What is the difference between oblique photos and high altitude imagery?

Vintage Aerial offers two kinds of aerial views: oblique photos and high altitude imagery. They were taken in very different ways, and they show very different things.

For example, here's the same farm in Wood County, Ohio: an oblique photo from 1966 on the left, and high altitude imagery of the surrounding area from 1968 on the right.


Oblique photo, 1966	High altitude imagery, 1968

Oblique photos

Taken at an angle from low-flying planes, mostly from the 1960s to the early 2000s. This is our own collection of photos.
Show a single farm, home, or business up close. Buildings, barns, yards, and vehicles are clearly visible, like a portrait of the property.
Mostly rural areas. Photo locations are approximate, based on old flight paths, so you'll browse nearby photos to find yours. See Searching for photos for tips.
Available as photographic prints, canvas wraps, and digital files.

High altitude imagery

Taken straight down from much higher up, mostly by government agencies such as the USGS and state transportation departments, originally for mapping.
Shows a wide area, from a neighborhood to a whole township, so it's best for seeing how roads, fields, rivers, and towns changed over time rather than the details of a single building.
Covers many years, from as early as 1937 up to today, with the most imagery from the 1950s through the 1990s. The years available vary by location.
View it on any county page. Pick a year from the imagery timeline next to the map, or press play to watch the area change over the decades.
Available as a 9″×9″ High Altitude Photographic Print. Click Print on the county map, then place a point and choose a distance or draw a square around the area you want. Small areas of older imagery may not have enough detail for a quality print, and we'll let you know before you add it to your cart.

Which should I choose?

If you're looking for a close, recognizable view of a specific farm or home, start with our oblique photos. If you'd like to see a wider area, compare how a place changed across the decades, or we don't have an oblique photo of your property, try high altitude imagery.