tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-29855418099387587632024-03-19T03:58:44.689-07:00TopoflyKieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.comBlogger98125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-36792690228616151342016-09-13T03:41:00.000-07:002016-09-13T03:41:33.946-07:00Above the Tay and other landscapes / latitudes<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
2016 started for me with a solo exhibition of aerial photographs hosted at the Discovery Point Cafe at the RSS Discovery in Dundee. The title "Above the Tay" related to a rather broad geographical area spanning from the Angus Glens in the north as far as Loch Leven in the south, with a particular concentration around my home turf of Dundee and St Andrews.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My "Above the Tay" exhibition at Discovery Point, Dundee.</td></tr>
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The exhibition featured a combination of low level kite photographs and higher altitude images taken from light aircraft. It was a welcome break from the focus of my research work to compile the images around the loose constraints of the varied landscape that surrounds the Tay Estuary.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some of the aerial photographs in the exhibition.</td></tr>
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It was particularly satisfying to put the images on display at the fantastic Discovery Point at the epicentre of this geographical area and next door to the historic RSS Discovery, which featured in one of the aerial photographs.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The RSS Discovery and Discovery Point, Dundee. Kite Aerial Photograph.</td></tr>
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Also included were some wider landscape shots taken from higher altitude from light aircraft. I have usually focussed on built heritage in my photography so working at a landscape scale presented some novel challenges for me. Directing the position of the aircraft is always tricky (more for the pilot) but at higher altitude there are also atmospheric and weather conditions to contend with. While we were photographing Clen Clova (below) we wanted to be pretty much at cloud level, so breaks in visibility like this one above Loch Brandy were down to good luck.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Loch Brandy with Glen Clova behind. Aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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The forces that have created these larger landscape are breathtaking. The corrie that Loch Brandy sits in was formed by glacial ice spilling from the higher ground and gouging out the rock en route to what would later become Glen Clova. It's difficult to get a sense of the scale here but just left of centre frame you can see the popular walking path leading from Loch Brandy to the Glen Clova Hotel and climbers bar.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Skaftafellsjökull glacier, South Iceland. Aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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In May this year I arranged another light aircraft flight at a different latitude, this time above the Vatnajökull ice cap in Iceland. Here we can see the same forces at work but in the present day. The glacier pictured above is Skaftafellsjökull, which runs from the Vatnajökull ice sheet down to Skaftafell and the gravel airstrip that we took off from. I've wanted to fly above Skaftafellsjökull since hiking around the lower regions in 2007 so this was a special experience, almost 10 years later! I'm already looking forward to returning to these landscapes and latitudes in future.</div>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-37980378021918983362016-09-13T01:25:00.000-07:002016-09-13T03:43:27.298-07:00Shetland Revisited<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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When I have time for writing at the moment usually goes towards my thesis, which might go some way to excuse why I haven't posted on here for over a year, that and the fact that it's a been a very busy year. I now feel as if I should document some of that busyness here for prosperity. Perhaps this is a better way to use my blog anyway - some kind of annual review!<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPN8gOmFwHHjnz9uNXtPshz6bFaEnJ-r5n8gigsWwUsdWQmJfIJh2Lf96BtDOHUbHe-tWQ_H1m9gWVxbhFwEOEv9AS6JkuIaAhLlXJWBavkzc3QgZX7JnlB0xLlRTReJmGZxCoTRO5Lw/s1600/Clickimin_Broch_KAP_%25C2%25A9KB-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtPN8gOmFwHHjnz9uNXtPshz6bFaEnJ-r5n8gigsWwUsdWQmJfIJh2Lf96BtDOHUbHe-tWQ_H1m9gWVxbhFwEOEv9AS6JkuIaAhLlXJWBavkzc3QgZX7JnlB0xLlRTReJmGZxCoTRO5Lw/s200/Clickimin_Broch_KAP_%25C2%25A9KB-2015.jpg" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf9SwC6urbybVBdHuFZUHWpoMX9D0iqsW0U1I7UOECrTSOD6oXcw6hAJ5pIRnJ7tZLjqhOdxwvACpbvswTYQs7a6a8JKmkaj9ed_gmwRXQKV1lpMEamMLp110Bo8gddHT6HT-p-8OhF4/s1600/St_Ninians_Isle_KAP_KB-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgxf9SwC6urbybVBdHuFZUHWpoMX9D0iqsW0U1I7UOECrTSOD6oXcw6hAJ5pIRnJ7tZLjqhOdxwvACpbvswTYQs7a6a8JKmkaj9ed_gmwRXQKV1lpMEamMLp110Bo8gddHT6HT-p-8OhF4/s200/St_Ninians_Isle_KAP_KB-2015.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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Last summer I happily spent a fair amount of time in Shetland, where I did my MSc project, this time gathering some new aerial photographs of Historic Environment Scotland properties as well as taking some time out. As always the stunning scenery and archaeology was complimented by the friendly personalities and good coffee (as evidenced above). I also did some photography with my Allsopp Helikite (above, bottom right), a kind of kite / helium balloon hybrid, which makes a very reliable aerial platform and always attracts the curiosity of passers by.</div>
