Image: Ray Santos/NPS

Satellites can capture a phenomenal amount of detail, but since they view the landscape from directly overhead, they are unable to 'see' the steepest slopes.

When using these overhead images to re-create 3D landscapes, as in this Google Earth snapshot, problems arise when we try to view these steep areas from the side.

Warping and stretching of the most prominent and recognizable landforms is typically the result. As a general rule, the more spectacular the terrain, the less likely it is to be reproduced convincingly by satellite data alone.

For comparison, check out the details on the face of Half Dome captured by this tiny relief model.

Handmade maps and sculptures like this one are time-consuming to make, but in the end they oftten represent steep and spectacular terrain with more accuracy and realism than is possible with data alone.

While making the maps, illustrations and sculptures you see on this website, I try to use the richness and complexity of satellite data as a jumping-off point, rather than an end in itself. The results are particiularly evident in steep mountains like these.