Notes on Kite Aerial Photography: Background
Author with Monarch Hand-Launch RC Glider (10 oz.! - 33K jpg)
My interest in kite aerial photography (KAP) started when I was approached by Anne Rock of Berkeley while flying a radio-controlled sailplane at the Berkeley Waterfront. Anne inquired about the radio frequency I was using, a question common from one about to use a radio, but did not appear to have an airplane in the bag she was carrying. I asked what was up and she offered a brief description of kite aerial photography complete with a look a her rig and a small portfolio. Anne's clear enthusiasm for the hobby made the introduction compelling.
Over the ensuing weeks (summer 1994) I found my thoughts
wandering to KAP during idle moments and I decided to try and gather additional
information on the topic. Since I was in the first flush of getting to know the internet I
figured learning about an esoteric topic like KAP would be an interesting test of the
information highway. This Background Section summarizes much of the information I gathered
in my research and provides pointers to sources for additional information. I hope it
helps your search.
Brief Notes on the History of Kite
Aerial Photography - These pages provide an idiosyncratic look at the development
of aerial photography and the role of the kite in that interesting history. It is a story
of imagination, balloons, kites, rockets, pigeons, and airplanes. You can find futher
information specific to the history of kite aerial photography at the excellent WWW site of Andrea
Casalboni.
Aerial Perspectives Real and Imagined
The Beginnings of Kite Aerial Photography (in progress)
An Age of Discovery and Invention (in progress)
The Airplane Takes Command (in progress)
KAP on the Internet - When I
first searched the internet for information there was a lone set of archived e-mail files
on an FTP server in Hawaii. Now you can information on equipment, technique tips, and
sample images on literally hundreds of WWW pages spread across over a dozen sites.
Links to other Internet KAP Resources
KAP Associations / Newletters / Events -
I learned quite a bit in my exploration on the internet. There are a number of
people around the word interested in KAP, many with a good deal of experience. I had been
lucky to bump into Anne, who is both prominent in the internet postings and generous with
advice. I learned that there was a worldwide organization of folks interested in kite
aerial photography (KAPWA). As I began my research KAPWA was thought to be defunct. I've
since been in contact with Michel Dusariez who related the news that KAPWA still lives,
now as the KAPWA Foundation, and that they have recently issued a new book on kite aerial
photography. Michel forwarded their Spring 1996 newsletter via email and I've attached
this as the three WWW pages referenced below.
Through the newletters I read descriptions of twenty different approaches and rigs for KAP. And from the internet I learned that a group of KAP devotees was about to issue the first volume of a new newsletter, the Aerial Eye. Its now almost three and a half years later and editor Brooks Leffler has produced 13 issues of the Aerial Eye. Its been a five-star resource for those interested in kite aerial photography.
KAPiCA
2002 Conference Report
Aerial Eye Introduction and
Availability Update
Aerial Eye Covers - First Year
Aerial Eye Covers - Second Year
Aerial Eye Covers - Third Year
Aerial Eye Covers - Fourth Year
Aerial Eye Covers -
Fifth Year
Spring 1996 KAPWA Newsletter, Part 1
Spring 1996 KAPWA Newsletter, Part 2
Spring 1996 KAPWA Newsletter, Part 3
Questions and Answers -
This section provides links to a venerable but still useful Frequently Asked Questions
(FAQ) writeup by Anne Rock, the beginnings of a Q&A series by your author, and finally
a link to this site's discussion page where you can pose your own questions to a
knowledgable readership.
Questions & Answers No. 1
Notes on KAP Safety No. 1
Notes on KAP Safety No. 2
A 1993 KAP FAQ by Anne Rock
Pointers to Occasional Explanations of Technique
Notes on Positioning the Camera
The
"Notes on Kite Aerial Photography" Discussion Page
Resources in Print - There are
many fine sources of KAP-related information available in hard copy form. This section
will add a guide to books and magazines to the already developed catalog page.
A Bibliography (in progress)
KAP in the Magazines (in progress)
A Guide to Selected Catalogs
Notes on Kite Aerial Photography Applied
- My early activities in kite aerial photography involved compositional
objectives. Of late, I am becoming increasingly interested in applied uses for our
techniques. This thread of interest to date involves discussions of manatees, dune
zonation, ancient Roman roads, and computer animations. My first example the application
of KAP images in developing a three-dimensional computer model of the Berkeley Campus.
The Campanile Project -
Introduction
The Campanile Project - Preparatory
Work
The Campanile Project - Cloudy Day
Shoot
The Campanile Project - Flying
from the Top
Miscellaneous - Well, I'm at
the end of my list and it looks like I need a grab bag category. But don't let that be
offputting -- I think some of these pages are among the most interesting in the site due
to their quirky nature.
A Day in the Life
of a KAPer
Bay Area Wind Reports
Incidental Portraits
The World's Most Specialized Barter System
The What's Not So New Page
My KAP Curriculum Vitae
[ Home Page | Background | Equipment | Gallery | Maps | Discussion | Others | Search | What's New ]
Comments to author: crisp@socrates.berkeley.edu . All content,
graphics and
images contained throughout are Copyright (C) 1995 - 2005 by Charles C. Benton
and are protected by United States and International copyright laws.
No text, graphic or image may be used whole or in part, individually,
or as part of a derivative work without express written permission.
All rights reserved. Revised: 25 June, 2010
URL: http://kap.ced.berkeley.edu/background/backtoc.html
