Notes on Kite Aerial Photography: Photo Gallery
A
ground level view of Chinon's crooked streets and a shot taken with the sun at the
camera's back (Canon S100 Digital Elph and Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
It occurs to me that there was
a time when I would never have launched a kite from that footbridge in Chinon
nor flown a camera above such a dense townscape. Yet, the confidence gained from
hundreds of hours of kite flying and watching the camera cradle aloft under a
myriad of wind conditions pays dividends. One is learning that the kite will
talk back to you in flight and that the suspended camera behaves predictably.
While the wind was not particularly brisk in Chinon, and thus the lift was
modest, it was a soft, steady wind and the rig flew beautifully. There is much
to be said for practice.
Closer
views of the lane that leads uphill to the chateau (left) and the town's edge
relationship with the ridge (Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
I carry the 15-mm fisheye lens pretty much everywhere I take my KAP
kit but I rarely seem to use it. When I do use it I am always struck by how fun
this it is to photograph through this lens. A fisheye with dramatic barrel
distortion, the 15-mm 'sees' 180° across the diagonal of the frame. This makes
it difficult for the KAP enthusiast to miss a target. On the other hand it is a
relatively heavy lens and its curved front element, which cannot accept a
filter, is in harm's way while flying with the camera. I am always somewhat
relieved to get it down intact.
A quartet of fisheye views taken above Chinon, France (Canon 15-mm, July 2000)
Our stay in Chinon was extraordinarily pleasant. We had fine company, gracious
hosts, and an interesting project to work on. It turns out that I never got the
chance to return to the chateau for additional shots nor was I able to get
inside. I had fancied that a kite flown from the ridgeline tower would yield
interesting shots. An idea saved for the next visit.
Another plan view of the edge between town and hillside (Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
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