Rusty Kern: Aerial Photography Pricing and Service Area

Aerial Photography Service Area

My aerial photography service area is broken down into two basic areas. While my Real Estate Photography area is defined by access to major highways, the Aerial Photography areas are much larger and less limited by distance. The area inside the blue circle is the "About One Hour" area. In short, photo assignments in this area are generally completed within one hour from takeoff to landing.

The area inside the purple circle is the "Probably more than one hour" area. Much as its name implies, it will most likely take more than one hour to photograph your site between the blue and purplish areas. Needless to say, this will affect the price. And yes, I will fly beyond the purple circle.

The red circle at the lower left is Restricted Airspace over Camp David. Not shown on this map is the Air Defense Identification Zone surrounding the Metro DC Area and north of Baltimore almost reaching southern Pennsylvania. I don't have authorization to overfly Camp David in the red circle or the surrounding area. If the subject of interest is inside the red circle, sadly I won't be able to help you without written permission from Congress and a miltary escort.

Reset Map | Text List

Say...your security settings seem to be blocking the Javascript to make the map appear. Here's a text list of towns and cities that fairly accurately summarize the service areas represented on the blue and purple circles on the map.For those who are not able to see the above map, the blue circle encompasses the primary service area: Annville, Bloomfield, Boiling Springs, Camp Hill, Carlisle, Colonial Park, Columbia, Dillsburg, Dover, Duncannon, Elizabethtown, Enola, Gratz, Halifax, Harrisburg, Hershey, Hummelstown, Lancaster, Landisburg, Lebanon, Lemoyne, Lititz, Liverpool, Lykens, Manchester, Manheim, Mechanicsburg, Middletown, Millerstown, Millersville, Mt Joy, Mt Gretna, Myerstown, New Cumberland, Paxtang, Pine Grove, Plainfield, Progress, Red Lion, Spring Grove, Steelton, Tower City, Tremont, York and York Springs.The purple circle (extended service area) includes everything in the blue circle (primary service area) and the following Pennsylvania (PA) towns and cities: Beaver Springs, Beavertown, Belleville, Bendersville, Biglerville, Birdsboro, Blain, Bloomsburg, Boyertown, Burnham, Centre Hall, Chambersburg, Coatesville, Coburn, Christiana, Danville, Downingtown, East Rutherford, Exton, Fawn Grove, Fleetwood, Frackville, Gap, Gettysburg, Gilbertsville, Glen Rock, Greencastle, Hamburg, Hanover, Kutztown, Lewisburg, Lewistown, Littlestown, McClure, McVeytown, Middleburg, Mifflinburg, Milhelm, Mill Creek, Milroy, Milton, Mohnton, Montgomery, Mt Union, Muncy, New Holland, New Oxford, New Ringgold, Newburn, Newville, Orbisonia, Orrstown, Orwigsburg, Oxford, Parkville, Port Royal, Pottstown, Pottsville, Quarryville, Reading, Reedsville, Schuylkill Haven, Selinsgrove, Shade Gap, Shippensburg, Shirleysburg, Shoemakersville, Spring Mills, Stewartstown, Three Springs, Tamaqua, Waynesboro, Wernersville, West Grove, Williamsport and Wyomissing. In Maryland (MD): Bel Air, Bel Air South, Cockeysville, Eldersbrug, Elkton, Hampstead, Jarrettsville, Manchester, New Windsor, Owings Mills, Perry Hall, Perryville, Pikesville, Port Deposit, Reisterstown, Rising Sun, Robinwood, Sykesville, Thurmont, Union Bridge, Taneytown, Walkersville and Westminster.

About Commercial Aerial Photography

How much does it cost?

Standard Aerial Photography rates start at $279 which includes the consultation, preflight planning for the best time of day, weather and shoot angle(s), getting to the area, the shoot and of course landing, taxiing and getting your pictures from my camera to you. This rate assumes one hour for the job and includes most assignments that are within the blue circle above. Your needs will determine the time involved in any shoot. Flight time over one hour is billed in 1/10th hour increments ($27.90) according to engine-on time on the aircraft (Hobbs meter). I charter only high wing type aircraft with skilled and experienced pilots for the best quality shots.

The Air Defense Identification Zone mentioned above requires special planning and permission and therefore will cost a little more to capture your subject.

License, use and reprint rates will be determined at time of contract.

(Just to clear up any misconceptions, I will not drop things on ex's houses. Please stop asking.)

How do I get started?

Contact me for an appointment to discuss your needs. I'll be pleased to chat on the phone or over emails to find the best way to get the results you're looking for.

When is the best time to schedule for aerial photography?

Mid-spring (when things are getting green) through mid-fall (before everything looks like brown sticks and gray stuff) are the best times to schedule a shoot. The hot and humid days of the Pennsylvania summer are usually too hazy much after 10:00AM to get good photographs without extensive post processing. The cooler times of the year usually yield less haze and sharper images.

How long does it take?

The shoot itself depends on the job at hand and will determine the best conditions and time of day to take to the sky. If the weather is with us and there are no delays for flight restrictions or maintenance, you can have your photographs in as little as ten days.

Can I come along for the ride?

This can be arranged provided the weight and balance of the aircraft stays within safe limits.

What sort of quality can I expect in my photos?

The shots will be taken from between 1,000 and 2,000 feet above ground level for most jobs. At 2,000 feet, with the long lens on the camera you can see distinct leaves on trees for shots straight down. At 1,000 feet, the resolution improves to where you can see shingle seams on houses and sometimes read license plates if the angle allows.

Where can I see some samples of your work?

While web-photo resolution doesn't do them justice, you can see aerial photo samples right here. Please contact me for higher resolution versions of the same shots.

Post-Processing

Since my tools are purely digital, the images can be manipulated for best color, contrast and content. Basic post-processing is included in the job rate.

Real Estate Photography | Photography Overview
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