A method for taking partially overlapping images of a ground surface from a camera arranged in an aircraft or a spacecraft, the method including: while the aircraft or the spacecraft is moving, acquiring images at different instants in time, separated by time intervals; detecting, during the moving, position information representative of a position and orientation information representative of an orientation of the aircraft of the spacecraft; using the position information, the orientation information, and the camera's viewing angle to determine maximal values of time intervals for which images with a predetermined amount of spatial overlap can be obtained; and adjusting the intervals towards the maximal values so as to minimize the number of the acquired images while maintaining the predetermined amount of spatial overlap.