The device pictured above is called a Picavet (pronounced pickavay) mount. It is a self-leveling suspension developed by Pierre L. Picavet in 1911. In 1988, kite aerial photography (KAP) enthusiasts started using this design to suspend their cameras in the sky.  When I stumbled upon this hobby, I knew it was something I wanted to explore. However, I also wanted to try it by spending as little as possible. The key was finding a cheap camera that continuously takes pictures at set intervals. My first attempts at KAP were with a small refurbished Nikon which had an interval mode. With my second setup, I bought a Canon A570 and used the Canon Hacker’s Development Kit to make it take photos at different intervals. In addition to the camera, I also researched and bought the right kite for this project. I acquired a Sutton Flowform, invented by Steve Sutton as a by-product of his experiments to create a better parachute during the 1970s. The camera rig is attached to the line about 100ft below the kite for stability reasons.