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I also got the chance to return to Jarlshof, the fantastic multi-phase prehistoric settlement that formed the basis of my MSc project. The short film that I produced, which tells the story of Jarlshof using 3D animation based on low aerial photography, is now on display in the on-site museum run by Historic Environment Scotland (above, top left). It was great to explore the labyrinthine settlement remains up close again. This time my only aerial view of the site was from the window of my inbound flight as we landed at Sumburgh (above, top right). Aerial photography so close to an active runway is by permission only! My short animated film "Jarlshof" is viewable online <a href="http://www.vimeo.com/kieranbaxter/jarlshof">here</a>.</div>
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As well as the focus of previous fieldwork it was great to be able to explore the wider Shetland archipelago. There is a lot to see here from some of the lesser known prehistoric sites to cliffs bustling with birdlife. There is always more to come back to!</div>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-25201060777915748702015-04-30T13:23:00.003-07:002015-05-01T02:45:27.023-07:00Kite aerial photography travels around Scotland<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Things have been a little quite here on the aerial photography front while I was on leave from my PhD on a work placement (which was fantastic but ground-based), so time to get hyped again with some recent kite photographs!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Linlithgow Palace with Linlithgow Loch behind, kite aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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Driving through West Lothian in soft evening light I made a detour to Linlithgow Palace, one of my favourite locations for KAP. The palace is bit of a labyrinth to explore and I like how this view takes in both the interior and the landscape behind.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2eks2h0BwNM3f2fS2X7PI0_pohSbUZZXOCFPFjbxdGhetgo-rNOptF8Yd-o6YmmvhGt2Y-WUAdhCyh8p5zprn_E7VXSQbTl96uAYLw63ac6m5-shTzUYqjAgkkM27pM3MTSOjVC86pI/s1600/Stanley_Mills_KAP_KB-2015.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj_2eks2h0BwNM3f2fS2X7PI0_pohSbUZZXOCFPFjbxdGhetgo-rNOptF8Yd-o6YmmvhGt2Y-WUAdhCyh8p5zprn_E7VXSQbTl96uAYLw63ac6m5-shTzUYqjAgkkM27pM3MTSOjVC86pI/s1600/Stanley_Mills_KAP_KB-2015.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Stanley Mills cotton mill and the river Tay, kite aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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Despite being very close to home this one was a first time visit for me. Stanley Mills is an 18th century cotton mill that was powered by the river Tay. This turned out to be a great site for KAP with the river providing an opening for the wind amongst tall trees and steep topography. The heavy clouds visible in the background contained hail, which was tipping down about half an hour later!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ruins of St Andrews cathedral, kite aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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Very much an old favourite, this view of the ruins of St Andrews is an alternative angle taken in the very last light of the day. Again the challenge here is to include both the foreground detail and the fantastic setting of the coastline and pier.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Ruthven Barracks with Kingussie behind, kite aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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This was another return visit made in passing, this time while driving through Strathspey. Ruthven Barracks is built on a glacial moraine above a flood plain of the Spey river, which follows the course of the once-massive glacier that gave the valley its shape during the last ice age. The barracks itself was built in response to the 1715 Jacobite uprising and remains among the best preserved of its type. The landmark is always a welcome site on the journey up the A9 road, which you can see here raised above the marshland.<br />
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-63915082473234014962015-02-20T06:00:00.001-08:002015-02-21T15:49:16.177-08:00North to South: Photographs in transit from a holiday with latitude<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
There's been very little activity on my blog over the last few months for two reasons. Firstly I am taking six months out of my PhD on a work placement as a research assistant. Secondly, I haven't been out kite flying over the Christmas holidays because I was away travelling with my parents to South Georgia and the Antarctic Peninsula. There are far too many photos of the trip to post here (I also shot <a href="https://vimeo.com/116887300">this short video</a>) but here are a few that I took with the camera pressed against the airplane window on our way from the UK to Ushuaia, Argentina, the southernmost city in the world.
