A method for taking a series of partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, said camera having a viewing angle, said camera being arranged in a fixed relationship to the aircraft or spacecraft carrying it, the method comprising: - while said aircraft or said spacecraft is moving, acquiring a plurality of images with said camera at different instants in time, said different instants in time being separated by a series of time intervals; and - detecting , during said moving, position information representative of a position of said aircraft or said spacecraft and orientation information representative of an orientation of said aircraft or said spacecraft; characterized in that said position information includes at least an altitude and a geographical position, and said orientation information includes at least a pitch; and in that the method further comprises: - using said position information, said orientation information, and a viewing angle of said camera to determine (140; 150) maximal values of said time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained, wherein said using of said position information and said orientation information to determine said maximal values of said time intervals comprises using said altitude, said geographical position, and said pitch to determine said maximal values of said time intervals; and - adjusting said intervals from one image to the next towards said maximal values so as to minimize the number of said acquired images while maintaining said predetermined amount of spatial overlap. - while said aircraft or said spacecraft is moving, acquiring a plurality of images with said camera at different instants in time, said different instants in time being separated by a series of time intervals; and - detecting , during said moving, position information representative of a position of said aircraft or said spacecraft and orientation information representative of an orientation of said aircraft or said spacecraft; characterized in that said position information includes at least an altitude and a geographical position, and said orientation information includes at least a pitch; and in that the method further comprises: - using said position information, said orientation information, and a viewing angle of said camera to determine (140; 150) maximal values of said time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained, wherein said using of said position information and said orientation information to determine said maximal values of said time intervals comprises using said altitude, said geographical position, and said pitch to determine said maximal values of said time intervals; and - adjusting said intervals from one image to the next towards said maximal values so as to minimize the number of said acquired images while maintaining said predetermined amount of spatial overlap. - using said position information, said orientation information, and a viewing angle of said camera to determine (140; 150) maximal values of said time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained, wherein said using of said position information and said orientation information to determine said maximal values of said time intervals comprises using said altitude, said geographical position, and said pitch to determine said maximal values of said time intervals; and - adjusting said intervals from one image to the next towards said maximal values so as to minimize the number of said acquired images while maintaining said predetermined amount of spatial overlap. <EOS>