Aerial photography out of the Wilga with the NIkon D3x and GP-1 GPS receiver

We are supposed to head out in the field today for several weeks of intensive aerial photography, but I just wanted to squeeze in another post about a super cool little tool: The Nikon GP-1 GPS receiver. This little thing is a must for people who do aerial photography. I think it is also very cool for someone who is on a hiking, rafting or whatever trip and wants to later go back to locations on a maps recreating a picture trail. 

Nikon GP-1 GPS receiver 

Nikon GP-1 on the D3x

The GP-1 receiver just slides onto the camera into the flash shoe holder and you plug it into the bodies 12 pin connecter where the cable release normally goes. That is it and you are ready to go. You may want to switch the setting in the camera so that the GPS collects data whenever the camera is on. So that the GPS data is immediately available when you are taking a picture.  But switch off the camera if you do not use it and bring some extra batteries for the camera, because they do drain faster.

Lightroom Map feature

I will talk more about this tool when I get back – just another little hint. If you use lightroom, they have an automated tool in the library, that you can click on the GPS data and you immediately see the location on the map. Huge help for the keywording when you are flying around all over Alaska and do not know every river, mountain and creek.

A glacial stream mixes with the turquoise water of Lake Clark

My only concern with always having the exact GPS location embedded in the photograph is that certain photographers might like an image and will go to exactly the same location. With some landscape photographs that might get a big whole in the ground from tripods and photographers feet all trying to copy the same image ………..