Little planet projections of kite aerial panoramas

Chris Fastie

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Oct 17, 2015, 9:25:32 PM10/17/15

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This week, inspired by fall in Vermont, I completed three KAP sessions with the Saturn V Rig and captured 4000+ photos of a turning landscape. I posted a few research notes about the panoramas I was able to stitch with a couple of hundred of these photos: http://publiclab.org/tag/littleplanet. One of the many projections possible in Microsoft ICE is the stereographic projection which can make a half-spherical panorama look like a little planet floating in space. I got a little carried away with little planets. Here are some examples:

The key to capturing the 25 or so photos needed for each of these images is an autoKAP controller on a motorized KAP rig. I was using a Saturn V Rig with SkyShield controller for these flights which seemed to do the trick.

Above: The Saturn V Rig under a Fled kite.

Chris

Benj. N. Sugar

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Oct 17, 2015, 10:50:35 PM10/17/15

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Chris,

Those are beautiful!!

You've opened up a whole new realm of photography!

To me anyway...

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Chris Fastie

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Oct 18, 2015, 11:04:56 PM10/18/15

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Thanks Benjamin,

It's new to me too, except for one I made on my birthday in 2009 with my then 10 year old son hiding in a tree.

I just stood on a hill and took the 27 photos. It was confusing to make the panorama in Photoshop, and I don' t think I ever did another one. The version above was just stitched in Microsoft ICE which is easier and looks better.

Little planets have been around a long time (lots of them). It was a big fad when I made the one above. But KAP little planets are not so common. Maybe a new fad?

Chris

Benj. N. Sugar

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Oct 19, 2015, 12:09:38 AM10/19/15

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But KAP little planets are not so common. Maybe a new fad?

That's what I was thinking...!

Alan McConchie

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Oct 19, 2015, 4:24:05 PM10/19/15

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I bet if someone started an Instagram feed of images like this, they'd get thousands of followers pretty quickly. Reminds me of https://instagram.com/the.jefferson.grid

Beautiful!

Alan

Liz Barry

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Oct 19, 2015, 4:30:34 PM10/19/15

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Oh hey Alan! What are you up to lately?

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Chris Fastie

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Oct 19, 2015, 9:32:29 PM10/19/15

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Hi Alan,

The Jefferson Grid reminds me of Gerco de Ruijter's Grid Corrections and his Crops series. Some of his kite photos are like little planets, but I think they are single photos taken with a fish eye lens (like this).

Thanks,

Chris

Chris Fastie

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Oct 21, 2015, 11:38:50 AM10/21/15

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Here is another orb kite panorama, this time from Planet Middlebury. Research Note: http://publiclab.org/notes/cfastie/10-20-2015/middle-planet

I think I found a good solution to the short life of the SkyShield batteries -- use more batteries.

Chris

Chris Fastie

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Oct 26, 2015, 10:04:57 AM10/26/15

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I posted a couple more in the thrilling series of spherical panoramas. This time there was actual excitement when the camera crash-landed on the hard little planet. No serious damage was done, and the repaired rig captured another panorama the next day.