Kite Photography

Kite Aerial Photography

Kite Aerial Photography ( usually abbreviated to K.A.P ) is a simple way of taking photographs from a kite using either a high rate video or compact camera.
A few years ago I began experimenting with the idea of attaching a camera to a kite for some aerial photography. I tried several different kites and cameras but had frustrating difficulty getting sufficient lift from the kites and holding compact cameras in place to shoot anything meaningful.
I decided if this was going to work at all I would need a big kite, to this end I purchased a box kite based on a design known as a Double French military or “Conyne” kite. This type of kite has been used over the past 100 years to lift men and military hardware to great effect.
The version I got has a wingspan of just under 2 metres and produces substantial lift.
The camera I am currently using is a Garmin VIRB “action” camera. This is the Garmin equivalent of an HD Hero but in my opinion has added functionality in that it can record various GPS  parameters including the all important altitude data.

These photographs were taken at Harlech Beach ( Wales U.K ) August 2014 on a very stormy evening around 6:00 P.M

The GPS data from the VIRB video camera indicated a height of approximately 125 feet

These were taken in a cornfield overlooking the area around Gainsborough in Lincolnshire (U.K) in July 2014.

The GPS data indicated a height of about 400 feet