F4LUFTBILDER
The gallows tower near Mellrichstadt
In the open corridor near Mellrichstadt, the gallows tower initially appears like a bright point. In the closer picture, its round floor plan can be clearly seen. Field paths and groups of trees provide the few clues that make its location outside of the development understandable.
A round tower in an open area
The gallows tower appears almost monumental in a narrow picture. A second view with a dirt road and field makes the same building appear surprisingly small and tells more about its location.
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.
Field boundaries as a benchmark
On a map, fields become similar areas. In the aerial photo they differ in color, structure and processing direction. A bright dirt path divides two plots, a row of trees interrupts the straight lines. In such places, the size of the open hallway is better understood than by just looking at the horizon. Color changes should initially be left as an observation. Which crop is growing in a field or when it was cultivated can often only be determined from a single photo with additional local knowledge.
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.
The color effect of two views
For a direct image comparison, use shot 4 and shot 1 from the gallery with 6 aerial photos. The colors appear more reserved in the first photo. In the second, individual colors stand out more clearly from each other. In the more reserved view, outlines and gradations of brightness are more important. In the stronger version, even a single colored surface can become the starting point for viewing.
According to camera data, Shot 6 and Shot 4 were taken on November 11, 2018. There is a gap of around one minute between the two images. The exposure time was 1/160 second for the first of the images mentioned and 1/120 second for the second.
Communicate architecture and location together
For a post about a building, two captions can fulfill very different tasks. The first names the system and explains its location, the second leads to a visible component. Historical construction phases or previous uses can hardly be determined from the roof color and current wall edges alone. However, an aerial photographer can show precisely which parts will actually be visible in the later photo. For a guide or local chronicler, this separation makes it easier to work with people who know the local building history.
Related motifs in the aerial photo archive
The article Thick Tower offers another perspective. In the photos, the Thick Tower stands freely between the meadow and low remains of the wall. In the gallery Eichenzeller Warte there is a different focus. The Eichenzeller Warte is located between fields on a narrow connection surrounded by trees.