Glen Vigus » Photo Gallery

KAP – Kite Aerial Photography

Glen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 21:10:19 +0000

The device pictured above is called a Picavet mount (pronounced pickavay). It is a self-leveling suspension developed by Pierre L. Picavet in 1911. Kite aerial photography (KAP) enthusiasts started using this design in 1988 to suspend their cameras in the sky. When I stumbled upon this hobby I knew it was something I wanted to explore, but I also wanted to do 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 (but lacked an adequate shutter speed). With my second setup, I bought a Canon A570 and used the Canon Hacker’s Development Kit (CHDK) to capture 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.

Traditional Photography

Glen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:52:40 +0000

Stereo Photography

Glen — Tue, 03 Mar 2009 20:40:45 +0000

Stereo photographs are best seen with a stereoviewer. However, there are techniques called “free-viewing” (because a viewing device is not required). One of these techniques is cross-eyed viewing. By switching the left and right photos, you can see the 3D image by crossing your eyes. Look at the images below (click on one to enlarge), cross your eyes to form a 3rd center image. Wait a second or two to let your eyes focus. Don’t sit too close to your computer screen and keep your head straight. Practice first with the image of the two black boxes. From a normal viewing position,slowly cross your eyes until the two dots form a third, center dot, and relax. The smaller center box should pop out in 3D. If you can make this stereo image work, then you can view all the 3D images posted on my site.