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08/24/2011 11:30:08 AM · #1
Any other KAPers in here?

I am just getting started and have had the camera up 2x ... so far it's been lots of fun, but I'm interested in hearing other stories or seeing your shots.

Here is one of mine



more KAP shots from this shoot here
08/24/2011 11:33:52 AM · #2
There is an old thread about this technique, maybe a couple of years ago.
Did you fly your MkII ? That would take a big kite and a lot of wind.
08/24/2011 11:45:49 AM · #3
Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:

There is an old thread about this technique, maybe a couple of years ago.
Did you fly your MkII ? That would take a big kite and a lot of wind.


yes on all accounts.... yesterday there was TONS of wind and I had a hard time hanging onto the kite. It also flew a little sporadic but I was happy with the shots in the end. I also flew it later that evening and the wind was pretty calm but steady enough to give a nice lift.. perhaps the nicest wind I have tried flying in so far.

And yes, I was flying with the 5D mark II and a big kite (30 sq ft.) They also make a 50 sq ft. kite but 30 is the largest I have. I was also using the 16-35 f/2.8 lens on so it was a pretty heavy rig.

Yeah, I saw that thread in a search but also saw it was from 2004 so thought I'd say bringing it up from the grave :)


08/24/2011 11:59:44 AM · #4
I tried once.
08/24/2011 12:02:05 PM · #5
Certainly looks cheaper then renting a boom or an airplane...until the camera and lens crash to the ground and get destroyed. Interesting shots for sure.
08/24/2011 12:06:11 PM · #6
Originally posted by kenskid:

I tried once.


and... ? :) did you crash and burn or do you have some photos to share?
08/24/2011 12:09:10 PM · #7
Originally posted by MattO:

Certainly looks cheaper then renting a boom or an airplane...until the camera and lens crash to the ground and get destroyed. Interesting shots for sure.


Yeah, that was my thought. I was going to rent a plane to get some harvest shots but then got onto this kite idea. The kite also allows for a lower vantage point than a plane could get. There is an obvious risk of loosing a camera but the kite falls relatively slowly so if it did 'fall' and hit the ground it would probably (hopefully) be minimal damage and something that could be fixed.

Shooting in an open field like this is pretty soft as well. Shooting on rock or concrete would be a little riskier but I still don't think the fall would ever be as bad (or at least not worse) as dropping something out of a backpack (like I did with a 70-200 f/2.8 :S ... unless of course the kite string broke :)
08/24/2011 12:45:13 PM · #8
No photos...just a small broken "handle bar" cam covered in mud !

Completly my fault. It was very windy...had a decent kite...tried to rig a cam to the kite....kite went up at about 60mph and then down at about 120mph. On impact, the cam came off and made a crater in about two feet of soft mud.

The only thing the cam showed (video) was me saying "let it go" then lots of blur for a few seconds...then black and then nothing.

I may be able to dig the video out of an old computer and post for fun.

Originally posted by leaf:

Originally posted by kenskid:

I tried once.


and... ? :) did you crash and burn or do you have some photos to share?
08/24/2011 01:14:08 PM · #9
lol.. thanks for the story ken. I'm hoping for better luck :)
08/25/2011 01:32:31 AM · #10
here's another from today


08/25/2011 01:36:32 AM · #11
Wow, really great shots, Tyler. I am intrigued by this, but also stunned when you said you strap your 5D to the kite! I might try this sometime, but I think I'd sooner strap my kid to the kite and make him hold the camera. Thanks and keep sharing your results.
08/25/2011 04:35:44 AM · #12
Stunning point of view photo's. Great work. I don't know if I would have the guts to strap a 5D to a kite or even a old 350D. But it sure paid of for you with with some great photos.

Message edited by author 2011-08-25 04:36:23.
08/25/2011 08:05:46 AM · #13
Well, I guess we know who's ribboning in the Free Study this month!

Can you tell us more about how you do this? It looks really cool. Where did you get the kite? how do you strap on your 5D? How strong does the wind have to be to lift the whole thing?
08/25/2011 08:31:33 AM · #14
Originally posted by geinafets:

Well, I guess we know who's ribboning in the Free Study this month!

Can you tell us more about how you do this? It looks really cool. Where did you get the kite? how do you strap on your 5D? How strong does the wind have to be to lift the whole thing?

... and what did you use to trigger the shutter?
PS - is that small spec you ( leaf) in top third right on the right hand side in your second pic?
08/25/2011 10:05:19 AM · #15
A friend of mine is a bit of a kite photography expert (in my opinion, not sure about his!), you may like to take a look at his flickr set: //www.flickr.com/photos/hamishfenton/sets/72157607164725348/ I'd pointed him to this thread in case he wants to add anything.
08/25/2011 11:40:26 AM · #16
I like the directly overhead shot best of the bunch. My nephew Doug dropped a DSLR off a remote controlled helicopter from 300+ ft while shooting a golf course. He put it on the chopper skids with bungee cords, hanging in the center to reduce vibration. The camera was a Canon, so it didn't survive the landing.
This kite thing is not a new idea but it's a good way to get high angle shots where there is a good steady breeze if you have the nerves to put your camera up there that way. A good size fishing rod and reel might be useful if you are "single lining" the kite.

