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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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|  Posted 20-12-2007 at 17:28
Just a thought...........
Has anybody had a go at photographing ancient sites from the air, using a camera suspended under a kite?
I was wondering what sort of results could be expected
http://members.aol.com/mjbrown/HTML/kap.html
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AlexHunger
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27-07-2004
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from Zurich, Switzerland
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|  Posted 20-12-2007 at 17:44
I have seen real archeologists do that in documentaries, balloons as well.
My cousin also uses model helicopters with a camera, but that's outside of my budget or skill level.
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TheCaptain
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from near Bristol
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| Posted 20-12-2007 at 18:11
I thought we'd had a couple sent in to the portal before now from kites - but I can't think which sites they would be for.
We also have some nice pictures from Adam, Archaeology Safaris, from his polecam or whatever he calls it.
We have this one of Belas Knap.
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h_fenton
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from OXFORDSHIRE, UK
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| Posted 20-12-2007 at 19:20
(on this site) there is also this one (and more) of Badbury Rings
found on flickr of Totternhoe Knolls (Bedfordshire) - a motte and bailey castle if you go down the page there is also a view from ground level.
[ This message was edited by: h_fenton on 2007-12-20 19:31 ]
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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| Posted 21-12-2007 at 09:32
This is interesting..............
http://www.flickr.com/photos/pitmatic/365704806/in/set-72157594296577081/
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Andy B
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from Surrey, UK
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| Posted 21-12-2007 at 12:24
Adam's venture is http://www.aerial-cam.co.uk , I wonder how it's going?
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h_fenton
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from OXFORDSHIRE, UK
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| Posted 22-12-2007 at 16:30
I've not had a go at Kite Aerial Photography yet, although recently I sorted myself a radio control system and a suitable kite, next I will get a light weight digital camera and then hopefully will get some photos sometime in the new year. I have a few sites in mind to try and photograph. This is all as long as I get some decent photos before the camera comes crashing to earth with disasterous consequences.
update 4 January 2007: camera sorted, kite sorted, rig sorted, radio control system giving trouble so no photos yet 
[ This message was edited by: h_fenton on 2008-01-04 21:48 ]
update 6 Jan 2007:
5th attempt have some photos of my garden from about 20metres
[ This message was edited by: h_fenton on 2008-01-06 15:53 ]
Update 9 Feb: got some photos at the Rollright stones a few weeks ago, any decent ancient site photos will be posted here on the megalithic portal, more photos in my kite Aerial photography webpages
[ This message was edited by: h_fenton on 2008-02-09 20:52 ]
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galphay2
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from West Lothian
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| Posted 08-11-2008 at 18:13
See
http://www.armadale.org.uk/kite.htm
and specifically:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/archaeologyindex.htm
No need for radio control:
http://www.armadale.org.uk/kitebasic.htm
[ This message was edited by: galphay2 on 2008-11-08 18:16 ]
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davidmorgan
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from The New Forest
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| Posted 09-11-2008 at 09:50
Picavets, eh? Interesting.
P.S. I've just found this website on how to programme more features into a Canon Powershot camera.
The unlimited interval shooting could be useful.
[ This message was edited by: davidmorgan on 2008-11-09 10:14 ]
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Andy B
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from Surrey, UK
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| Posted 10-11-2008 at 13:36
Some good first results from the kite Hamish, thanks for those.
Andy
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TheCaptain
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from near Bristol
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| Posted 13-11-2008 at 10:16
Yes, I have to agree with Andy - you are getting some fantastic results Hamish. Making me quite envious.
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h_fenton
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from OXFORDSHIRE, UK
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| Posted 14-11-2008 at 18:17
thanks for the comments,
I may get a few nice photos, but there is absolutely maases of rubbish photos (poor framing, camera shake/mothion blur, out of focus, bad exposure. It is quite possible to walk around a site for a couple of hours taking photos from the kite and have not any even half decent results, which can be a bit frustrating.
Here is a photo of Silbury Hill, when i get some better ones I will post them to the sitepage (this one has lots of things wrong with it in my opinion- but its a better one of this session)
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davidmorgan
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from The New Forest
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| Posted 10-07-2010 at 15:06
Here are some wonderful aerial photos. I think he must have his own aeroplane!
http://www.panoramio.com/user/954967?comment_page=1&photo_page=2
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bat400
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from South Central Indiana, US
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| Posted 12-07-2010 at 04:46
It's not from a kite, but instead from a 737. I knew the direction we'd be taking off from and arranged to sit on that side of the plane.
