1" from the end punch holes in opposite sides. The tube goes into the square footing on the bottom of the shoe (just by sheer coincidence it fits the shoe on my tripod just about perfectly) and then zip ties through the hole and around the shoe.

Don't know how it compares to a painter's pole but I think it would be quite a bit more rigid - they are designed to push pool equipment through water. When not extended it is essentially solid. OTOH they are hollow and made of aluminum so they are relatively lightweight. I had zero problem holding it steady and had no fuzzy pictures at all.

BTW was doing a little calculating and I think with the tripod and 2' ladder I was probably about 12' up - 2 for the ladder, 4 for the tripod and 6 for me. Could be a bit more as I was holding that overhead as high as I could. The pool pole was at least 19' - not sure about the pole but I think they start at 12', I didn't hold it as high for better balance so maybe 5' plus the 2' ladder.

15' pool pole here: http://www.lesliespool.com/shopping/product/detailmain.jsp?itemID=8224&itemType=PRODUCT&iMainCat=28&iSubCat=737&iProductID=8224

Or a whole spectrum of choices here: http://www.recreonics.com/brush_handles.htm

I promised about a year ago to detail the system that I have. I took the photos tonight and hope to have it posted in a new post in the next day or so.

COOL! I am glad to see what others are doing! I've been doing pole photography for about two years now! My husband made me a pole rig made out of off-the-shelf painters poles and an old tripod head.

Margaret Hokkanen

PS: Here's a small photo of one of my pole pictures.

Carlsbad home

This stuff is very cool. How do you remotely snap the picture?

DEC

2007

Here's the pole rig that my husband set up. Two painter's poles from Home Depot. Each of them has a button for quick extension.

polecam

The top pole (left pic) has a SunPack tripod head. This allows for VERY easy rotation of the camera from landscape to portrait depending on your needs. That's super useful if you need to change your orientation depending upon what you're shooting and how far away.

For the second pole (bottom pole), John removed the head that comes with the pole to accept the paint rollers (you can see it in the left pic just under the tripod head). Instead, he drilled a hole and put a pin through it (see on right). To assemble the two poles, just extend each pole a couple of feet, and pin the two together (he had to drill a hole through the upper pole for the pin to go through). He left about 4 feet of overlap, so between the two poles, you get to about 22 feet. If you only need 15-17 ft, then just use the top pole and pick it up.

Hope that helps for the doityourselfers. Total cost was about $50+tripod head (which came off a $25 tripod).

What I like about it: takes about 60 seconds to assemble; you can use just 1 piece if you need only the shorter length; and you can walk into a country club pool area with a couple of painter poles and no one pays any attention.

Margaret Hokkanen

One other thing....I don't recommend aluminum pool poles if you are going very high. I snapped a couple of them in half as they buckled under the forces of the lever action in lifting the pole. I strongly recommend the fibreglass for strength if you want to go more than 20'. Also, it's non-conductive so less electrical risk (but I won't go anywhere near wires anyway).

Margaret H.

I concur about aluminum poles being a conductor of electricity. I don’t intentionally lean my pole against power lines, but it only takes a moment of inattention.

Eric, The photos you have above are causing the text to be too wide and we have to scroll back and forth to read it. Please modify that post so that this doesn't happen. You might stack the photos vertically instead of horizontally. Thanks

Margaret, I'm assuming you set the timer then lift the pole. Do you have a monitor at the bottom of the pole or are you using your 5D? Which camera do you use on the pole?

Didn't realize I could resize the photos while posting - fixed the photo size and stacking. Let me know if that doesn't fix it.

Thanks Eric. By the way, I finally posted about my PAP system. Check it out.

DEC

2007

Well I finally got the guts to put my 40D on top of the 24 pole. Vewy, vewy carefully...!! They are also good to see how full the gutters are.

40D on Mount Pole mount

Clean those gutters

Okay Brian, I want to know about your PAP system. Are you able to view what the camera sees before taking the picture. This has been my biggest concern about using a DSLR. I even emailed Canon about using a 40D on the pole, but their response was that I would need a laptop to view what the camera sees.

That's the downside. It boils down to luck. Canon is correct, the best way would be to have a laptop connected to see "live" what is going on. It would also be nice if I had the wireless remote option with the 40D. This option ($799+) has the ability to send the photos from the camera to the laptop via wireless, that's cool...

The 40D has the "live" feature that kind of simulates a point and shoot lcd screen. But I've only found it useful for portrait shots of people when it's connected to a PC.

It's an option at least.

I actually just ordered one of these - http://cgi.ebay.com.au/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=200182260782

This will at least give you remote shutter access, but then you still need to worry about what your shooting.

Lee, this is a great idea and now I am going to try it :)

thank you for sharing it

Brian, At first this sounded silly to me, but I've read that some guys are mounting small wireless video cameras to the mount pointed in the same direction as the camera so one can generally frame the shot. Another possibility (I think is better) is to mount this wireless camera to the eyepiece of the camera so you actually use it as though you normally use the camera. Try aplanding.

FEB

2008

Just received two more inquiries as a result of people seeing this aerial photography blog, so thought I may quickly provide an update to last post above from a few months back.

