Month: January 2007

Balboa Jetty


Balboa Jetty
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

This is one of the few successful photos I managed to take during my “MiniKAP” adventure to the Balboa Peninsula. Due to the decreasing winds, I wasn’t able to get much altitude on my rig (the Titanic) and, therefore, most of the pictures that were taken merely showed the surface of the water and nothing else. This photo, however, shows the jetty that protects the entrance to Newport Bay. During stormy weather, the left (west) side of the jetty can be hit hard and often crashes over the rocks.

Taking Off


Taking Off
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

Okay, okay, I admit, this is getting a bit wild – I’ve now gone KAPing three (3) days in a row! This time, I took a trip down to the jetty at the end of the Balboa Peninsula (which is also the mouth of Newport Bay). The winds were quite mild but steady so I put up my kite thinking that the winds would only pick up as the afternoon wore on (which would be “normal”). Sadly, it was the inverse that happened (the breeze slowly weakened) so I really didn’t get much of a chance to fly. Even so, I managed to get this photo of my kite taking off. Again, while it was a beautiful day, I had to call it quits early due to the breeze – I didn’t want to lose my camera again.

Boats in the harbor at Dana Point, California


Boats in the harbor at Dana Point, California
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

One of the great things about KAPing is that I’m not really sure what I’ll get until I get home and look at the photos. Currently, my camera takes a photo approximately once every fifteen seconds and a tiny, battery operated motor (called a servo) also rotates the camera about 30 degrees at the same time. As a result, the camera eventually makes a complete circle and starts all over again. While many KAPers use remote controls designed to pilot radio controlled model airplanes, my rig does sport that feature. That’s not a problem though as it’s fun to see what comes up. About the only thing I can control is the angle of the camera and even that is somewhat variable as the angle can change due to the winds. I like this photo of the colors (the blue water contrasted with the trees that line the roads and think that the angels of the docks are also interesting. All in all, I’m pleased with the way this photo turned out.

Okay, I’m hooked!


Breakwater
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

Yes, I’ve been bitten by a strange new bug – Aerial Kite Photography (KAP). I was so thrilled with my first successful flight that I had to go flying for a second day in a row. As I love the ocean, I thought that the Dana Point Harbor might be an interesting place to go. It turns out that I was really lucky – the day was absolutely gorgeous, the winds cooperative, and the scenery beautiful. I love the color of the water and, as can be seen, it was a clear day (if you look carefully, you’ll see a bit of fog forming in the distance). Still, I have no complaints as far as the weather was concerned – I couldn’t have planned it any better.

Self-Portrait Panorama


Self-Portrait Panorama
Originally uploaded by Bassoon Man.

Well, I’m hooked! As evidenced by this photo, I had my first successful Aerial Kite Photography (KAP) flight. This is a self-portrait of me standing in Altisma Park, in Rancho Santa Margarita, flying my new Flow Form 16 kite with my revived KAP rig (which had a fatal accident just two days before).

In order to ensure that I had the best chance for success, I went to the park during a quiet time – almost no one was around. Fortunately, the wind also cooperated and so do my rig. I think it’s kind of cool that way I was able to stitch this photo together using Photo Shop Elements.