Products & Services Search Room

Search Room

Accessing the extensive holdings of the National Collection of Aerial Photography (NCAP) is primarily facilitated through online platforms, providing convenient access to a wealth of resources from your home or office. However, for materials that have not yet been digitised and released on the Air Photo Finder, a dedicated Search Room is also available to researchers. This allows for access to materials that may not be available online, subject to the condition and type of materials in the collection. 

Please note that appointments are always required. 

How it works

NCAP strives to ensure public access to its collections through online platforms and resources, encouraging users to utilise these whenever possible. For those unfamiliar with accessing historical aerial photographs, several How-To Guides are available to assist you. 

Available collections material

As a significant public record, the information within NCAP's imagery is accessible to all. A digitisation initiative is underway to ensure the release of imagery for universal access. Once images have been digitised and made available via the Air Photo Finder, the corresponding physical prints are no longer provided in the Search Room.

Film-based collections are often sizable and challenging to handle without specialised equipment. Additionally, given the age of this material, many films are starting to decay, making them difficult to work with safely and comfortably. Our active digitisation programme aims to preserve the valuable information these films contain. Consequently, physical access to historic films is unavailable.

Make a booking

To ensure workstation availability and assistance from NCAP staff, appointments are necessary. If collection material is required during your visit, additional time is needed for its preparation. Following your booking, you should receive either a confirmation email or suggested alternative dates within two working days.

To book a visit to the Search Room, please email ncap@hes.scot. At the time of booking a visit to the Search Room, you must provide a list of the images you wish to consult. The NCAP team can provide spreadsheets to help you do this - please request these when you make your booking.
 

Unfortunately, Search Room visitors are unable to make copies or take photographs. However, low-resolution research copies can be ordered.

Research copies

Request a Search Room visit.

Email ncap@hes.scot

Search Room Opening Hours
Monday Closed
Tuesday 10.00 - 15.00
Wednesday 10.00 - 15.00
Thursday 10.00 - 15.00
Friday 10.00 - 15.00
Saturday Closed
Sunday Closed
Scottish Public Holidays Closed

Please note that appointments are always required.

IN THIS SECTION

A black and white aerial photo of a very heavily bombed area of land. What land is visible is dark grey, and almost obscured with numerous white bomb craters. A road can be seen running from the bottom left corner to the top right.

Scan on Demand Services

Order images from the NCAP Collection which have not yet been digitised and made available on the Air Photo Finder.

A figure in a white and black jumper leans in from the bottom left of the frame. The top of their head and the whole tabletop that is in front of them are visible from our vantage above. There are two black and white images of landscapes on the table top. The figure is wearing white gloves and appears to be positioning the images under a beige viewing apparatus which has two transparent viewing lenses. There are two cardboard boxes of images on the tabletop - one with more black and white images piled in it, and another with a white sheet in it.

Image Sales and Licensing Use

When using images from the NCAP Collection you will need to know the intended use in order to purchase an appropriate licence.

A figure in a dark blue lab coat stands with their right side to us. They are wearing purple gloves, and a black and white mask. They have their arms stretched into a desk top cabinet which has transparent plastic front and sides, and a white frame. A vacuum cleaner hose feeds into the cabinet. The figure grasps a brush and holds up an image to examine it. There are other pictures and boxes in the cabinet.

Subject Specialist Consultancy

NCAP employs specialists in imagery analysis, data management, and collections care. Specialist support consultancy is offered in a variety of areas.

A row of black and white aerial photographs fills most of the frame. We can see the central image fully, but the ones on either side are partially cropped by the image frame. They are lying flat and appear to be joined together. Irregularly shaped fields and roadways are visible on the images.

Research Copies

For images that are not yet digitised, purchases can be made with confidence by requesting a lower-resolution copy of an image before you place a Scan on Demand order.

A figure in a black jumper leans into the frame from the far right. They lean on a tabletop and are holding a computer mouse. On the desk there is a screen with a colour aerial photograph displayed on it. There is also a black, cylindrical canister which has white labels on it, and a document lying on the table.

Paid Image Searches

If you are not familiar with navigating non-digitised collections or if you are short on time, NCAP provides a convenient solution.