My K.A.P. Friends
Just clicking around online, I came to find out about kite aerial photography (K.A.P.). Since the early 00’s, hobbyists have been using K.A.P. to generate low-level aerial photographs of their familiar spaces- backyards, local parks, and vacation spots. My favorite K.A.P images are the accidental self-portraits; the ones taken from odd angles as the wind forced the kite back down towards its caretaker. In these shots, the kite string ties the tiny, grounded photographer to a space above, beyond the photograph’s borders.
To me, these photographs document an urgent need for slow, tactile times - a balance to high-speed, digital communication. They show a sentimental and humble longing for a stable view of human scale. And they reflect the peculiar and contemporary pleasure of seeing and locating oneself as a small object in a vast landscape. They also show a timeless desire for community, and a connection to something up above, perhaps celestial, and outside of immediate reach.