I revisited Miyazu Park today with my new KAP rig. I knew it was a great subject when I photographed it from my kite months ago, when I was just starting out with kite aerial photography. Last time it was 35mm film. This time its the 10mp glory of the Canon 400D digital SLR. I'm in KAP heaven. More on flickr as I upload them this evening.
It's been ages since I've had a chance to go out for a kite buggy. One reason is that my favourite place to buggy in the winter, the Wakapuaka sand flats is now off-limits to kite buggys. For years it's been a designated land-yachting and kite buggying area but now, suddenly, its a wildlife reserve (which the hippy in me has to respect). So I go there to do my kite aerial photography but have to go further afield to go for a buggy. Another reason is that this winter has seen some strange winds around here. Usually the prevailing winds come from the SW in the winter and northerly sea-breezes in the summer, but this winter it's been almost constant east to south-east. Easterly winds are coming off the land and are horribly gusty and dangerous to fly big kites in. Still, it'll be spring soon and the northerlies will return (I hope).
The other day the boys at Kiteworks sent this through, which has just made my yearning to fly even worse....
Today, after weeks of windless winter weather interspersed with wild gusty offshore easterlys, I finally got some wind smooth enough to loft my new KAP rig with my canon 400D digital SLR onboard. There were no disasters. Even got some nice shots.... stay tuned, I'll publish some later this evening.
Moraki beach, taken a few months ago on my cycle tour. I've been dreaming of next summers bike/camping trip possibilities today. Can't wait for those days to get longer again.
One thing I really like about Flickr is the way you can just start a group with a handful of photos you took on your bike trip, and after just a few months you're watching high quality photography being added almost daily by other people.
I have modified my original kite aerial photography rig to carry my Canon 400D digital SLR aloft. Features 1:5 gearing on the 360 pan servo, a gentLED electronic shutter control (eliminating the need for a shutter servo), and carbon legs to keep the camera out of the mud and sand when landing and taking off. Now I just need this wet weather to give me a break!
The winter months and rainy weekends have brought me back to bone carving. I finished this piece this weekend. It is the Hei Matau (fish hook) form but with this one I've tried to make it into a NZ freshwater eel (Tuna) shape. It has two fins and an eye on one side near the binding. It is carved from a rear shank beef bone.
