b. The requester tells what he needs and it is up to you as a photographer
to produce the most useful pictures possible.
The first step toward top notch
results is good planning. To plan your assignment, get the following information
from the requester:
(1) What is the picture content? If the print is maplike, define the area
by stating its size, location, and boundaries.
For example:
an area, grid
coordinate 2623 on map sheet 6063 I; the area is bound by Pemberton-Wrightstown
road to the east, Rancoss Creek to the north, dirt road to the west, and by an
imaginary line just south of the airfield.
If the print is a picture of an
object, describe the object and the view in this manner: "A four-story building
with a good view of the front (high oblique)."
(2) How soon does the requester need the pictures? A photomap is worthless
for tomorrow's trip if it takes a week to produce the map. Extreme urgency may
require you to use a diffusion transfer (Polaroid) system and material.
When
there is no urgency, you might delay the flight until the weather conditions are
ideal for flying and photography.
(3) The type and location
of the target. Small targets require either low
altitudes or long focal length
lenses.
Camouflaged objects can be seen with
infrared film. Emergency plans
are different over targets in enemy and friendly
territory. The location of the
target may demand a specific type of aircraft of
a specific camera system.
(4) Will the prints be in black and white or color? You should make a note
if the picture is to be an infrared photograph.
(5) Will the prints be pinpoint pictures, or overall (wide area)?
(6) Will the views be vertical, high or low oblique, horizontal, or a
combination of these?
(7) How many exposures are required? An accurate tally may not be possible
at this point in your planning, but with experience you should be able to make a
good estimate.
(8) The type and amount of coverage. Fine detail requires a large-scale
reproduction.
Vertical pictures are good for photomaps, while obliques and
horizontal pictures give a more natural view.
Large land areas require many
exposures.
(9) The purpose and use of the final prints.
Planning attack routes or
laying out campsites require photomaps and perhaps some obliques to show the
variations in elevation.
To study the enemy's movement at night means using a
camera system that can take night pictures. Slides may be the best final product
for a briefing.
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