Although business has slowed up considerably during the winter months, still ticking over and just finished a contract with a major international property consultancy company, and thoroughly enjoying still, this aspect of photography.

If any of you would like to view my web site you can see it here: http://www.SkyHighPhotographs.co.uk

The camera I have attached to a 52' telescopic highly portable tripod, this system, I've already explained in my previous comments.

As for viewing exactly that which the camera is seeing aloft, I use obviously the laptop on the ground for this, the two are connected via a/n 80' long USB lead.

The software used is called BreezeSys - type that into Google and you'll find it easily enough, doesn't cost much at all and told, is an excellent piece of software for remote viewing.

If anyone else has any questions they would like to run past me about any aspect of aerial photography, (elevated photography), please do not hesitate to contact me, and I'll be more than happy to help you out with any tips and/or advice. A contact form is provided on my website, which will come straight through to my e-mail address.

Kindest regards and best wishes to everyone, and all the best with your aerial photography efforts.

Cheers!!

Mark

Great Idea. I see Brian put his 40D on a pole, I guess I could try my 20D (after is stop drooling over the 40D)!

I forgot to send an update....I finally got my remote for my 40D and it works like a charm. I'd highly recommend it, and for less than $30 it was a steal. Unfortunately I haven't really had a chance to get out and use it.

Maybe shortly! :)

In southern California homes less than $1M have pretty high density, so getting higher than 30 feet is not usually necessary and can be a real negative because getting up too high can mean showing the high density aspect of a neighborhood. So, here in California, just adding pole photography to your bag of tricks doesn't can add tremendous value to one's marketing advantage, and it does not have to be an expensive system.

There are more rural areas where kites, small helicopters and balloons can be useful, but that's not usually required. If we have a listing along the coast, we just rent a helicopter out of the local airfield for about $300/hour, and over the water the helicopters can get pretty low. Over residential neighborhoods, I think they will usually go down to about 750 feet, and with a 400mm lens (which you can rent for less than $50/day), you can do a really great job. So, beween inexpensive pole systems for tight neighborhoods and a willingness to hop in one of the doorless helicopters, you can pretty much avoid purchasing an expensive system here. The folks who have balloon-based systems want to charge $750 for a half day (which includes their travel time), and most of us are not willing to spend that, especially when we can zip over in a regular helicopter for $300/hour.

We strongly encourage new agents to get smart about pole camera technologies, especially those that are handling condo communities. Pole pictures can make a second-story condo photo look great, and the pictures of the pools and greenspaces can be great add-on photos as well.

Margaret H., Carlsbad Real Estate

FEB

2008

Mike, once you check it out, you will find that the 40D works because you can get a live video feed from it to view what the camera sees from the ground. The 20D does not have that capability. You will have to upgrade to a DSLR with live view or stay with a point and shoot on the pole.

FEB

2008

First I would like to say that the comments so far are fantastic. I'm learning more about PAP as I read everyone's post.

However, I have a few lingering questions:

I've read some discussion about using a monitor/lcd to view what pictures have been taken but does anyone have an example of how it works? I currently have a 40D and I would like to see if I can make use of the Live View functionality, and I would also like to see how it would work with non-live view capable cameras.

Some previous comments have mentioned the used of laptops to be able to control the camera but I would like to be more mobile and use the pole at various locations without having to be tethered to a laptop. I've seen recommendations for wireless video transmitter and video transmitter but I'm not familiar with how all of it is setup.

Here is a link to where I got the information from:

http://photographyforrealestate.net/2008/01/18/vince-destefanos-design-for-pap-with-a-canon-40d/

Thanks in advance for everyone's response!

Rachel N

Rachel,

On the left side of the camera are four ports. The upper right is video out. That's were you connect the video transmitter. The lower left is the remote terminal (N3) where you connect the remote shutter release (receiver). I found it handy to mount the monitor onto the pole so I would have my hands free to control the pole. At 30' feet, you will need both hands. The video receiver connects to the video in port on the monitor. Find a convenient place to store the remote shutter transmitter until you get the pole stabilized, and then retrieve the remote shutter transmitter and fire away.

The link you provided is very helpful. That's were I got my initial information that the 40D would work on the pole. I had written Canon a couple months earlier about the use of a 40D on the pole and the response I got from Canon was that I would have to use the laptop. Having the laptop connected to the camera will give you significantly more control over the camera, but I have found that simple often works better plus having a laptop tethered to the pole is inconvenient. Right now I have a wired connection, but will be upgrading to wireless. Now that I've written all of this, I have to admit I don't have a 40D, but have researched this thoroughly and will be upgrading to the 40D as well.

Thanks for your quick response Lee.

Now I understand how to hookup the video transmitter but from products listed on Ebay they are pretty clunky and I can see it adding extra weight to the camera if I mount it to a 30' feet pole. Will using a really long video cable to attach it to the mount at the bottom a good solution or just defeats the purpose of having a wireless transmitter? Or can I just run a very long video cable directly to the monitor?

