Does anyone here have expertise on aerial photos?

Cloud · 06-22-2010, 11:02 AM

I'm struggling with trying to find an historical (c. 1990-1995) aerial photo of a residential lot in El Paso.

We have found some photos, but nothing that shows our site close enough. My boss is insisting that there are photos out there "the government's been spying on us for years and they have photos where you can read the license plates off the cars." But I can't find them.

I'm getting frustrated working with the government websites (Dept. of Agriculture, USGS, e.g.) because they are oriented toward scientific data research and it's very technical.

So I just thought I'd ask if anyone here has helpful knowledge in this area.

squirell nutkin · 06-22-2010, 11:12 AM

your boss is sort of correct about the technology available to the government vis-a-vis reading license plates from a few miles away. He
s a bit paranoid to think that the entire earth is routinely photographed at that resolution, regularly updated and archived then made available on an "as needed" basis to us regular citizens.

I'd start by calling any local or regional aerial photographers and asking if they have any "Stock" images of the area in question from that time frame.

glatt · 06-22-2010, 11:18 AM

www.historicaerials.com has a ton of old imagery for free, but its coverage of El Paso is no good.

When you go to Google Earth (if you have that program installed) you can click "Historical Imagery" under the "View" menu, and then you can see your options for images going back into the early 90s. They have coverage of El Paso that goes back that far.

I've bought images from USGS before and they do not have the high resolution images your boss is talking about.

Cloud · 06-22-2010, 11:20 AM

yeah, we have tried/are trying all that (local pilots, Google Earth, etc.). We hired a service to search, and they have obtained some interesting photos (from USGS), but the closest useful scale is 1:500, and he's insisting there's better stuff out there. He's driving me crazy!

gvidas · 06-22-2010, 11:21 AM

Resolution has improved a lot in the past 20 years. Public GIS (to my knowledge) is completely separate from any sort of state surveillance. And storage was expensive back then: even if they panned past the house, why take a photo? Why keep them?

Your best bet is to get in touch with some state or county GIS group, and ask really nicely if they'll hook you up. Most people involved (the few that I've met, anyway) understand that GIS is really confusing to anyone not in the business, and will just hook you up instead of trying to make you learn it.

Links to State GIS data resources

squirell nutkin · 06-22-2010, 11:22 AM

Have you tried the KGB?

glatt · 06-22-2010, 11:27 AM

Good point. KGB would have better pictures than we would.

TheMercenary · 06-22-2010, 11:30 AM

Esp since there is a large military base there.

Sheldonrs · 06-22-2010, 12:09 PM

If you go to the NSFW threads, there are a few photographers good with areola photos.

wolf · 06-23-2010, 01:00 PM

Probably the images haven't been digitized. Try City Hall. There are likely a load of aerial photos that were actually taken by a guy in a plane with a camera mounted on it.

And the geography department of your local university. They will have a load of old images. That's how I learned aerial photo interp ... actually had a class in it. Another good source might be USGS. They base their quads on aerial and satellite imagery. Check to see if any of your local libraries are designated for government document storage. They might have stuff too.

Cloud · 06-23-2010, 02:01 PM

we've already explored local govt, local pilots, and the USGS. But the UTEP geology dept. is a good lead-we'll try that. thanks!

Spexxvet · 06-23-2010, 04:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cloud

we've already explored local govt, local pilots, and the USGS. But the UTEP geology dept. is a good lead-we'll try that. thanks!

Geography. The geology department will sow you photos of rocks.

Cloud · 06-23-2010, 04:46 PM

well, the earth is a rock, isn't it?

yes, yes, geography.

wolf · 06-25-2010, 12:36 PM

The Geology Dept probably has aerial photos too ... great for looking at waterflow and distribution, land contours, etc. Even if Cloud misspoke, it's still a decent idea.

Oh, and check smallish civilian airports. They typically have a couple of guys who love to shoot photos, and might keep an archive.

squirell nutkin · 06-25-2010, 03:17 PM

an ad in the local paper, or is this all on the QT?

