When I first saw Adam Senatori’s aerial photos, I was captured by his colorful and precise shots. The more I spent time looking at them, the more I realized that this Wisconsin-based aerial photographer not only applies the photographic techniques of angles, light, and shadow. More importantly, his method is about focus and perspective. In other words, he has a purpose in his visual capture.
Senatori is referred to as “the eye in the sky.” This aerial photographer organizes himself while on the ground. Once on a plane or helicopter, he focuses on his shot from inside a moving aircraft. Given the expense of flying, he is so methodical that his aerial photosetting is almost always the same. Thus, he tends to succeed with his first shot.
Compared to other photographers, Senatori’s work moved my five senses. Floating above the ground made me feel a sense of freedom as he makes peeks into the lives of farmers, nature, city-goers, urban areas, and landscape. He has lots of aerial photos. I have selected some of them.
Photo Credit: Adam Senatori
His St. Simons Island’s aerial photo as daybreak is breathtaking. You feel the serenity of a new day. You hear the sound of the waves. You see the light on the horizon and the length of the beach. You smell the salty water. You taste the love of nature.
Photo Credit: Adam Senatori
He has a perspective and applies 45-degree angles, light, and shadow. The plane photo shows his love for aviation as well as planes being objects of art. The design of a plane’s fuselage may be as appealing as a Ferrari’s body design. In “Heavier Than Air,” aerospace companies commissioned Senatori. In the photo below, he captures the aircraft’s motion. In addition, he uses light and contrast as our eyes focus on the object. According to Senatori, he captures that light in the mornings and evenings when shadows are long.
Photo Credit: Adam Senatori
When I read about his life, I was struck that he is a self-taught photographer. His father works as an art director at an advertisement agency; his mother is an art historian. According to Matthew Ankeny’s article “Adam Senatori’s Aerial Photography Goes Big,” Dutch painters inspired Senatori’s intense light usage. In his landscape shots done by using a digital camera, Senatori “thinks, points and then shoots.” (Ankeny) He admits to using medium-format digital, with one frame at a time.
“Love what you do” is Senatori’s motto. And he definitely does. His images and illustrations reinforce his philosophy. He has found his niche.
For more information about Adam Senatori’s photos, please visit him on Instagram at linktr.ee/adamsenatori. He also has adamsenatori.com website. And at https://www.shotkit.com/adam-senatori, Senatori provides information about camera gear and documenting life.
From commercial piloting to aerial photography, Adam Senatori is a success story with a boost to photojournalism.
Philippe Abizeid's Visual Literacy 