Visual Interpretation of Aerial Photography

This lab introduced key visual interpretation skills used in remote sensing. Each map explores different visual elements—tone, texture, shape, size, shadow, pattern, association, and color—to identify geographic features using aerial imagery.

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Figure 1. Identification of Tone and Texture in Aerial Photography

This map illustrates how variations in tone (brightness) and texture (surface roughness) reveal distinct land cover types such as vegetation, water, and urban areas. Differences in tone and texture help interpret the landscape even without attribute data or scale.

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Figure 2. Identifying Geographic Features Using Shape, Size, Shadow, Pattern, and Association

This layout demonstrates how visual cues—such as shape, shadow length, repeating patterns, and spatial associations—assist in recognizing man-made and natural features. Examples include identifying buildings by shape, trees by shadow, and neighborhoods by pattern.

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Figure 3. Feature Identification Using True Color Imagery

This true color image shows features as they appear to the human eye, making it easier to distinguish forests, water bodies, and developed land. It emphasizes how true color composites provide realistic visual context for aerial interpretation.

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Through these three exercises, I learned how visual interpretation techniques transform raw aerial imagery into meaningful geographic information. Recognizing features through tone, texture, and spatial relationships is an essential foundation for remote sensing analysis.