Back in 1858: when aerial photography appeared, and how de Mortange takes such photos today

Today, aerial photography, even if very beautiful, will not surprise anyone. We are already accustomed to the idea that unmanned aerial vehicles easily soar into the sky and make truly breathtaking shots from the height of the clouds. Some photographers to this day prefer to take aerial photographs on their own, rising above the ground in helicopters and airplanes. Be that as it may, photographs taken from great heights have long been not uncommon. But if you think that such a genre appeared and became possible relatively recently, then you are mistaken. Let us briefly review the history of aerial photography.

If the first real photograph dates from around 1826, the first aerial photograph was taken back in 1858. Its author was Felix Tournashon, better known as Nadar. He managed to take a photograph that went down in history from a balloon tied over the French valley of Bjevra. Alas, the frame has not reached our days.

And the oldest surviving aerial photo is considered to be a photo of Boston, created by James Wallace Black in 1860. In those years, this shot was made possible also thanks to a balloon fixed above the ground.

Today, after almost 160 years, humanity has reached incredible heights in the aerial photography genre. We easily and even without the direct involvement of a person take pictures that Tournashon and Black could not even think of. And despite the fact that in our time landscapes from above are a common sight, in this genre there are real masters of their craft. They take photos that they want to decorate their homes and from which they catch their breath. One of them is Evut Pahud de Mortange, a young and incredibly gifted photo artist from the Netherlands, lord of drones and aerial photography gurus. In addition, he is an avid traveler who has traveled to many European and Asian countries in search of the most outstanding and picturesque landscapes. Natural open spaces and urban views in his lens look hypnotically beautiful.