Aerial Photography business for non-pilot

Hi, flight school washout here... actually, I couldn't get my medical a
few years ago because of kidney stones. I grow enough to make jewelry
so I've given up on the idea :-)

Assuming I make a considerable effort in marketing my services, is it a
realistic idea for me to pay someone to fly me around to take photos
and expect to make a profit? It seems intimidating to go up against
local photographers who have a small fleet of aircraft, cutting edge
equipment, and years of experience while I would be a small potatoes,
one-man operation renting Cessna 172's.. oh, and one-woman (my wife is
a marketing/advertising major).

*In my mind* it seems possible, and if I knew it could be done I would
go all out to make it happen. What is the general consensus? Feel
free to encourage, or shoot me down. I need to keep it real.

Thanks!
Steve

On 18 Jun 2006 18:48:06 -0700, wrote:

Hi, flight school washout here... actually, I couldn't get my medical a
few years ago because of kidney stones. I grow enough to make jewelry
so I've given up on the idea :-)

Assuming I make a considerable effort in marketing my services, is it a
realistic idea for me to pay someone to fly me around to take photos
and expect to make a profit? It seems intimidating to go up against
local photographers who have a small fleet of aircraft, cutting edge
equipment, and years of experience while I would be a small potatoes,
one-man operation renting Cessna 172's.. oh, and one-woman (my wife is
a marketing/advertising major).

*In my mind* it seems possible, and if I knew it could be done I would
go all out to make it happen. What is the general consensus? Feel
free to encourage, or shoot me down. I need to keep it real.

I'm puzzled about how big a market there is for air-to-ground
photography. Shooting air-to-air (taking pictures of other people's
planes in flight against an attractive background), which would
require a pilot/photog team,seems like it might possibly break even,
although you'd need a good long lens, vibration cancellation, and an
aircraft you could take the door off.

One novelty approach to air-to-ground would be false-perspective
stereoscopic photography. You take two pictures of the same scene out
the side of the A/C while flying straight and level, (with as much as
a minute between pictures), print the pix, and arrange them for stereo
viewing through something like a stereopticon. Looks like a
model-railroad replica of the real thing.

(Or just set the images side by side, if you're good at fusing stereo
images. In that case, you could sell the results as a souvenir
booklet, or CD-ROM with a cardboard or plastic viewer. With some
marketing, you might be able to create a fad and make some money out
of the gimmick until the copycats caught up with you.)

Don

Don Tuite wrote:
On 18 Jun 2006 18:48:06 -0700, wrote:
snip
I'm puzzled about how big a market there is for air-to-ground
photography.

I don't know either, but when I instructed full time, there were ALWAYS
photographers coming in looking for a pilot.

Steve:
I think you can do anything you want to. You would have to find a
private pilot that is willing to "split" thte cost of the aircraft, or
pay for a commercial rated pilot. As I am sure you know, everything in
aviation, marketing, or just general business is networking and
contacts, with the right contacts, price break and technology really
doesn't matter. Good Luck.

BE
wrote:
Hi, flight school washout here... actually, I couldn't get my medical a
few years ago because of kidney stones. I grow enough to make jewelry
so I've given up on the idea :-)

Assuming I make a considerable effort in marketing my services, is it a
realistic idea for me to pay someone to fly me around to take photos
and expect to make a profit? It seems intimidating to go up against
local photographers who have a small fleet of aircraft, cutting edge
equipment, and years of experience while I would be a small potatoes,
one-man operation renting Cessna 172's.. oh, and one-woman (my wife is
a marketing/advertising major).

*In my mind* it seems possible, and if I knew it could be done I would
go all out to make it happen. What is the general consensus? Feel
free to encourage, or shoot me down. I need to keep it real.

Thanks!
Steve

On 18 Jun 2006 18:48:06 -0700, wrote in
.com::

Assuming I make a considerable effort in marketing my services, is it a
realistic idea for me to pay someone to fly me around to take photos
and expect to make a profit?

Although a PIC can get away with shooting a few snapshots while
performing the duties mandated by FAA regulations, prudent airman and
those wishing professional photographic results will want a two-man
team.

Larry Dighera wrote:

Although a PIC can get away with shooting a few snapshots while
performing the duties mandated by FAA regulations, prudent airman and
those wishing professional photographic results will want a two-man
team.

I got the impression that Rosspilot, who used to be very regular in this
group, was a one-man, pilot/photographer operation.

He seemed to be both a prudent pilot and a profitable operator, but perhaps
his location to New York City helped.


--
Peter

wrote:
Hi, flight school washout here... actually, I couldn't get my medical a
few years ago because of kidney stones. I grow enough to make jewelry
so I've given up on the idea :-)

Assuming I make a considerable effort in marketing my services, is it a
realistic idea for me to pay someone to fly me around to take photos
and expect to make a profit? It seems intimidating to go up against
local photographers who have a small fleet of aircraft, cutting edge
equipment, and years of experience while I would be a small potatoes,
one-man operation renting Cessna 172's.. oh, and one-woman (my wife is
a marketing/advertising major).

*In my mind* it seems possible, and if I knew it could be done I would
go all out to make it happen. What is the general consensus? Feel
free to encourage, or shoot me down. I need to keep it real.

Thanks!
Steve

When I was taking my helo lessons (over ten years ago) there was an old
gentleman that had a full-time office at the helo school there
(Metropolitan Helicopters out of Manassas, VA). He seamed to have been
making a profit to be able to afford the office, helo rental and
commercial pilots to fly him.

Monk

"Emily" wrote in message
...

I'm puzzled about how big a market there is for air-to-ground
photography.

I don't know either, but when I instructed full time, there were ALWAYS
photographers coming in looking for a pilot.

Word is commercial developers like large-format hi-def aerial photos. My
wife and I are looking into this too.

-c

"gatt" wrote in message
...

"Emily" wrote in message
...

I'm puzzled about how big a market there is for air-to-ground
photography.

I don't know either, but when I instructed full time, there were ALWAYS
photographers coming in looking for a pilot.

Word is commercial developers like large-format hi-def aerial photos. My
wife and I are looking into this too.

In what regard are you "looking into it?"

Casey Wilson
Freelance Writer
and Photographer

"Casey Wilson" N2310D @ gmail.com wrote in message
news:fKZlg.9211$1G2.7371@trnddc06...

Word is commercial developers like large-format hi-def aerial photos.
My wife and I are looking into this too.

In what regard are you "looking into it?"

Well, I'm working on my commercial rating right now and trying to develop a
simpler means of mounting and stabilizing a digital camera. I've already
done one shoot, but that was a few years ago.

Is that what you're asking?

-c