Just putting some notes out here so I’ll remember them later.

My plan for my KAP kit is to create basically a mini-packable kit (which will be a soft kite, hoop winder + BEAK*), and a big not-so-packable kit (Rok + soft kite + big winder + RC kit + maybe video downlink eventually). This is somewhat in parallel to my mini-packable camera gear– Camera + 2 lenses + 2 flashes + triggers, or even smaller Camera + CLS triggered SB-600… which gets me off-camera lighting in one small bag) vs. big gear (Camera + buncha lenses + 2 Alien Bees + Softboxes + etc. etc. etc.)

BEAK: “Brooxes Easy Auto-KAP” — basically one servo that rotates the rig, and another that triggers the shutter. You set the tilt on the ground, then it just rotates about 30 degrees and snaps a picture. No real control, but you get a whole lot of pictures. My current rig is like this, but without the rotation. Most of the parts from this can be converted to a full RC rig. Although I might just get a 2nd frame for the full RC model.

KIF 0346

Originally uploaded by blp1979.

First images from today’s playing with KAP. See this set on flickr for more. (Nothing stunning, but neat stuff)

Kite Aerial Photography

Originally uploaded by blp1979.

I’ve started into the rather exciting field of Kite Aerial Photography. Well, exciting when you have the bits and there’s wind. Anyway, I’ve been having a few really excellent discoveries:

For incredibly beautiful pictures, there’s this guy, who also has a site here, with lots of info.

For much of the hardware you need to pull this off, there’s Brooxes.com, Brooks is also incredibly helpful and patient when you have questions.

And for the kites themselves, there’s Into the Wind for complete kites, and KiteBuilder for parts. And KB just expedited my ground shipment so I could get my 8-foot Rokkaku built in time for when I’m in Mendocino.