Pueblo Grande
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BERNARDQUATERMASS
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from Oldham, Lancashire
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| Posted 19-07-2010 at 18:52
Apparently the unusually parched conditions we've had just lately should make crop marks stand out much more than normal.
Anybody thinking of giving a kite mounted camera a go could do well just now then.
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h_fenton
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from OXFORDSHIRE, UK
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| Posted 20-07-2010 at 23:38
Quote:
|
On 2010-07-19 18:52, BERNARDQUATERMASS wrote:
Apparently the unusually parched conditions we've had just lately should make crop marks stand out much more than normal.
Anybody thinking of giving a kite mounted camera a go could do well just now then.
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North Oxfordshire (20 July 2010):
On grass everything had been getting a little too parched by 10 July - then we had some rain and now there still is not much contrast (although there is some).
For kite flying over pasture where you need to get permission, can be a problem as the kite can upset livestock. One extensive site (nothing prehistoric that I know of there) I have not been able to fly due to unsuitable winds and the presence of a large flock of sheep (and sometimes horses and cattle too).
The height that you can legally fly the kite (60metres) is rather restrictive with getting decent views of cropmarks which can often be quite extensive.
For arable crops large fields can be a problem - with getting the camera to a height/angle that you can actually see anything of interest. This year I have been lucky in that I have got permission (at one location) to fly out of the tramlines (tractor tracks) this means that I can even walk amongst the cropmark that I am photographing.
Barley and Wheat are both now past their best for aerial photographs, there are a few things showing up well in Oats and Peas, all the beans that I have photographed don't look happy at all and are not showing any recognisable colour difference.
All my cropmark photography this year has been targeted, where I previously know of or suspect a site.
I have been concentrating on a limited number of sites and repeatedly photographing them as the crop ripens.
A photo of a Banjo Enclosure (cropmark) (Iron Age): http://www.flickr.com/photos/hamishfenton/4752616431/ most of my cropmark photos have not got to flickr yet.
Hamish
[ This message was edited by: h_fenton on 2010-07-20 23:40 ]
[ This message was edited by: h_fenton on 2010-07-20 23:42 ]
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Andy B
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from Surrey, UK
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| Posted 25-07-2010 at 16:41
Great photos Hamish, could you possibly add your prehistoric ones on Flickr to our group pool:
http://www.flickr.com/groups/megalithic/
Thanks
Andy
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davidmorgan
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from The New Forest
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| Posted 03-11-2010 at 11:14
OK, I've got a kite and a Canon PowerShot A590IS loaded with the CHDK intervalometer software (tested and working fine). All I need to do now is build a picavet and cradle - I've got some little Graupner model boat blocks and some brass (thought this metal would be nice because it'll make it look like a scientific instrument).
My question to Hamish Fenton is - how big a cross do you have for your picavet? I was originally planning 150mm but I think that might be too large. My intention is to have different cradles for different cameras (probably a small SD card camcorder as well one day).
Another question - do you fly it solo? If so, do you fix the line to a ground peg while attaching the picavet lines to the the kite line?
[ This message was edited by: davidmorgan on 2010-11-03 11:19 ]
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h_fenton
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from OXFORDSHIRE, UK
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| Posted 03-11-2010 at 21:19
In rely to David Morgan,
for a picavet 150mm wide would be ideal, I'd suggest you don't go under 100mm and stay below 300mm.
I'm not sure what sort of brass you are using but watch out for signs of fatigue in the metal around the cross,
usually my like string is on a Halo winder and I just hold it between my legs while I attach the rig to the line.
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Andy B
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from Surrey, UK
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| Posted 04-11-2010 at 10:17
(just for new joiners)
There's more on Kite photography here
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/modules.php?op=modload&name=My_eGallery&file=index&do=showpic&pid=66440&orderby=dateD
and click on Hamish's name for some brilliant examples
http://www.megalithic.co.uk/user.php?op=userinfo&uname=h_fenton
[ This message was edited by: Andy B on 2010-11-04 10:17 ]
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