Urban transformation
Cape Town's Changing Edge
A two-year observation of the Foreshore, tracking reclaimed land, moving cranes, and the quiet geometry of a harbour in flux.
Read the field notesWhen your project sits on a site that is difficult to grasp from the ground, a planned flight can give you the full context. I work with architects, planners, and developers across South Africa to capture sites before construction, track progress over time, and produce finished imagery that holds up in presentations and planning submissions. Every commission starts with a conversation about what the images need to show, not just where the drone should fly.
If the coastal work resonates with your brief, these essays explore similar terrain from different altitudes and angles.
Urban transformation
A two-year observation of the Foreshore, tracking reclaimed land, moving cranes, and the quiet geometry of a harbour in flux.
Read the field notesAbstract landscape
Early-morning flights over evaporation fields north of Cape Town, where colour and strict lines turn industrial ground into minimal frames.
View the essayRural landscape
Short flights over forgotten settlements, where corrugated roofs and empty schoolyards read as clear statements against vast terrain.
See the seriesThis page clarifies the terms that apply when you commission aerial work or license existing imagery. The notes below are meant to prevent misunderstandings about what a flight covers, how files are delivered, and what rights you receive. If anything here does not match your situation, write to us before the project starts.
"Aerial series" refers to a planned set of images captured during one or more flights over a defined area. "Commissioned work" means imagery produced specifically for your project, with the flight plan, timing, and deliverables agreed in advance. "Archive material" covers images already captured that you can license for editorial or production use. These terms are used consistently across project notes and correspondence.
Aerial work depends on weather, airspace permissions, and site access. Flights are scheduled around wind speed, visibility, and any temporary restrictions in the area. For private land, we arrange access with the owner before the flight date. If conditions prevent a safe or useful flight on the agreed day, we reschedule rather than deliver compromised images. You will be informed as soon as a decision is made, usually the evening before or the morning of the planned flight.
Standard delivery includes colour-graded files in the format agreed at the start of the project, typically high-resolution JPEG or TIFF. Raw files are not included unless explicitly requested. Postproduction is handled in Capture One and Photoshop, with adjustments limited to exposure, colour balance, and necessary cleanup. We do not remove or add structures, people, or landscape elements without discussing it first, as this changes the documentary value of the image.
Every image is delivered with a licence that states where and how it may be used. A standard commission includes rights for the specific purpose you described, such as marketing materials, a website, or a planning submission. Broader use, including stock distribution or resale, requires a separate agreement. Archive material is licensed per image, with the usage period and territory defined in the invoice. If you are unsure whether your intended use is covered, ask before publishing.
For commissioned work, you are responsible for providing accurate details about the site, including any hazards, restricted areas, or ongoing activities that could affect the flight. If the information changes after the plan is confirmed, we may need to adjust the schedule or the final quote. For archive licensing, you are responsible for checking that the intended use fits the licence before purchase. We are happy to review a draft usage description with you.
While we plan each flight carefully and follow local regulations, we cannot guarantee that every planned frame will be captured. Weather, technical failure, or unexpected airspace changes can interrupt a session. In such cases, liability is limited to rescheduling the flight or refunding the portion of the fee related to the unfinished work. We are not responsible for how the final images are used by third parties once they are delivered under the agreed licence.
These conditions apply to all projects unless a written agreement states otherwise. For questions about a specific commission or licence, contact us at info@thecloudexpansion.com or call +27568168110.