This is basically how you do it....put the kite up so it's flying steady, attach the rig and fly to the altitude that you'd like then snap the picture. This is the result.

NEXT to the line, the reel seems to be one of the most overlooked aspects of kite photography. Most of the expense of the hobby is in the rig and kites....the reel , with many, is overlooked. Don't think for a minute your going to get away with putting up 400' of 500 lb test dacron  with your $400 rig hanging beneath a brahma bull tugging parafoil and reel it in with a hoop....huh, huh...it ain't gonna happen and if it does, you'll be paying the price with a couple of arms that feel like silly putty and a back that's screaming to be put in traction. The reel can make the difference in this hobby....a smooth winding reel that takes in about 16" of line per turn is a joy to work with . In  My opinion, one of the best reels on the market is the  Strato-Spool. This handcrafted birch beauty comes in two sizes--24" and 32"-- and features two crank handles for effortlessly  winding 16" of line per turn and brakes so you may slow or stop your kite while in flight. Model 24 holds about 1000 feet of 250# dacron and the smaller Model 16 holds around 1000' of 150 lb line. Wrist straps can be used to tie off the reel for hands off photography .

DEEP Sky Reels are smooth turning ball bearing wooden reels that makes reeling in a small to medium kite effortless. They weren't designed for a hard pulling kite and tthe smaller handle would make the job difficult. But for a small delta,  the very stable Roller or any of the myriad  of other pleasurable fliers out there, this reel is the ticket. Holds 3000'  of 100 lb test and winds in 11" per turn.

ANOTHER reel that is suitable is the double handled Windbreaker that pulls in about 12" of line per crank. The handles can be put either in the center of the winder for docile kites or at the ends for those mostor pullers. Holds 3000" of 100 lb test. Wood.

Strato-spool reel

Windbreaker

Deep Sky Reel

Finding places to fly your rig can be demanding to be sure. Unlike flying a single line kite or even a stunter the kaper has the rig to consider. Even with the most stable kite you'll not want to take chances and try to fly between those two high voltage towers. Uh, Uh. That's not good. Because of the ficklness of the wind, the weight of the rig and the potential instability of the kite,  you're flying a potential lethal weapon. Be wise in choosing your flying areas. You'll be drawing a crowd of spectators and whether or not you want them they'll be there watching and asking questions which is a diversion for you. Keep an eye on the kite constantly...even if it's staked to the ground. You are liable for whatever disaster might  occur.

REMOTE control is the only kap method that has consistantly produced professional quality pictures with the ability of the flier to contol what landscape, what angle or what direction the camera will be pointing in. And this is all done with precision from the ground.  I'm sure there are kapers out there who use thermal defusers and disposable cameras and sometimes get decent shots...and these shots are lucky accidents because the camera just can't be controlled. They may disagree with my thinking but that's okay, everyone has a right to their opinion.....but I'd certainly prefer to use a lighter to start a fire rather than rubbing two sticks together...wouldn't you?  I use a Tower Hobbies 4-channel FM radio on my picavet rig with one servo controling tilt, one pan and one the shutter release.. The cost was around $100 and this only because I opted for nicads.The beauty of RC is that everything is precisely controled...I can point my camera at anything I want and grab a picture. The pan servo was modified so it can travel in a complete circle...360 degrees. The tilt is adjusted so I could even take a picture of a plane flying almost overhead.                 Many shy away from RC and exotic picavet rigs because of the cost factor. This is a fairly expensive way to take photos. My rig alone cost $200 and along with the radio and camera we're talking some serious money here. But it's all relative.This is my hobby. I know MANY people that would pay $400 for just 1 golf club and spend another $50 to play 18 holes. That is their hobby and the players think nothing of it. I'm a simple mailman who happens to enjoy  flying kites and taking pictures......so I combined the two. Right?  Right.

THERE are as many cameras available to use as there are kites to hoist them but the one consideration you want to abide by is weight and type. I'm not an advocate of disposable cameras simply because of picture quality and lack of features. Digtals are also tremendous but they must be modified so they won't shut off while in the air. You should always use a 35mm (or digital) camera when taking aerial shots so the picture exhibits the sharpness, color and and all around professional look that your pictures deserve. When working in a hobby that takes as much work as kap does a sharp,  beautifully exposed photo makes it all worth while. I use an  OLYPMPUS STYLUS EPIC compact 35mm that takes quality pictures and is a pleasure to use. The camera is ruggedly built, weighs an ultralight 4.7 ozs and has a face plate that slides over the lens when it's not in use. It features a fast shutter speed (1/1000 of a sec) which will help to compensate on some of those gusty days and has an auto rewind when all film is exposed. What makes it all the more disirable is the price...it can be purchased for around $90. It screws on to the cradle via the tripod mount and is held solidly. You will be definitely pleased with this camera.

STLUS

STYLUS  EPIC

FLYING into the wind....note the kite line.

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