Which term is used for creating maps from photographs?

• A. Photogrammetry
• B. Topography
• C. Hypsography
• D. Loxodrome

Answer: (A)

Photogrammetry is the process of creating maps from photographs. It relies on overlapping images, often captured from aircraft or drones, and uses the slight shifts in a feature’s position between photos (parallax) to determine its three-dimensional location. By analyzing these measurements and the camera geometry, cartographers can derive accurate distances, elevations, and positions to produce maps and 3D models. This technique is fundamental to aerial mapping and is how many topographic maps, contours, and features are generated from imagery. The other terms refer to different ideas: topography is about the arrangement of surface features, hypsography deals with elevations, and a loxodrome is a navigational path of constant bearing, not a method for map creation from photographs.