Camera
Kite
User
Manual
53
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The landing handle can also be used to modify the lateral position of your kite to adjust the
camera viewpoint for ground (selfi e) shots. Note that your kite will lose altitude as you walk
to the left or right side of the ground stake and anchor leash whilst using the landing handle
attached to the fl ying line.
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Walk towards your kite whilst holding the landing handle if you wish to bring your kite down until
you can reach and securely take hold of the bridle line with your gloved hand and then when
the nose of the kite is within reach, take hold of that, again with your gloved hand in order to
fi nalise the secure retrieval of your kite.
Camera Kite Deployment
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Plan your Camera Kite session in advance, by checking the weather forecast and selecting a
suitable location with the predicted wind and weather conditions. A website such as Windfi nder.
com will give you the option to preview a forecast of the wind direction and wind strength on a
map. A website such as Windy.com will give you an additional option to preview the cloud cover
forecast as this would be important to seek for the ideal aerial photography weather conditions.
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It is worth travelling to an ideal place with smooth and consistent winds to learn your Camera
Kite skills, because you will learn to fl y your kite in a fraction of the time than if you would go to
a more advanced place with turbulent winds. Within time you will be able to fl y your Camera
Kite in less than perfect conditions as you will have more experience. Just progress steadily to
begin with so you become more confi dent.
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Check your equipment thoroughly before you launch your kite to be sure everything is correctly
assembled and intact. If you would break or lose a part of your kite, then they can be easily
purchased from Flexifoil.com as a replacement.
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In light winds your kite may be reluctant to climb, reeling in the line helps drive your kite upward,
then reel out the line whenever you feel wind pressure on your kite. Often the wind is stronger
and steadier higher up, so if you can get your kite higher there may be enough wind to fl y.
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Retrieving your kite in very light winds whilst reeling in the fl ying line might bring your kite into a
gliding movement when it comes close to the ground. Slowing down the reeling might help so
your kite can be supported by the wind once again or gently reel in the line until you can catch
your kite while it is gliding down.
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Landing your kite in strong winds can be made easier by using the supplied landing handle,
have a helper hold your reel securely whilst it is in the locked position or use the supplied
anchor leash and ground stake to secure your fl ying line with a clove hitch knot. Then attach the
carabiner of the landing handle onto the fl ying line and walk towards your kite to bring your kite
safely back to you.
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Bridle adjustments can slightly improve the performance of your kite in light or strong winds.
Move the adjustable knot 1cm (maximum) at a time. Move the bridle attachment ring to the top
of your kite to increase the stability in strong wind and move the attachment bridle ring to the
bottom of your kite to increase the stability in light wind. Note that the mark on the bridle line is
the preferred and standard bridle setting of your kite as it has been delivered to you out of the
carton.
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Test and tweak your camera or smartphone settings before you plan on using it for kite aerial
photography. It is really worth taking the time to understand the best settings of your camera to
get the best result of your images.
Time-lapse photo option: allows your camera or smartphone to take a photo every few seconds,
ideally in-between 1 second and 5 seconds.
Shutter speed: set your camera to a fast shutter speed so you end up with sharp photographs.
When the overall light is not ideal, increasing the ISO setting of your camera can help to
increase the shutter speed but will also increase the grain in your photographs.
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Post processing your photographs is advised to improve your best photographs to a superior
result, this procedure could include the following tools: cropping, levelling, adjusting colours and
contrast, reducing the fi sh-eye lens effect and removing unwanted objects.
Another option is to use an ‘all enhancing’ app, software or website to improve your photos.
Tips & Tricks