Part-Time Aerial Photography Business

Part-Time Aerial Photography Business SPECIALTY/SERVICES Specialty/Services 30-1-27 Tony and Tina Ambrose, Pana, Ill., have come up with a high tech photography and video service involving the use of a radio-controlled helicopter and digital camera. Their low-altitude aerial photography business is called Prairie Sky Cam. They opened for business last May and they've been plenty busy since then, although both continue to hold down full-time jobs elsewhere. The couple travels with a trailer that contains everything needed for Prairie Sky Cam to go on location and shoot any kind of job. The mini helicopter has a 6-ft. long rotor. Most photos are shot 100 to 350 ft. in the air. All aerial photos are saved in JPG format on a CD that's given to the customer. We photographed the helicopter close up and then asked Tony to fly the helicopter up into the air and photograph us down below. As Tony controls the helicopter, Tina uses a small TV monitor to show a live view of what the digital camera is seeing. If necessary, Tina can pan the camera from side to side or tilt it up or down. When she sees the shot she wants on the monitor, she flips a switch on the controller to take the photo. Tony and Tina have taken care of a lot of otherwise impossible photo jobs, and as word spreads about their service more jobs are coming in. They range from photographing land for sale to photographing private homes, newly built developments, and local businesses. Some people just want a good photo of their farmstead. A one-hour session on site costs $200, with $100 for each additional hour on site. A one-hour video session on site per location costs $350, with $100 for each additional hour on site. A mileage charge is added outside a 30-mile radius of Pana. Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Tony and Tina Ambrose, 2698 E. 400 North Road, Pana, Ill. 62557 (ph 217 562-7222; info@prairieskycam.com; www. prairieskycam.com).

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