تفسير الصور الجوية

Introduction to Aerial Photography 
Interpretation

Remote Sensing

• The measurement of information of some property 

of an object by a recording device that is not in 
physical contact with that object.

Photo Interpretation

• The act of examining aerial photographs/images 

for the purpose of identifying objects and 
analyzing their significance

Air Photo Interpretation

• Can you guess what you are looking at on the 

following slides?

Issues with aerial photography

• Oblique (tilted) vs. vertical 
• Small scale (less detail, larger area) vs. large 

scale (more detail, smaller area) vs. 

Low Oblique

High oblique

Vertical

Small scale

Large scale

Elements of air photo interpretation

These elements are what you use as clues when interpreting 

an image: 

• Tone/color
• Size (absolute/relative)
• Shape
• Texture
• Pattern
• Site
• Association
• Shadow

Tone/color

Size

Shape

Texture

Pattern

Site

Association

Shadow

Air Photo Applications

• Important for land planning and management 

activities

– Land cover

• Types of features (ex. Corn field, forest, lake)

– Land use

• Economic function (ex. Agriculture, residential, industrial)