F4LUFTBILDER
The Würzburg Bismarck Tower in the forest
The Bismarck Tower in Würzburg is surrounded by dense foliage in this series. The bright building stands out against the red and green crowns, with a part at the base disappearing into the shadows. A narrow look emphasizes his figure, a wider look emphasizes the clearing in the forest.
The bright tower surface in the foliage
In the case of the Würzburg Bismarck Tower, the area immediately surrounding the tower deserves attention. It forms a narrow transition between the regularly shaped structure and the unequally high crowns.
Up close, a tower draws the eye upwards. In the aerial photograph this movement is reversed. From the top, the eye follows the sides down to the ground and finds paths, neighboring buildings or vegetation for size comparison. A steep perspective shortens the visible shaft. When viewed from the side, it stands out from its surroundings. When selecting a representative image, it is therefore crucial whether the shape of the tower or its location in the terrain should be shown.
What the treetops reveal
A forest changes the view of every structure and every path that lies on its edge. From one side the treetops cover the lower area, from another a small gap opens. Photos in which the boundary between open space and vegetation can be clearly seen are particularly interesting. They explain which parts of a motif are visible. In a description, it is possible to distinguish precisely between the section depicted and the terrain hidden by the foliage.
Shadow as an indication of height
In the aerial photo, a shadow lies next to the object that casts it. This makes it possible to perceive the approximate height of a shape in relation to its surroundings, even if its side surface is barely visible. The effect depends heavily on sunlight. When selecting a shot, you can therefore check whether the shadow explains a detail or obscures an important area. A second view from a different direction complements the image where the dark area has little detail.
Warm tones within the series
If you browse through the 3 aerial photos, you can stay at shot 2 and shot 1 for a comparison. In the second view, warm reds and browns have more weight than in the first. Red-brown and yellowish areas are particularly noticeable next to cooler surfaces. What is interesting when comparing is whether they are concentrated on a single object or appear spread out across the entire view.
For Shot 1 and Shot 3 the same day is noted in the image files, November 12, 2018. The recording times recorded are less than a minute apart. The exposure time was 1/80 second for the first of the images mentioned and 1/60 second for the second.
Communicate architecture and location together
Anyone who has visited a building themselves often remembers the entrance and the first view upwards. In the aerial photograph, these exact areas can disappear behind a roof or a wall. A suitable caption helps to connect the tour experienced with the spatial overview. For an aerial photographer, planned use is therefore a good starting point. A view for a site plan needs clear outer edges. An image for the cover page may focus more on the interaction between the building and its surroundings.
Related motifs in the aerial photo archive
If you are looking for related motifs, you can start with Frankenwarte. There are open areas and autumn-colored forest edges around the Frankenwarte. It's worth taking a second look at Bismarckturm Bad Kissingen. The bright Bismarck Tower rises above Bad Kissingen from the autumn leaves.