Airplane--The Cessna 182E is our choice of airplanes.  The plane is equipped with a belly mount camera, which allows us to create vertical (preliminary engineering) images from directly overhead on 6x6 format film. (Soon we will provide digital verticals.) All oblique images are produced viewing through an open window. The camera is hand-held to compensate for vibration and or weather condition which are encountered at the site being photographed. This lets us produce a truly custom image for every project assignment.  The Cessna is a great, stable platform to shoot from and is reasonably economical, which helps to control the cost of our service.

Helicopters-- For any photo assignment which requires being lower than 1000' we utilize and contract out an independent helicopter service. This expense is added on top of our photographic service and usually will be paid up front for the estimated time required. This cost can range from 250.00 up to 495.00 per hour, depending on the type of helicopter that is used In 23 years of providing aerial photographic service, we find usually the fixed wing airplane works best for the majority of assignments. This helps us control the cost of the photographic images we create.

Film--Professional cameras are used to create professional images.  35mm cameras produce an image area which is 5 to 8 times smaller than the images created by our professional photographic cameras.  All images are created on medium format film, or so-called 120.  This size film allows us to print sharp, clear, crisp images for each project.  All photographic images are produced on fine grain color negative film.  All this insures each client of receiving high-quality images.  The use of this type of film also allows us to provide a number of different products, including enlargements, halftones, transparencies or high quality digital scans.

Cameras

--The Hasselblad, considered the Rolls Royce in the camera field, has fantastic optical qualities.  As a matter of fact, it is the camera system still used on all Space Shuttle flights.  The Hasselblad system is the camera we have also selected to use for producing our high-quality images for our clients for the past 21 years.  Fine camera optics are especially critical when we have to photograph properties with a telescopic lens.  For aerials, we use the motor drive called the ELM.  For ground architectural and interior images, we utilize the Hasselblad SWC, noted for its ability to have a great depth of field.  All these cameras produce a 6x6 cm, professional medium format film negative.

--FUJI 690, another fine, professional, medium format camera we use to create our images, produces a 6x9 cm negative.  The images produced are 8 times larger than a 35mm negative, allowing us to produce super high-quality color enlargements or film scans.  Both of the cameras utilize a leaf shutter, thus preventing film smear, a problem that occurs when taking photographic images from a moving object.

--FUJI 617 - A Panoramic, medium format camera - creates a unique photographic image.  The negative produced is 2.25"x6.5", or in a 1 to 3 ration, which produces magnificent enlargements. For example: 10"x30".

During the past five years, we have made an effort to keep up with and provide digital images. We have been scanning film to create digital files and invested in the Sienna Printer in 1995 to provide high quality prints, giving the client a high impact tool.

Now, as technology rapidly changes from film files to digital files, we receive more and more requests to provide digital images, and more clients have in-house capabilities to manipulate digital files and print them on ink jet printers, we have selected the following equipment to create the digital images.

--OLYMPUS E-10 - This exceptional digital camera creates a 4.1 mega-pixel file. This camera is only used for photographic images up to 8.5x11 at this time. The file size created allows us to make many different file sizes to suit each individaul need, from low resolution web images to high definition, continous tone, glossy 8.5x11 custom color prints, made on our Sienna printer. The sienna printer, converts the RGB digital file into a continous tone, photographic quality print on glossy photogaphic paper.

This camera allows us to create and provide a digital file the cleint can easily work with, when this service is needed.

--Sienna Printer - When print quality and cost is an issue, this 35,000.00 printer, provides us the tool to make photographic, high quality, 8.5x11 color glossy prints. Digital images are converted from an RGB file into a continous tone photographic print. This equipment allows us to combine photographic images with custom designed color graphics.

We are aware that many clients now have their own in-house production capabilities, including graphics and for 8.5x11 quality ink jet prints. Even thought ink jet prints are still slow and not real inexpensive, when the digital images are placed on a high quality, gloss paper, this digitial file allows the client to do their own production work in house.

EACH client then, only has to invest in the image capture or creation, management (color correction), and the necessary Reproduction License, depending on the use and number of copies that need to be made. (See fee schedule for complete explanation of reproduction license)

Ground Platform--We use a Chevrolet Astro van equipped with a custom-made roof platform which allows us to quickly elevate ourselves about 15 feet up in the air.  This perspective allows us to create an image above cars in a parking lot, which is a typical problem when photographing real estate from the ground level.  It is important to be able to show the building as the main focal point, and not the cars in the foreground.  For examples of this elevated photography and of different ways to photograph a subject, see our Types of Photography page.

Photo Lab Equipment--Our professional photo lab has two Super Chromega D - 4x5 and one Super Chromega E - 5x7 color head enlargers.  We have the capability to produce contact images and print color enlargements up to 26"x40."  The photographic images are processed in a kreonite 26" color RA4 processor.  By having our own in-house photo lab, we are able to control cost, confidentiality, turn-around time and quality.

Computer Lab--We also maintain a full-service digital lab, allowing us to scan film, prints and or manipulate digital camera files.  The lab consists of three terminals, each dedicated to a different task, scanning, printing and graphics.  Once we scan and digitize film photo images, or import digital images from compact flash, we can manipulate (remove or add images) and correct or change image quality using Photoshop 6.0, to creat a multiple of effects. We can then add color graphics, using Corel 10 to create a more complete story for the client. Results are only limited by imagination. All images that have been altered, other than color balance, are imprinted with a Delta D, indicating that the original image has been altered from its original form. This is done from a legal standpoint, so a person is aware of the fact that the image is not a factual representation of the are shown.

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This page last modified on March 17, 2001