Aerial photographs and satellite images compared with maps
Geography · Key Stage 2 · The School
A photograph shows everything at once
An AERIAL PHOTOGRAPH is taken from above, often from a plane. It shows real colours, real shadows, real detail. Every tree and every rooftop is visible. Nothing has been simplified or left out. A satellite image works the same way, just from much higher up.
A map shows only what matters
A map does not show everything. It shows only what the mapmaker chose to include. Roads, rivers, and building outlines are typical choices. This is not a weakness. It is exactly what makes a map useful and easy to read. Too much detail would just get in the way. Choosing what to leave out is a real skill of its own.
Different tools for different questions
A photograph answers "what does this place actually look like?" A map answers "how do I get from here to there?" Neither tool is better on its own. The right choice depends entirely on the question being asked. Many geographers keep both close at hand.
A council plans a new footpath across a field. First they study an aerial photograph. It shows exactly where trees, ponds, and hedges already sit. Next they study a map of the same field. It shows the field's boundary and the roads nearby, drawn clearly and simply. The photograph told them what is really there. The map told them how it connects to everywhere else. Using only one of the two would have missed something important. Good planning almost always draws on more than one source.