There’s nothing like a stunning panoramic view of a valley, ocean or desert from above. Height adds a new dimension to any photograph, and if executed correctly, can produce stunning results. However, save for taking a hot air balloon, it is very difficult to capture an image from up high on your camera. Take a look at these two wacky ways in which ingenious photographers have soared through the skies without ever leaving the ground.
Capture photos from a kite
Kites, long used by generations of children to learn about the wind while having fun, are excellent replacements for hot air balloons or helicopters when taking photographs. However, it can take a little work getting started using one for your ‘up high’ photography adventures. Kite rigs are easily purchased from photography supply or hobby stores, and once bought it is simple to affix your camera to the rig. Obviously, as the camera will be attached to a kite floating through the sky it will be difficult to activate the camera’s trigger during a shooting session. To solve this problem, use an interval meter to allow your camera to shoot pictures every 2-3 seconds or so. This ensures that once your camera reaches the ground it will be full of magnificent shots to share with your family and friends. If your camera does not have an inbuilt interval meter, contact photography supply shops to see if an attachment for your camera is available.
If performed correctly, this procedure should not damage your camera as your kite comes skidding to the ground. However, it is a good idea to consult with an experienced kite photographer before sending your camera up into the sky.
Capture photos from a balloon
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Way back in 2009, a group of Spanish teenagers launched a balloon into the atmosphere to take images of the world below. Using a $60 Nikon camera as well as a bunch of special gear designed especially for this mission, the teenagers launched the balloon into the sky. The camera eventually reached over 100,000 feet high, and took photos of outer space.
One does not have to use such a large balloon or launch their camera into outer space, however. If a camera is packaged correctly, it is easy to launch it up to a height much less than what the Spanish school students achieved.
Unfortunately, with limited technology available to them, the teenagers were forced to attach a GPS transmitter to the camera so that it could be retrieved once it fell to the ground. Unlike NASA, the group was not able to receive images remotely and had to race to where the balloon fell to so that the memory card could be retrieved.
While these two methods of taking photos from ‘up high’ are certainly ingenious and would take fantastic images, they can be very expensive. If you are not feeling all that creative when it comes to these sorts of gadgets, maybe consider hiring a helicopter or hot air balloon instead!
The author of the article Joseph Taylor is a professional photographer and loves to shares his experience through guest blogging. He suggests Cloud 9 Balloon Flights to get best Hot air balloon experience.
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