Aerial Photography

Link  to: Statewide Collections | Phoenix-Area Collections | Finding Photos | Photo Use Policy | Other Photo Sources

Collection Photos

The ASU Libraries' Map Collection contains more than 20,000 contemporary and historical aerial photos related to Arizona and the Phoenix metropolitan area. The Collection's primary aerial photo sets include:

Arizona City Photo Index

AZ City Photo Index

Statewide Collections

Soil Conservation Service (Fairchild) Aerial Photos: These are photo mosaics created from aerial photos taken by the Fairchild Aerial Company between 1935 and 1937 to assist with the Soil Conservation Service's work in Arizona. The Map Collection holdings cover 65% of the state. The scale for the photos is 1:62,500; each photo covers the same area as a 15' topographic map.
See: Soil Conservation Photo Index Map (pdf format - Download Adobe Reader)

Sample Soil Conservation Service photos:

 
• Phoenix
• Tempe & Southern Scottsdale
• Mesa, Gilbert & Chandler

Arizona Regional Image Archive (ARIA) - Downloadable USGS digital orthophoto quarter quadrangles (DOQQs), most in GeoTiff format, and satellite imagery of Arizona.

GIS Data Repository - Regional and State photography and imagery available to ASU students, faculty, and staff.

Arizona Imagery Server: Orthoimagery for most of Arizona.
Users without ArcGIS: Arizona Imagery Server
Users with ArcGIS: Please follow these instructions for accessing the map service from ArcMap.

1. In ArcMap, click the Add Data button and in the Add Data dialog, select "GIS Servers"
2. Select "Add ArcIMS Server"
3. In the Add ArcIMS Server dialog, the URL you will use is http://129.219.93.216
4. Click OK to accept. This will close out the Add ArcIMS Server dialog.
5. You should now see 129.219.93.216 listed in the Add Data dialog. Double click it to display data available.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Photo Mosaics

The Map Collection has digital copies of Department of Agriculture photography mosaics for Maricopa County.  These mosaics were created to index the individual photographs taken for the Department of Agriculture project.  The individual photographs are not available from the Map Collection.  Each digital file of the photography mosaics is approximately 70 MB and low resolution.  An individual project year of data is approximately 1 GB in size.  A sample of the resolution available can be seen here.

The photo mosaics depict on portions of the counties, generally urban and agricultural areas.  The KMLs in the chart below depict the areal extent of each set of photo mosaics available for viewing and downloading within the Map Collection.  The approximate extent of this photography can be viewed using either Google Maps or Google Earth.  Viewing KML files with Google Earth requires a software download.

State and Interstate Highway Photos: These photos were taken by the Arizona Department of Transportation in the late 1950s and early 1960s. They cover areas adjacent to major highways. The scale for most of the highway photos is 1:31,680.
See: ADOT Photo Coverage
See: AZ City Photo Index

USGS Orthophotoquads: These aerial photographs were taken in the early 1970s as part of a cooperative program between the United States Geological Survey (USGS) and other Federal agencies. Orthophotos are aerial photographs that have been corrected for distortion caused by camera tilt. The ASU Libraries' Map Collection owns orthophotos for most of Arizona. The scale for Arizona Orthophotoquads is 1:24,000, the same scale as 7.5-minute topographic maps. The orthophotos are referenced by the quadrangle name.
See: Orthophotoquad Index Map (pdf format - Download Adobe Reader)
See: AZ City Photo Index

Phoenix-Area Collections

Maricopa County Historic Photography: The Flood Control District has historic photography available in years ranging from 1930 to present.  Use of an Internet Explorer browser is requried.

U.S. Department of Agriculture Photos:

• See above table.

USGS Photos: These photos are 9"x9" black and white aerials flown by the United States Geological Survey in the early 1960s. The USGS photos cover most of the eastern and southern regions of the Phoenix metropolitan area. Photo scales range from 1:24,000 to 1:34,400.
See: AZ City Photo Index

Landiscor Phoenix Photo Atlases: From 1969 to 2006, Landiscor produced aerial photo books of the greater Phoenix metropolitan area at a scale of 1:14,400. The ASU Libraries' Map Collection holds Landiscor photo atlases for almost every year from 1969 to 2006.

Landiscor Phoenix Real Estate Photo Book: Landiscor produces the Real Estate Photo Book four times a year. It contains color aerial photos at a scale of 1:26,400 as well as information on housing, office and industrial developments, and retail centers. The Map Collection has received the Real Estate Photo Book and its predecessor, the black and white Greater Phoenix Housing Study, since 1976.

Maricopa County Tax Assessor's Photos: The Map Collection maintains Maricopa County Tax Assessors photos from 1986 through 1997. These photos are produced at three scales, 1:14,400, 1:7,200 and 1:4,800.
See: Tax Assessor Photo Coverage

Finding Photos

1. Check Photo Coverages - Links to photo coverages for several of the Collection's primary photo sets are provided with their descriptions above.
2. AZ City Photo Index - Several of the larger photo sets have been indexed by the Arizona cities, towns and locales they cover. AZ City Photo Index
3. Search the Map Index - Most of the Map Collection's individual photos and photo sets are included in the Map Index. In the Terms box, enter "aerial photography" and your geographic area of interest. Map Index
4. Contact the Map Collection - If you need assistance or more information on the aerial photography in the Map Collection, please contact the Collection staff.

Photo Use Policy

The Collection's maps and aerial photographs are available for public use in the library during all regular Map Collection hours. Photocopies of most Collection aerial photos can be requested through the Interlibrary Loan service at your local public or academic library. Please identify the Project ID and Photo Numbers when requesting copies.

Self-serve photocopiers also are available for reproducing non-copyrighted materials. Photos must be signed out at the Map Collection Reference Desk for photocopying. A scanner is available in the Collection for use with non-copyrighted aerial photographs. Zip disks or CDs are recommended for file storage; ASU users also may access their AFS spaces from the Map Collection computers.

Map Collection staff do not scan or copy photographs for users.

Other Photo Sources

United States Geological Survey (USGS)

EROS Data Center - Source for all of USGSs aerial photography products

Earth Explorer - Query satellite images, aerial photographs, and cartographic products available from the U.S. Geological Survey.  United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

United States Department of Agriculture (USDA)

Aerial Photography Field Office - Extensive collection of current and historical photography (back to 1955) of the conterminous United States secured for USDA agencies

U.S. National Archives and Records Administration

NARA - The source for much of the earliest aerial photography gathered by U.S. governmental agencies