Aerial photography refers to taking photographs from an elevated position, usually with a camera mounted on an airplane or helicopter. This type of photography is commonly used in fields such as cartography, geology, archaeology, and real estate development, among others. The purpose of aerial photography is to capture images of the earth's surface from above, which can provide valuable information about landforms, vegetation patterns, urban planning, and other features that may not be easily observable from ground level. These photographs are often used in combination with satellite imagery or GIS data for further analysis and interpretation.