On Scran there is a staggering amount of aerial imagery to explore & have fun with. Aerial photographs are simply pictures taken from above. There are two types of aerial photograph – vertical and oblique.

Vertical aerial photographs are taken with a camera directed straight down towards the ground, as vertically as possible, at a right angle or 90 degrees. They are usually taken from immediately overhead with a camera fixed to the underside of an aeroplane. Such vertical aerial photographs are often easy to compare with maps and can help develop mapping skills.

Oblique aerial photographs are taken at angles less than 90 degrees to the ground and are usually taken by a photographer through the window of an aeroplane. This oblique perspective allows us to see more familiar view of the landscape, where details of urban and rural land-use become obvious.

Landscapes, buildings & architecture and our whole environment and history can be appreciated in new ways by examining aerial photographs. For example, have a look at these very different aerial pictures of Clachnaharry, near Inverness.

However, you don’t need an aeroplane to take aerial photos, another option is Kite Aerial Photography, which is a great outdoor learning experience. Aerial photographs can be used to illustrate various aspects of the curriculum, including Learning for Sustainability themes. Perfect for studying geography; aerial imagery can help answer questions about coastal activity, population density, economic activity, glaciers, commercial development, tourism and climate. Not to mention visual arts, archaeology, geology and various interdisciplinary approaches.

We hope you are able take the time to look at Scotland from a bird’s eye view on Scran.

Images © NCAP & RCAHMS. Licensor www.scran.ac.uk