How to lift a camera with a kite! (Kite Aerial Photography)

My name is Evan Reinheimer. I am a full time artist and I travel the world using only a kite to lift my camera into the air (no drones needed). This is called "Kite Aerial Photography."

People often ask me how I manage to use a kite to take my aerial photographs. Well, here it is!!!

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If you have questions, please comment below.

You can see (and purchase) my artwork in person at one of my art shows. They are listed on my website in the "Show Schedule" section.

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Below is a list of equipment and supplies that I have used or talked about in my videos.
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[debrajohnson]

Thank you. I learned something new that I’m looking forward to doing.

[WayIntoAdventures]

Wow your kites are amazing. I understand it better now. Thank you for being so patient with the questions we have.

[pankajbandkar]

you deserve more views more subscribers..

[EleanorPeterson]

Hi, Evan! What a nice video. Thank you! I love KAP too and, like you, am not really interested in camera 'drones'. I admire what they can do, but they take all the challenge out of the hobby. The latest gyro-stabilised quad-copters are amazingly efficient (and expensive) and can create beautiful videos, but I don't like the fact that someone else has done the hard work for you. That's cheating! :-)

I'm into all aspects of KAP - I especially like making my own kites. It doesn't have to be an expensive hobby. When I started out I used to hoist heavy old-school SLR film cameras (yikes!) for stills photographs, then I tried a digital SLR; it was nice to have more than 36 'guessed' exposures per session and to be able to experiment with video, but it was still huge, heavy and fragile.

Compact digital cameras weren't great due to their short battery-life, but then action cameras came along and they were brilliant.

I can't afford GoPro's sky-high prices [KAP pun intended] but I got myself a much cheaper Firefly 8S with a 90° (no fish-eye distortion) lens. It gives great results - and it's tough.

For me, it's the fact that (good) KAP can be tricky that makes it so enjoyable. I fly RC models as well, but the new drone registration regulations are messing things up, so I'm happy to be able to keep flying camera-kites without any CAA (FAA in the US) interference or restrictions.

My only problem with KAP is poor weather. I'm a Brit, flying in the north of England. It's dull and gloomy, wet and blustery; usually overcast, with grey-black, rain-filled skies. Yuk! I think the sun came out three times last year for a total of about 8 minutes.

Anyhooo, summer or winter, the conditions change dramatically almost by the hour on this ridiculous little island - which keeps things interesting. At least my camera's waterproof! I hardly ever get to wear sunglasses, by the way; I'm more likely to put on safety goggles to protect my eyes from hailstones... ;-)

Send me some of your gorgeous weather, will you? With a little bit of blue sky? Hmm? Pretty please?

[jonatan]

Your kite is so beautiful. Congratulations 👏

[Serenitees]

Hey Evan! I am a KAPer in Boca Raton. Just found your channel. Love the video and look forward to watching more of them!

[Montague]

Nice video. I found the video after hearing that an archaeologist uses this method for arial photography. I great alternative to drone photography, less annoying and I guess you can legally do it almost anywhere, unlike a drone.

[wheniroam]

How do you have the confidence to fly above roads, close to tall buildings etc.

[danofiremano]

Hi Evan, I'm wondering what drone you use & about how much one of them costs? Thanks in advance!

[laurentgauthier]

Hi Evan, Please, what is your line winder? Is it a homemade one?

[meteorytypl]

Great. Can You tell me shat kind of clips You use to attach camera to the kite line ?

[samuelvirginiesvphotograph]

Hi Evan, very nice video! What's about the KAP Rigs? Can't find the link of yours....

[timbowilderbeeste]

Hi Evan,
I wanted to take a drone with me to Egypt, India and Nepal later this year but as they're almost impossible to use legally in the country I thought I'd try taking a kit with me for some KAP photography and video. I'd prefer something a little more lightweight than your rig simply so I don't have to carry such a large kite all over creation, especially when I'm trekking through the Himalayas for 35 days. I have had the Ultrafoil 15 suggested to me, but I don't think it would be capable of handling the weight of a DSLR or mirrorless camera like your Fuji - more a Go Pro I would think. Obviously though I need a single kite that would be able to handle the widest range of wind conditions. What intrigues me most though about your rig are the remote control unit and live feed that lets you see what the camera sees - what do you use to do all that?

Oh, and you're a brave man sending all that expensive gear up into the air! :)

[Ginosergio.]

Hi Evan,
I own an Insta360 EVO camera. It records video as a complete sphere of its surroundings and the video is also perfectly stabilized thanks to gyroscopes and accelerometers. I wish to try to attach it to a kite. It’s weight is 113 grams and it do not need any further “mount” or accessories. Which is the cheapest kite I can try to buy? Wind here is between 4 and 10 knots.
Thank you!

[SlavaPonezha]

Nice - can be used in warfare for constant air surveillance :) in windy areas

[jamesnickel]

Hey, that's excellent! Thanks for sharing. I have used a GoPro on my power kite a few times but it's downright primitive compared to what you're doing! Nice stuff and enjoy!

[anzaeria]

Great KAP tutorial video. Out of curiosity, what do you use to anchor your kite line? Did you use some kind of stake in the sand here or was the line tied to a post or some other structure?

[DanielDeRudder]

Very nice photo's! Could you zoom in (in another video maybe) to the camera suspension device? Did you build that yourself?

[amycuaresma]

Me: watches first video, likes 👍, subscribers

[laekaestrellita]

Hi Evan I met your pictures in Fort Lauderdale art walk and took your business card.
I have a question do you try drone for pictures like this? Or for your opinion quality resolution is too low?
Thank you