For many students, interpreting aerial photographs proves the most difficult skill to master. Although aerial photographs cover a smaller area than that shown in OS maps, students often struggle with correctly locating and drawing objects when sketching and reading from them. Some students also struggle with using the correct terms for locating objects.
KEY WORDS
l Vertical l Oblique l Background l Middle ground
l Foreground l Sketch map l Functions l Site
LEARNING OUTCOMES
What you MUST know l How to identify a vertical or an oblique photograph
l How to give correct location on aerial photographs
l How to tell the time of year on a photograph
l How to tell the direction in which a camera is pointing
l How to accurately sketch a map of an aerial photograph
What you SHOULD know l Where to locate further developments in an aerial photograph
l How to identify traffic management projects that have been carried out
l How to identify land use and functions from an aerial photograph
l Transport l Environment
Introduction
In this chapter, you will learn how to read and sketch aerial photographs. Aerial photographs are pictures of the ground taken from a plane or helicopter. Aerial photographs provide detailed information on town buildings, land use and traffic management. When they are used with OS maps, they give us a wider understanding of the importance of the photographed town/city to its surrounding area.
