Aerial photography

Refers to the activity of taking photographs from aircraft. The term may also be used to refer to any photography from the air, including photographs obtained by cameras mounted on aircraft, rockets, or Earth-orbiting satellites and other spacecraft. The purpose of photography from airborne or spaceborne vehicles is generally to provide information on ground features for military and other reconnaissance, or to record the dimensional disposition of such features for surveying or mapmaking. To refer specifically only to photography taken from beyond the Earth's atmosphere, use "space photography"; for photography of celestial phenomena, use "astronomical photography." When emphasis is on the view achieved by photographing from aircraft or other high locations, use "aerial views."