Exercise 1:
The objective of Exercise 1 was to interpret and distinguish features in an aerial photograph based on tone and texture. Tone refers to the uniformity and intensity of the coloration of a feature. We distinguished between features of very light, light, medium, dark, and very dark tones. Texture, on the other hand, focuses on the visual uniformity of a feature. For example, the texture of the river was very fine since it was a uniform body of water, which is in contrast to the subdivision of homes that was described as very coarse due to the multiple homes in one area, differing from other objects in that location. The best texture for me was the mottled texture, which was somewhat coarse in nature but composed of different shapes and sizes that contributed to that “mottled” effect.
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| Exercise 1 Map - Tones and Textures in an Aerial Photograph |
Exercise 2:
A: The objective of Exercise 2 was to use visual cues and
attributes to identify features on an aerial photograph. At first, this seemed
like a daunting task, but once I began, everything fell into place. There were
five different attributes that help an analyst identify features in aerial
photography: shape/size, pattern, shadows, and association. Shape and size were
the easiest to find; I was able to identify a car, a pool, and a house
immediately. Pattern was somewhat instinctual as well; I used the dotted line
pattern to identify main roads and parking lines to identify parking lots.
Shadows were also easy to grasp, as they can help distinguish features when
their identity is unclear. Lastly, and perhaps my favorite, was the association
feature. Things that are alike or related are likely to be found in proximity,
so using this as a contextual clue provides further insight. The example I
chose for association was the condominium association. The clear indicators of
this facility were the parking spots in front, the large building that was
obviously bigger than a home, and, most notably, the pool in the back, which
was attached to the building. This indicated it was a condominium community
pool.
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| Exercise 2 Map: Identifying Features on an Aerial Photograph |
Exercise 3:
The objective of Exercise 3 was to observe the difference
between a true color image, which represents the colors we see with our eyes,
and a false color (infrared) photograph. False color infrared is key in
distinguishing variations of green. While the human eye may perceive one color,
the NIR spectrum reveals different color variations that can provide more
insight into plant health. I accomplished this objective, as the five features
I selected matched the expected colors and shades for true color versus false
color photography.
Notes Regarding North Arrow and Scale:
It is not advisable to add a north arrow or a scale bar to an aerial image. The reason for not including a north arrow is that we do not know the rotation or orientation of a photo, so it is not a good idea to assume north. As for the scale, it will vary due to the altitude and angle of capture of the image; therefore, the scale may introduce inaccuracies for the viewer. Fortunately, most aerial photographs come with metadata that provides crucial information, including scale and orientation.
