AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY with a KITE

 Foreword

Aerial photography with kites (kap for short), needs to deal with various techniques. Here my aim is not to gives you the basics of these techniques, but to show you how I use them, most usually very straightforward! Also think that I don't detail some subjects as other sites have very well described it, or because they are techniques or systems that I'm not using.

Thus these pages describe the solutions I have tested, tricks and craftiness very useful, some useful datas, not so common.

 Evolutions

Without recalling the whole history of kite aerial photography since its invention by Arthur Batut in 1888, since the years 1990, the vulgarization of P&S 35 mm film cameras with motor drive of the film has greatly facilitated the work of the kaper who didn't have anymore to bring the camera back for rearming it after each shot. Moreover, the more and more attractive prices of radio-command sets gave to kap a new start with many possibilities, and more and more complex cradles. This evolution continued with the come of video transmission systems.

Question

The event of digital images and the market of digital cameras providing good quality images promotes a new wave of kap systems.

What can we wait for?

 Prospects

A priori, on the existing cradles for film cameras, it is enough to replace the film camera by a digital camera. The additional video camera for viewing is useless. Without video viewing, the immediate check of the shots images. Add that the cost of digital shooting is near nought, only the print of the photographs has a cost, and the selection of the mere interesting images is a real saving for the kaper. So, inectulably, the kapers are turning to the digital images.

 Expectations

In reality, this new easiness, and the lowest cost open the way to a new generation of rigs and kapers.Indeed, no need of complex notions, but a simple equipment which let training on the field, with less preliminaries. A simple rig, not motorized, a digital camera, a radio-command to release the shutter, a low investment in time, as well as in money, and the adventure can start.

The low weight of the whole also minimize the risks and the needs in kites.

The people that the complexity balked at, young people, organizers of scientific activities, all those will now be able to start this activity. The greater number of people that will thus be initiated to kap will then bring more enthusiast kapers.,