Notes on Kite Aerial Photography: Background
Here is my summary list of useful links for information about kite aerial photography and related topics. With a few exceptions, I only provide links to sites specifically related to kites and/or aerial photography. I promise to provide at least some annotation explaining why each site is referenced.
When I began posting on kite aerial photography only one other site could be found via the then emerging search engines - Carl Crowell's remarkably preserved offering. You can now find hundreds of WWW pages devoted to matters KAP on literally dozens of sites. The links section on David Hunt's KAPER site, which tends to be the most up-to-date, contained approximately 150 links in April 2001. Such a world we live in.
If you know of sites that would be appropriate for this
list, please let me know.
WWW SITES SPECIFIC to Kite Aerial Photography
The
Digital Encyclopedia of Kite Aerial Photography - Peter Bults of the
Netherlands has developed a WWW site that serves as an encyclopedia of sorts. This
is the place to go to look for up to date KAP material. Within the site he
announces new WWW materials at other sites, chronicles the KAP calendar, and
offers a portal to KAP related posts on rec.kites and the discussion group of
Notes on Kite Aerial Photography. It is an interesting concept and Peter Bults
is doing it well. Bravo Peter. (4/01)
KAPER
-- Kite Aerial Photography E-Resources - Nature abhors a vacuum. During my
site's chairmanship hiatus David Hunt stepped forward to inaugurate the
energetic and comprehensive KAPER site. There you will find discussions of
equipment and technique that rival the articles in the late aerial eye.
See, in particular, David's impressive set of links to KAP-related resources on
the WWW -- it is clearly the best I have seen. Thank you David. (9/00)
Casalboni
Kite Aerial Photography - Authors Alberto Bonati and Andrea
Casalboni are now joined by Marcello Caselli and Claudio Del Greco in producing a
world-class site on kite aerial photography and related topics.
These handsome WWW pages replace Alberto Bonati's earlier effort. It is well worth an
electronic trip to Italy to see what these folks are up to. Every time I visit there is
new material including gallery photographs (the
oak
tree images are great!), detailed descriptions of camera rigs, and the best WWW
section on KAP history to be found. Some pages are in Italian, many are also in English.
(5/00)
Simon Harbord's KAP
site - Simply put, Simon is a treat. For several years I've hosted several pages of
his work on this WWW site. He now has his own site and it is a real delight. Simon, you
see, is a non-linear, out-of-the box thinker who blends a sharp native intelligence with a
wry sense of humor -- sort of the S. J. Perelman of KAP. He is using his WWW site to
showcase a growing collection of KAP musings, stories, and what can only be called
Harbordisms. Take a look and you will find ample advice entertainingly offered. (7/99)
Great Plains Kite Aerial
Photography Site - Dr. Aber is a Professor of Geology in the Earth Science Department
of Emporia State University. His interest in kite aerial photography has a practical
dimension for his work applies remote sensing techniques toward the study of geology and
geomorphology. Kite aerial photography is also referenced in his graduate course ES 771 Remote Sensing.
Dr. Aber recently posted an enlightening page summarizing several projects that have
applied KAP toward practical ends including a well-illustrated example of his own
work. He also points to a useful site at Oak
Ridge National Laboratory that explains accessible orthographic mapping techiques
using RC aircraft-based photos. The techniques are easily adaptable to KAP
images.(7/99)
Japan Kite Aerial
Photography Association (JKAP) - I'm delighted to report that a fine KAP web site has
emerging from Japan. Developed by Masami Nakajima, the site chronicles KAP developments in
that country and beyond. Visiting the JKAP site will reward you with information on kap
rigs, kites, and accessories. There is also a major gallery of member's work - altogether
very well done. Kudos to Masami Nakajima. (6/97)
Scott
Kroeger's KAP Site - Only a few paragraphs into Scott Kroeger's fine WWW site I said
to myself "simpatico!" Scott bring a fine sense of craft and balance to his
pursuits and this is no less so for his WWW site. There you will find guidance on basic
and advanced topics - recommended. (7/99)
Roy Latham's KAP
Site - In 1995, Californian Roy Latham is a man with a mission - the capturing of
ground textures for use in ray-traced simulator images. This means he is one of the rare
few who can pursue kite aerial photography as part of their work His pages discuss
their application and his approach. I remember getting a big kick out of the fact that Roy
found my WWW site just days after I began it in 1995 (6/99)
Christophe
Gronier's Photo Aérienne par Cerf Volants - Christophe's nacsent site pleases the eye
and provides (in French) an accounting of his initial experiences in kite aerial
photography. He also provides images of his rig, his first photograph (c'est classique)
and le Genki (his lifting kite.) In my last visit many of the image links were
experiencing difficulties. (7/99)
Patrick
Fulton of Limavady, Northern Ireland has posted a kite aerial page that describes his
experiments in kite aerial photography. Patrick charts an orginal approach to matters KAP
and has the inherent curiosity of an inventor. It will be fun to watch this site develop
(9/97)
Dan
Rusell-Pinson's KAP Site - Dan has just begun to take KAP images using a
dethermalizing timer and disposable cameras. He contends that KAP has the potential to
teach humility, patience, and patterns of sun tanning. I concur. You can follow Dan's
progress through his WWW pages. (9/97)
KAP by F.
