Disclaimer for Poor Picture Performance

The views from above may not suit your purpose after all.

Your site may have too many trees too close to the house.

The weather may be sunnier tomorrow or yesterday, the pretty Autumn leaves may have passed their peak, the snow melted, etc.
I just can't rush back to do it again.

And I reserve the ability to improve my equipment at any time, without promise that I will return for free to a site later to make higher quality pictures.

40 or less?

I don't haul the 40 foot pole on every trip unless it is arranged for before I leave my home. It is big and takes up space, compared to my other equipment. That's why my cost chart shows it as different than just 25-foot pole work.

On some sites, every picture might not be taken with full 40-foot pole. When I refer to the 40-foot, it also includes use of a 25-foot pole, because they share the same parts.
The 25-foot pole is fast and convenient.
I will probably take many pictures up to the 25 foot level from several locations and then review the results. I set up the 40-foot pole for views that have potential for improvement from extra height. This is judged on the spot by looking at the little pictures on the digital camera screen, and seeing how the scenes are changing with height.
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If all the pictures I take are totally unsuitable to you, I might refund time for the photo work, but do want to cover the cost of getting to and from the site.

Weather

I watch the weather forecasts and if there is a large amount of travel time to get to the site, I simply won't start, and there will be no expense. Be patient and wait for other days.
I don't ask for compensation until after I get a large amount of pictures, if they are from a pole.

Kite pictures are less of a 'sure bet' than pole pictures. Only a few pictures from a kite usually turn out as useful. Dozens and sometimes even a hundred are taken, and if I get five good ones in an hour of fly time, I will be satisfied.

If the weather turns bad after I travel all the way to your site, and before I start taking pictures, there will be no charge. I would have to try again another day. If your need or schedule for pictures has passed while waiting, please inform me so we can cancel the job. No charge.

If you have a deadline or schedule for pictures and at first say that weather and light don't matter, then please remember this after you see the results. I have salvaged some pictures from poor photography days, but the 'keepers' might be few.

Wind Kite pictures may be novel, but usually aren't as reliable as pole pictures for level framing, focus, view, and quantity. Wind can vary a lot and affects kite pictures. Pole pictures are usually easy to take, compared to kite pictures. On some sites, I may get to take pole pictures, but the wind might never develop as forcasted for me to take kite pictures. If you definitely want kite pictures and I have to travel far, I would wait for 'just the right weather system'. My hobby is just that, a hobby. I have a regular day job Monday thru Friday and even sometimes work weekends. Your pictures may have to wait a long time for me to be available AND have good weather. the LIST I may have a list of places waiting for pictures. Weather, time of day / sunlight, wind direction and site difficulties (for kite work), etc., may 'bump' you up or down on the list. The ideal situation for your pictures may pass while waiting. Many people like the Autumn colors in pictures. I might not be able to do everyone's pictures in the time available before seasons change. If you definitely want pole AND kite pictures, but the forcast for the day voids use of the kite, I will temporarily pass up your job and move you down the list. How far down the list is my choice; you don't know all the conditions affecting the list. Scouting Site conditions might not be as good as we expect, or there may be errors in reporting how 'easy' the site is. If the site is close to my home area, I usually look at it ahead of time. This allows me to plan for the best wind directions, sunlight postions, and time I should arrive. If the site is far away, I may have to rely on your reports of what to expect. And sometimes people get directions mixed up and make errors. If I can't scout the site ahead of time, I will try to double-check your report by looking at the Terraserver satellite picture web site, or maybe at the aerial pictures some counties have on the Internet. If the site has more difficulties than we expected, we will have to determine what to do. If little travel is involved, this should be easy to resolve. There is no charge for my scouting if it is close to my home. And if it is far away, I might be able to do a scouting while passing nearby while I am on my way to somewhere else. The wait could be a long time. I would reserve this effort mostly for difficult sites with excess trees and many utility wires. The ' neighbors ' I don't investigate if there are 'cranky neighbors' that don't want anything unusual going on in their area. You will know better than I. If someone complains just once, I will leave. Most people just say 'thats really cooool'. 'How does that work?' Sometimes the aerial views may show things unseen from the ground and not part of your site. Like junk cars in the woods beyond your property line. And many neighbors like their privacy. AFTER the pictures are taken, some things can be cropped out (cut off), cloned away, or de-emphasized. But the original image may still exist somewhere. The neighbors might get curious about my equipment, and then want pictures of their place. After I get done with your site, and if time is available, I might do their place for an agreed on fee on the spot. This may be an advantage for you, I will split the travel expense and lower your cost. It also helps if this is arranged ahead of time, so I know how much time to spend in one area. Places within walking distance are easy. If I have to pack it all in the car to move, I will call the next location a NEW site and it costs accordingly. And we dont' want to waste time we could be taking pictures while the weather is good. Imagine what happens if your place is scheduled so I can catch the low-angle light from the setting sun, and then the neighbor wants pictures too, but the sun has set now.

Links for more information:

Low Aerial View sample page

Factory View sample

Uses for Pole Photgraphy , such as recording storm damage, real estate sale advertising pictures, garden scenery.

Pole photography advice for best pictures

Photography Costs

Return to index page of Forty Foot Point pole

Link back to my Sky Hi Point kite index

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