08/25/2011 12:12:50 PM · #17
Very interesting stuff. I've thought about doing something like this. My parents are avid paragliders and they have small kite wings that would easily be able to lift 5-10 pounds of equipment. And I've never lost any equipment before so it should go just fine, right? :P

Do you have to clone out the strings or is the camera oriented in a certain direction to avoid them? I'd love to see a shot of the rig.

Message edited by author 2011-08-25 12:13:07.
08/25/2011 01:57:12 PM · #18
Here is one of the original sites relating to this genre ...

I would try this if I had a camera with a remote ...

FWIW another way to get a high perspective is to use a mono- or tripod with one leg fully-extended; by holding it at arm's length overhead it's possible to get the camera 12-14 feet up. This method also allows the use of the timer instead of a remote, and cameras with a tilt-swivel LCD screen can be configured so that the picture can be framed by looking at it from below.
08/25/2011 03:24:20 PM · #19
Originally posted by GeneralE:

Here is one of the original sites relating to this genre ...

I would try this if I had a camera with a remote ...

FWIW another way to get a high perspective is to use a mono- or tripod with one leg fully-extended; by holding it at arm's length overhead it's possible to get the camera 12-14 feet up. This method also allows the use of the timer instead of a remote, and cameras with a tilt-swivel LCD screen can be configured so that the picture can be framed by looking at it from below.


I think Shannon did something similar (was it Shannon?) with an extendable pole you use for washing windows.
08/25/2011 03:41:18 PM · #20
Originally posted by DrAchoo:

Originally posted by GeneralE:

Here is one of the original sites relating to this genre ...

I would try this if I had a camera with a remote ...

FWIW another way to get a high perspective is to use a mono- or tripod with one leg fully-extended; by holding it at arm's length overhead it's possible to get the camera 12-14 feet up. This method also allows the use of the timer instead of a remote, and cameras with a tilt-swivel LCD screen can be configured so that the picture can be framed by looking at it from below.


I think Shannon did something similar (was it Shannon?) with an extendable pole you use for washing windows.


Probably thinking of Skip who uses something like that
08/25/2011 04:12:44 PM · #21
Originally posted by MattO:



Probably thinking of Skip who uses something like that


Could have been. I remember someone taking some test shots at a Connecticut playground.
08/25/2011 04:26:51 PM · #22
Yeah, that was me. Before & after:

08/25/2011 08:09:14 PM · #23
Fantastic photos but I get a panic attack at the thought of it so far up LOL
08/25/2011 10:15:57 PM · #24
Originally posted by OriginalTake:

A friend of mine is a bit of a kite photography expert (in my opinion, not sure about his!), you may like to take a look at his flickr set: //www.flickr.com/photos/hamishfenton/sets/72157607164725348/ I'd pointed him to this thread in case he wants to add anything.


I was actually just admiring his shots yesterday on Flickr. His agriculture aerial shots grabbed my attention

Originally posted by geinafets:

Well, I guess we know who's ribboning in the Free Study this month!

Can you tell us more about how you do this? It looks really cool. Where did you get the kite? how do you strap on your 5D? How strong does the wind have to be to lift the whole thing?


I was using a flow form 30 kite and used a KAP rig purchased from brooxes.com. The wind doesn't have to be too strong, just steady. I had lots of problems today in what I thought was a good wind. It just wouldn't lift the camera. The other days were no problem at all... perhaps 10-30km/hr has been my usual wind speed.

Originally posted by Silent-Shooter:


... and what did you use to trigger the shutter?
PS - is that small spec you ( leaf) in top third right on the right hand side in your second pic?


no, I think that is just a dirt clump :) .. I was using just one of those Chinese canon knock off wire triggers on ebay that you can set to take a photo every so many seconds. You can get small little KAP remotes too but this one is doing the job for now. I also have a remote trigger set up from the remote control, but it wasn't working consistently and I find it better to have the camera just take pictures the whole time.

Originally posted by MelonMusketeer:


This kite thing is not a new idea but it's a good way to get high angle shots where there is a good steady breeze if you have the nerves to put your camera up there that way. A good size fishing rod and reel might be useful if you are "single lining" the kite.


I don't think I'd trust the camera with a fishing line and rod... I'm using a 300lb line on the kite and it's all i can do to reel it in sometimes in a strong wind. And no, it certainly isn't a new idea. There are tons of people doing it and it has been done essentially ever since photographs have existed.

Originally posted by DrAchoo:


Do you have to clone out the strings or is the camera oriented in a certain direction to avoid them? I'd love to see a shot of the rig.


Usually I point the camera away from the string.. but yeah, sometimes I have to clone out the string (and myself)

Message edited by author 2011-08-25 22:22:55.
08/25/2011 10:46:47 PM · #25
Originally posted by leaf:


Originally posted by geinafets:

Well, I guess we know who's ribboning in the Free Study this month!

Can you tell us more about how you do this? It looks really cool. Where did you get the kite? how do you strap on your 5D? How strong does the wind have to be to lift the whole thing?


I was using a flow form 30 kite and used a KAP rig purchased from brooxes.com. The wind doesn't have to be too strong, just steady. I had lots of problems today in what I thought was a good wind. It just wouldn't lift the camera. The other days were no problem at all... perhaps 10-30km/hr has been my usual wind speed.



That website totally made me cringe! They use velcro to hold the cameras in place!? I fear for those poor cameras!
Nothing like pictures to scare me out of trying this : )
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