Notes on Kite Aerial Photography: Photo Gallery
During an afternoon
of fitful winds I tried to photography the Chateau d' Ussy. This three image
montage was about as good as I did in a light wind situation (Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
On one of my early days in Chinon I made an outing to photograph the
Chateau d'Ussy. The chateau is also called the 'Chateau de la Belle au Bois dormant'
because the romantic white turrets, pointed towers and chimneys inspired Charles
Perrault's Sleeping Beauty. The Château d'Ussé was built in 1462 by Jean de
Buel as a fortress. The Espinay family, chamberlains to both Louis XI and
Charles VIII, bought the château and changed the walls overlooking the main
courtyard to Renaissance style with dormer windows and plasters. In the 17th
century the north wing was demolished to create palatial terraces. The château
is still privately owned.
A
view of the Chateau d'Ussy from across the sunflower field. As the winds lapsed
a shot the sunflower fields themselves before retrieving the camera (Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
Now regretfully I did not yet have my letter of
introduction from Yves Dauge, mayor of Chinon, and the docents of our dormant
belle proved to be a hard sell. Just as well I thought because the winds were
marginal. Still I was tempted by the sunflower fields that stretched along the
road from Chateau d'Ussy toward the Loire River. What would it hurt, I thought,
to try a roll from the border of these fields? Not a thing as it turned out.
A
quartet of shots showing the sunflower fields agjacent to Chateau d'Ussy (Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
Since the winds were light and variable I pulled out the trusty carbon-framed
Rokkaku and coaxed it aloft. It flew convincingly enough to try the camera rig
and soon my imagination was floating above the sunflower fields along with the
camera. Yikes said the mind's eye as it plummeted toward the dense foliage of
the sunflowers. Happily a rapid inhauling of line and a wisp of breeze keeps me
aloft. The kite flying remained sufficiently intense to keep me away from the
chateau so I settle for shooting the agriculture.
Sunflowers photographed from the ground (left) and from the air. The camera
shadow is visible in the right hand image (Canon
Digital Elph left and Canon 24-mm right, July 2000)
After shooting a quick roll I decided it was best not to tempt the fates and I safely retrieved camera and kite. I confess a bit of frustration with the sunflowers. Everywhere I went there were gorgeous fields of sunflowers in full bloom. It made for a handsome landscape. On the three occasions I paused to photograph the field I was thwarted by the conditions of wind, sunflowers or both. Perhaps later. I posted images of sunflowers taken on the ground on another site.
A view toward tidy vegetable plots on either side of a stream and one final
shot of the sunflowers (Canon 24-mm, July 2000)
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All rights reserved. Revised: Wednesday, May 30, 2001
URL: http://arch.ced.berkeley.edu/kap/gallery/gal179.html