06-22-2010, 11:02 AM	#1
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	Does anyone here have expertise on aerial photos? I'm struggling with trying to find an historical (c. 1990-1995) aerial photo of a residential lot in El Paso. We have found some photos, but nothing that shows our site close enough. My boss is insisting that there are photos out there "the government's been spying on us for years and they have photos where you can read the license plates off the cars." But I can't find them. I'm getting frustrated working with the government websites (Dept. of Agriculture, USGS, e.g.) because they are oriented toward scientific data research and it's very technical. So I just thought I'd ask if anyone here has helpful knowledge in this area. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-22-2010, 11:12 AM	#2
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	your boss is sort of correct about the technology available to the government vis-a-vis reading license plates from a few miles away. He s a bit paranoid to think that the entire earth is routinely photographed at that resolution, regularly updated and archived then made available on an "as needed" basis to us regular citizens. I'd start by calling any local or regional aerial photographers and asking if they have any "Stock" images of the area in question from that time frame. __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

06-22-2010, 11:20 AM	#4
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	yeah, we have tried/are trying all that (local pilots, Google Earth, etc.). We hired a service to search, and they have obtained some interesting photos (from USGS), but the closest useful scale is 1:500, and he's insisting there's better stuff out there. He's driving me crazy! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-22-2010, 11:22 AM	#6
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	Have you tried the KGB? __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

06-22-2010, 12:09 PM	#9
Sheldonrs Master Dwellar Join Date: Oct 2006 Location: Los Angeles, CA Posts: 4,412	If you go to the NSFW threads, there are a few photographers good with areola photos. __________________ Laugh and the world laughs with you; cry and the world laughs AT you.

06-22-2010, 11:18 AM	#3
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	www.historicaerials.com has a ton of old imagery for free, but its coverage of El Paso is no good. When you go to Google Earth (if you have that program installed) you can click "Historical Imagery" under the "View" menu, and then you can see your options for images going back into the early 90s. They have coverage of El Paso that goes back that far. I've bought images from USGS before and they do not have the high resolution images your boss is talking about.

06-22-2010, 11:21 AM	#5
gvidas Hoodoo Guru Join Date: Jul 2009 Posts: 286	Resolution has improved a lot in the past 20 years. Public GIS (to my knowledge) is completely separate from any sort of state surveillance. And storage was expensive back then: even if they panned past the house, why take a photo? Why keep them? Your best bet is to get in touch with some state or county GIS group, and ask really nicely if they'll hook you up. Most people involved (the few that I've met, anyway) understand that GIS is really confusing to anyone not in the business, and will just hook you up instead of trying to make you learn it. Links to State GIS data resources

06-22-2010, 11:27 AM	#7
glatt ™ Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Arlington, VA Posts: 27,717	Good point. KGB would have better pictures than we would.

06-22-2010, 11:30 AM	#8
TheMercenary “Hypocrisy: prejudice with a halo” Join Date: Mar 2007 Location: Savannah, Georgia Posts: 21,393	Esp since there is a large military base there.

06-23-2010, 01:00 PM	#10
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	Probably the images haven't been digitized. Try City Hall. There are likely a load of aerial photos that were actually taken by a guy in a plane with a camera mounted on it. And the geography department of your local university. They will have a load of old images. That's how I learned aerial photo interp ... actually had a class in it. Another good source might be USGS. They base their quads on aerial and satellite imagery. Check to see if any of your local libraries are designated for government document storage. They might have stuff too. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-23-2010, 02:01 PM	#11
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	we've already explored local govt, local pilots, and the USGS. But the UTEP geology dept. is a good lead-we'll try that. thanks! __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-23-2010, 04:46 PM	#13
Cloud ... Join Date: Feb 2007 Posts: 8,360	well, the earth is a rock, isn't it? yes, yes, geography. __________________ "Guard your honor. Let your reputation fall where it will. And outlive the bastards!"

06-25-2010, 12:36 PM	#14
wolf lobber of scimitars Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Phila Burbs Posts: 20,774	The Geology Dept probably has aerial photos too ... great for looking at waterflow and distribution, land contours, etc. Even if Cloud misspoke, it's still a decent idea. Oh, and check smallish civilian airports. They typically have a couple of guys who love to shoot photos, and might keep an archive. __________________ wolf eht htiw og "Conspiracies are the norm, not the exception." --G. Edward Griffin The Creature from Jekyll Island High Priestess of the Church of the Whale Penis

06-25-2010, 03:17 PM	#15
squirell nutkin has a second hand user title Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: in a Nut House Posts: 2,017	an ad in the local paper, or is this all on the QT? __________________ And now I'm finished posting.

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