My first photographs of this kind have been shot using a normal tripod, then, for practical reasons, a stand recovered from a leg of a broken tripod. The aim is done by guess, with regards to the small height which is not over 3 meters, even at arm's length. To release the shutter, two ways are possible: either the timer, either an electric chord.

Some time later, I found an aluminum pole in 5 sections which is 2.3m spread out. The aim by guess became then more problematical.

Last, wishing to reach highest views, and to make photographs where kite and balloon are not easy to use, or useless, I purchased a long 7m fishing rod. After removal of the tip and the last-but-one section, I was able to reach 6.5m The mounting of a video viewing, set with the equipment already available for Kap was rather easy. The use of a cross-belt, like those of color-bearers, make its use very easy. Used during the Kite Festival of Berck in 1999, this photographic technique was found new enough for Jacques Durieu to mention it in his photographic reporting page 38 of N° 98 of the NCB magazine. To show the result to the readers, a pole photography was published page 29 of N° 101 in the January 2000 issue. My technique has really begun to improve with this pole.

It is now replaced by a longer pole, 7.6m effective, which place the camera at 8.5m. It is equipped with a motorized tilt device. The aim is done through a camcorder viewer, set on the monitoring box, attached on the lower section of the pole, within the hand, and the eye!

My preferred film camera for these pictures is the Olympus Infinity XB because of its wide angle 29mm lens, and its low vignetting.

The camera can be set to frame either as" landscape", either as "portrait". An electric wire with 5 conductors run through inside the pole, and links the rig and the command box.

The command buttons are:

• A On / Off
• B tumbler-switch for tilt movement
• C shutter release

NCB publication and original film picture