FotoFlite

FotoFlite is a British commercial maritime aerial photography company based in Folkestone, England. It specialises in taking aerial photographs of ships and maintains what is described as the world's largest photo archive of aerial ship images. The business traces its roots to 1947, when photographer Ronnie Gott used a commission to take aerial photographs of an industrial area at the Thames estuary as an opportunity to capture additional images of passing ships. He sent sample prints to shipowners and crews and sold a number of copies, leading him to found the company Skyfotos. Starting with a single Auster Autocrat aircraft, Skyfotos began regular flights along the English Channel. The fleet was later expanded to three Piper Seneca aircraft and the operating area extended to overflights around Gibraltar. For the next three decades the company held a near-monopoly in this segment of commercial ship photography. In the early 1980s, Andrews Professional Colour Laboratories began offering aerial ship photography under the name Fotoflite. In January 1990, Fotoflite took over its former competitor Skyfotos, creating a combined archive of more than 800,000 images. Both company names continued to be used for a time, with Fotoflite covering the commercial side and Skyfotos addressing collectors and enthusiasts. Today the company offers over half a million ship photographs and related services. FotoFlite operates as a niche specialist rather than a mass-market brand. Its core offering is aerial photography of vessels, often taken as ships pass through busy shipping lanes or approach ports, and the sale of prints and digital images to shipowners, crews, maritime enthusiasts and collectors. The archive itself is a key asset, functioning as a historical record of commercial shipping over several decades. The company is privately held and does not appear to be listed on a public stock exchange. Its website, fotoflite.com, serves as the main commercial channel for browsing and purchasing images.

The roots of FotoFlite go back to 1947. Photographer Ronnie Gott had been commissioned to take aerial photographs of an industrial area at the Thames estuary. He used the flight as an opportunity to take additional photographs of ships passing by. He sent sample prints to shipowners and ships' crews and was able to sell a number of copies. As a result, Gott founded the company Skyfotos. With its first aircraft, an Auster Autocrat, Skyfotos began regular flights along the English Channel. Later the aircraft fleet was expanded to three Piper Seneca aircraft and the operating area was extended to overflights of the area around Gibraltar. For the next three decades the company held a near-monopoly in this segment of commercial ship photography. In the early 1980s, Andrews Professional Colour Laboratories also began offering aerial photographs of ships under the name Fotoflite. In January 1990, Fotoflite took over its former competitor Skyfotos, creating a combined archive of more than 800,000 photographs. Both company names were initially continued, with Fotoflite covering the commercial sector and Skyfotos addressing collectors and enthusiasts. Today the company offers over half a million ship photographs and related services. The business is documented in specialist maritime literature, including Ian Spashett's article 'Photographers in Focus: Skyfotos/Fotoflite – How it all began' in Ships in Focus Record (1996) and Keith Goss's 'Fotoflite Update' in Ships Monthly (March 1994).

• 1996

  Ian Spashett publishes 'Photographers in Focus: Skyfotos/Fotoflite – How it all began' in Ships in Focus Record.

• 1994

  Keith Goss publishes 'Fotoflite Update' in Ships Monthly.

• 1990

  Fotoflite takes over former competitor Skyfotos, creating a combined archive of over 800,000 images.

• 1980

  Andrews Professional Colour Laboratories begins offering aerial ship photography under the name Fotoflite.

• 1947

  Ronnie Gott takes aerial photographs of ships at the Thames estuary and founds Skyfotos.

• 1947

  Skyfotos begins regular flights along the English Channel with an Auster Autocrat aircraft.

Specialist niche provider of commercial maritime aerial photography and historical ship image archives.

• Aerial ship photographs

  Commercial aerial photography of ships, often taken as vessels pass through shipping lanes or approach ports.

• Maritime photo archive

  Archive of over half a million ship photographs, described as the world's largest of its kind.

• Skyfotos collector archive

  Archive and brand aimed at collectors and enthusiasts.

1. 1FotoFlite on Wikidatawikidata.org
2. 2FotoFlite on German Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
3. 3FotoFlite official websitefotoflite.com