Vieren - This site provides several pages of aerial images from Northern France. One
of the pages also describes (in French) a low-cost timer based system. The page is
illustrated with a photo of an airborne Rollei compact camera. I always liked the little
Rollei and have one in a drawer at work. Perhaps I should make it fly. (9/97)
Yoshiaki Suzuki's
Kite Aerial Photography Gallery - Kite flying & take a picture by Yoshiaki Suzuki.
This site is largely comprised of gallery pages, nine at the time of this writing, each
with an interesting collection of images. Text is in Japanese. (6/99)
Yasunori
Ichikawa's - Ichikawa, a member of the Japan Kite Aerial Photography Association, has
posted a site covering KAP developments in Japan. This eclectic collection of pages ranges
from sample KAP photos to a detailed and interesting section on equipment. The text is
primaily Japanese with some descriptions also provided in English. (7/99)
Marc Guétré's KapLand - I met
Marc in 1997 and we spent a fine day KAPing in the Marin Headlands. Marc, of flying salad
spinner fame, has an electical engineering background and brings a fresh approach to many
of KAP's little problems. Now Marc has a WWW site with photographs from Paris and beyond.
(7/99)
Harald
Prinzler's KAP Site - This German site is interesting for technical detail that it
provides. For instance, one page provides an acccounting of popular cameras that feature
an electronic shutter release and wiring diagrams for each camera's connecting jack - a
very useful service. Thanks Harald. (9/97)
John
Maxworthy's KAP Site - John Maxworthy of New York established an early KAP site with
information on his camera cradle, suspension, and kites. The site provides useful and
original technical notes that are tempered by experience. A gallery of aerial images is
still in the making. (7/99)
Bob Pebly's KAP
Site - This modest site offers examples of Pebly's photographs of the Florida
landscape and instructions for how to modify a Futaba servo for 360° rotation. (7/99)
Mike
Brown's KAP Site - This KAP WWW site chronicles Mike Brown's experience as he develops
skills in kite aerial photography. Mike is using a somewhat unusual single-channel radio
transmitter as is clearly described in his site. (9/97)
François
Demont's KAP Site - You are cordially invited to visit François' home page featuring
kite aerial photography images of his home proper. This new site by a self-professed
"French Amateur" has I think a clean, honest graphic approach and images worth
viewing. I look forward to more. (9/97)
WWW SITES for RELATED TOPICS
Kite Flier's Site -
This finely run web site is kept up to date and offers a comprehensive set of links to
other kite sites and resources. Rather than maintaining my own list of other general kite
sites I refer you to the KFS. I must say that I've grown to appreciate this site a great
deal over the last two years - Andrew Beattie has done a stunningly fine job in organizing
internet-based kite resources.
Richard P. Synergy's Kiting
Altitude Record Attempt Site - Synergy has assembled a professionally-crafted web site
that should appeal to anyone that dreams of kites applied to practical use. If you invent,
or appreciate invention, this site will provide food for thought.
RC Aerial Photography from
Model Sailplanes - This fine site, inaugurated in 1997, relates David Grenewetzki's
experience in successfully mating an inexpensive Kodak DC-20 electronic camera to a
radio-controlled sailplane. The site has useful links to other resources on electronic
cameras plus associated circuits and software.
Andre Bernard's Balloon
Photography Site - Andre is a commercial photographer in the Bay Area that yearns for
the calm that bedevils us kiters. His medium-format images from unmanned balloons are
technically excellent and worthy of a look.
USENET NEWS GROUPS
The USENET discussion groups were once an ideal resource for they allowed on to tap small communities of expertise. Many now suffer from the prevalence of spam, some to the point of uselessness. Still, others survive as resources of note. Among my favorites are:
FTP ARCHIVES
If you know internet resources uniquely appropriate for this page (e.g.; other KAP-specific pages, other ftp archives) please drop me a note and I will add them. cris@ced.berkeley.edu
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Comments to author: crisp@socrates.berkeley.edu . All content,
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images contained throughout are Copyright (C) 1995 - 2005 by Charles C. Benton
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No text, graphic or image may be used whole or in part, individually,
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All rights reserved. Revised: 04 October, 2004
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