Speaking of monitors, do you have any suggestions for a good monitor to mount on the pole? The one posted on the article I mentioned above is from ebay and it looks like it'll fall apart on me after a couple of uses. I've googled around for portable LCD or TVs but I don't know what exactly to look for to ensure that it will deliver a viewable image.

Once I know what I’m doing I’ll post pictures of my rig to share with everyone. Thanks again for answering all of my novice questions.

Rachel,

I currently have two wires which run from the camera at the top of the pole down to the monitor and shutter release and zoom control. You can run a wire for video feed, but my suggestion is to eliminate the web of wires and go wireless. You might check on aplanding for wireless video transmitters. The transmitters I have seen are so small there wouldn't be a noticable difference in handeling the pole because of weight.

Those monitors do seem less than sturdy. I have been looking for the perfect monitor for years. I currently have a 3" LCD portable TV. At the time it was the best priced monitor I could find. Today you can get a 7" portable DVD player for under $100. I've considered higher resolution monitors for lots more money, but I don't think the video output from the camera is high resolution, so I would be spending the extra money for nothing. Again, the portable DVD player is probably the best solution. Just make sure it has video in capabilities.

MAR

2008

If you can get the work as well, weddings are a great place to use this kind of photography, which will give the couple a very unique edge to their photographs on the day.

Bring on the spring!! This should be an excellent year!

Just finished a couple of major contracts, need more now.

MAR

2008

Hi Guys,

Here is a link to an update of my pole system http://www.flickr.com/groups/photographyforrealestate/discuss/72157604070449392/?search=pole

I have also just started using the 40d on the pole now and it works really well with the breeze software, I am about to trial a wireless USB extender to eliminate all the wires.

Regards

Vince Destefano

www.propertysnaps.com.au

Vince, you might be interested in the Aerial Photography group.

MAY

2008

THis is AWESOME...but I am overwhelmed....I think this is great photography.

JUL

2008

I use the Manfrotto 269 HDBU tripod, which goes up to 25 feet. It's ideal for my Canon G9 and my Canon XSi. Great shots. You can see some at www.mauipanoramics.com.

I love PAP -- and it is most effective at 10-15 feet or so. You don't have to go that high.

Steven, what is the Manfrotto tripod made of? I certainly agree with you that you don't have to do all that high and I would have to agree that my best shots are normally around 15 feet up.

AUG

2008

I use a Manfrotto tripod that's made for holding lighting on a stage (I forget the model number), a Nikon Coolpix 5000 with a wide-angle lens, and a timer device I bought off the internet.

I attach the camera to the tripod, give it a good guestimate of the angle to point down, set the timer to take a photo every 3 seconds, and send it up.

It can go up to 7.1m (25 feet?) and it does the treat. Since I can't see what it's doing up there, I tend to rotate it slowly (left to right and back to left) to make sure I capture everything I need.

I call it "PoleCam", and advertise it as a more portible solution to people with vehicle-mounted camera systems or aerial systems (like blimps). I can carry it to a remote, wooded area, set it up by myself in minutes, take the photos, bring it down to check the photos (to see if I need to re-adjust the camera head), then bug out.

Bob, my system is similar except that I hand hold the pole (no tripod) I also have a remote shutter release and pocket TV to see what the camera sees. The monitor saves me a bunch of time. I found a monitor at Wal-Mart that I think would work well for your application. I found this one for $20 because it was on clearance, but full price is only $50. I recommend it. This blog tells a little bit about my PAP system.

OCT

2008

Anyone know a good manufacturer of this pole Aerial Photography system in Sydney Australia? I like to add this service in my business. In case I miss the blog I would appreciate if someone could directly email me. My contact is in the website. Many Thanks, Liam www.sydneyrealestatephotography.com.au

NOV

2008

how much is charged for pap photos

I have charged to take photos for other agents, but that's not my business. I figure the PAP shots would be included in a package price. Allow the PAP shots to become the reason they choose you as a photographer. If you want to charge differently for PAP shots over traditional "ground" shots, I would suspect an additional $50 would be fair.

NOV

DEC

NOV

Hi.

Am in Keny and am setting up an aerial photography business.

Im still looking for the best and affordable kit available but we dont have that arund this sides.

Can anyone assist, would like to buy even if its second hand, preferably the a full 30ft kit.

Anyoe with leads?

Kindly assist.

Thanks.

eddykimani@gmail.com

+254-722-760144

Sorry meant am in Kenya, East Africa.

Eddy Kimani.

Eddy, "KITS" are often very expensive. Most people doing PAP have built their own system. The first step is often to use a telescopic painter's pole and set the timer on the camera. Then guys think they need to get higher so they will get poles like the WonderPole or Hastings HotStick. Some guys use Carp poles, but I think those would be used with much lighter cameras than the one I use. Now the complexity increases with height. At 30 feet, you WILL need a remote shutter release and video downlink. This can be wired or wireless. Wireless is more expensive, but I think worth the effort. If you go over 30 ft tall, you will need something to hold the pole (tripod or truck mount) then you will need a pan/tilt unit to control the camera's direction. Do you see how this whole thing can get out of hand very quickly?

Let me know if I can help any more.

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