There are many ways to get your camera up in the air and above the crowd. Many people
have been using poles, kites, balloons, and remotely piloted vehicles. Over the years, we've tried almost
all of them, and now we take 99% of our aerial photos with the Pole Pixie and our poles. Reason: Poles offer the
greatest balance of of cost, photographic control, and ease of use. Here's a comparison grid based on our experience:
| Type | Benefit | Limit |
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| Pole Photography | Less than $100 cost, easy to set up and adjust, easy to use, flexible location, can handle DSLR cameras, easy to control, slow exposures possible, high safety factor | Generally limited to less than 35 feet without support systems (e.g., car mounts, large tripods, support wires, etc.). |
| Kite Photography | Can lift camera several hundred feet, can shoot straight down, great for open spaces | Requires steady breeze, must have kite with good lift, hard for precise neighborhood shots, more setup/takedown time |
| Balloon Photography | Can lift camera many hundreds of feet, can shoot straight down, can carry heavy cameras | Expensive equipment, expensive to operate, more setup/takedown time,
possible HOA issues in some neighborhoods, affected by wind, precise photography requires remote monitoring/control equipment |
Remotely controlled
helicopters | Flexible camera positioning, great height range | Expensive equipment, possibly dangerous except
in hands of skilled pilot, camera weight limits, windy area limitations, limited flight times for battery powered units |
Remotely controlled
blimps | Flexible camera positioning, great height range, safe for people & property | Slow moving, camera weight and quality limits, windy area limitations, somewhat expensive |
Photography from
helicopters/planes | Excellent camera control, very easy b/c photographer just takes photos, safe, high altitudes possible | Expensive hourly rates, no low altitudes in neighborhoods, requires good telephoto lenses, photos of homes can show a lot of roof |
If you are surveying land or conducting a scientific biodiversity grid study, balloons or kites might be the best solution. But if you are taking
photos in crowded places like neighborhoods, then poles are probably the best fit. Pole photography also has very fast setup and takedown times,
meaning that time/labor cost is reduced. Overall, pole photography is flexible and low cost, lending itself to many applications both outside
and indoors.
Within the realm of pole photography, there are many kinds of poles, including carp fishing poles, painter's poles, linesman's poles, and specialized tripod-mounted and car-mounted telescoping poles.
For more information on why painter's poles work so well, see our page on Why Painter's Poles.
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