James S. and Susan W. Aber
Table of Contents
Latest update: Platt National Park,
Southern Oklahoma (Nov. 2011).
Latest update: Platt National Park,
Southern Oklahoma (Nov. 2011).
Early aerial view of Rome, Italy.
Introduction to Kite Aerial Photography
Kite aerial photography (KAP) is a form of remote sensing--collecting information about an object from a distance. Aerial photography from kites is, in fact, one of the oldest forms of remote sensing of the Earth's surface. Kites were utilized to take aerial photographs in the late 19th and early 20th centuries for many purposes--military reconnaissance, disaster assessment, scientific surveys, etc. KAP images from above the surface gave new perspectives for how people visualized the world, both from practical as well as aesthetic points of view. The development of powered flight gradually put an end to the golden age of kite aerial photography by the 1930s.
More on KAP history.
Selected aerial photographs
| View over the city of Skagen, northern Denmark. The historical lighthouse, "Hvide Fyr" (white light), appears in lower right corner. Note typical red tile roofs of Danish buildings. September 2005, Canon S70 camera. |
| Small town of Liebenthal in the prairie of west-central Kansas. St. Joseph's Church (right) is built of native chalk stone. Water supply tower to lower left; sewage treatment ponds upper left. Trees in the background follow Big Timber Creek, a tributary of the Smoky Hills River. May 2006, Canon S70 camera. |
| Closeup view of the dam, outlet gates, and spillway at Fall River Reservoir, southeastern Kansas. Constructed and operated by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers for flood control and recreational purposes. June 2006, Canon S70 camera. |
| Vertical shot of tennis players, Loose Park, Kansas City, Missouri. Numerous tennis balls are scattered about the court. June 2006, Canon SD600 camera. |
| Fishing camp set up on the beach of Padre Island, Texas. Various tents, vehicles, small boats, and fishing equipment. Preparing for a major fishing tournament in October 2005, Canon S70 camera. |
| Superwide-angle overview of Lake Wabaunsee in the Flint Hills of eastern Kansas. Taken from a helium blimp using a Canon digital Rebel with a 10-mm lens (16 mm film equivalent), June 2006. |
The Great Plains aerial photography webpage is presented for general public use and enjoyment by James S. and Susan W. Aber. All rights reserved; text and images © by the authors (2010). For more information, contact J.S. Aber.
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This webpage was established at its present URL in March 2002.
Last update: Nov. 2011.