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I had to include this here as a heritage related image with a really distinct hillfort in the center of the frame. Spotted in passing somewhere in the south of England (in or nearby Sussex). If anyone can identify it please do! [Update - kindly identified by Rik Hammond as Old Winchester - <a href="http://www.english-heritage.org.uk/discover/south-downs/explore/old-winchester-hill/">more info linked here</a>.]<br />
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Fantastic low light somewhere in the vicinity of Madrid, where we changed planes. The semi-desert environment of central Spain was an odd parody of our deserted destination.<br />
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A view on approach to the bustling Buenos Aires, capital of Argentina and our overnight stop-over. Near the height of summer the temperatures reached around 35ºC. This view shows the Puerto Madero waterfront.<br />
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A freeway passes over the sprawling city and into the center where it joins the Plaza de la República, site of the iconic obelisk visible in the distance to the top left of frame.<br />
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After traveling another 1,500 miles south we reached Ushuaia, the southernmost city in the world, pictured above. As well as it's impressive setting surrounded by mountains in the beautiful Tierra del Fuego, Ushuaia is the busiest port for Antarctic expeditions. My brother Dan is a bosun on the <a href="https://www.barkeuropa.com/">Bark Europa</a>, the tall ship which is just visible on the far right leaving for one of many trips to the Antarctic Peninsula that she will make during the season.<br />
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Here is my short video compilation of timelapse and live action footage from our Antarctic trip. The timelapses were shot with the aid of my trusty <a href="http://www.gentles.ltd.uk/gentled/">GentLED device</a>. A fantastic trip amongst some mesmerising landscapes that will stick with me for a long time.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-43818731364132028382014-10-20T05:36:00.001-07:002014-10-20T05:56:19.198-07:00White Caterthun hillfort: Work in progress on a speculative reconstruction for my research film "The Caterthuns"<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I've been sketching up some ideas of how to show a speculative reconstruction of the lost structures at White Caterthun hillfort. Here is a work in progress, where I have roughed in a series of palisaded enclosures and the large timber-laced wall. I've left the surrounding landscape as it looks in the current day.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A speculative reconstruction of the enclosures at White Caterthun hillfort.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A kite aerial photograph of the current day monument.</td></tr>
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The image represents my own reading of the excavation report and RCAHMS record (<a href="http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/35007/details/white+caterthun/">linked here</a>), with a good deal of added conjecture! I'm really keen to hear any thoughts and suggestions on this, particularly from the archaeologically-minded. I'm working with <a href="http://www.alicewatterson.co.uk/">Alice Watterson</a> to realise this speculative reconstruction into a three-dimensional visualisation as part of my upcoming research film "The Caterthuns".<br />
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-90310516732740439512014-10-09T14:57:00.000-07:002014-10-10T02:23:47.245-07:00Kite Aerial Photography on the Isle of Skye<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
During a weekend away on Skye I managed to fit some kite flying around the temperamental hebridean weather. Relatively remote and undeveloped, the island offers some fantastic built heritage from prehistoric to modern.<br />
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A brief moment of evening light illuminated this shot of Dun Beag broch near the village of Struan. The two layers of drystone wall would have helped to support a much greater height than stands today. The upper portion has collapsed and remains as a pile of rubble visible at the bottom of the frame while the Cuillin mountain range can be seen in the distance.
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Neist Point lighthouse was another superb location fro KAP on an exposed peninsular sticking out into the Sea of the Hebrides. To get this position a little maneuvering around the sea cliffs as shown in this shot looking back down the kite line. I'd like to say that this was very much safer than it looks in the photograph!<br />
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We also visited a onc of the clearance villages of particular research interest to my PhD colleague Kiera Shackleton, who arranged the trip. Low angled sunlight revealed the traces of rig and furrow field systems around the ruins of a farmstead in the photo below, taken near Ramasaig.<br />
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With no wind for kite flying on this occasion this is a place that, along with similar highland clearances sites, I would like return to and work with in future.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-31946615734768661862014-10-02T04:11:00.000-07:002014-10-16T12:17:38.147-07:00The Big Dig: Excavations and kite photography workshops at East Lomond hillfort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
As part of the The Living Lomonds Landscape Partnership (<a href="http://www.livinglomonds.org.uk/">website here</a>) the Big Dig, a community excavation, has been investigating the south slopes of East Lomond hillfort in Fife. A series of hut-circle-like structures, which first showed up in geophysical survey, have been uncovered and appear to form an extensive settlement area annexed to the hillfort.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5LY6nRBfPXDg6gBxf1A8NWbFK7qC5TWTxPJqnN5dJYuLKJ-jkBRKMFw51WD3EI1u6aLIHs_GnkaYhQ7Pn-WtekOoy0KuQvm71e3mRaKZhlYNaUBXxIVaZUTl-Kq94bT-v7rQeRW5-OA/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhl5LY6nRBfPXDg6gBxf1A8NWbFK7qC5TWTxPJqnN5dJYuLKJ-jkBRKMFw51WD3EI1u6aLIHs_GnkaYhQ7Pn-WtekOoy0KuQvm71e3mRaKZhlYNaUBXxIVaZUTl-Kq94bT-v7rQeRW5-OA/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_03.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The two trenches with the distant West Lomond hill behind.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I was commissioned to demonstrate kite aerial photography (KAP) and to record some aerial views of the site by Dr Oliver O’Grady of OJT Heritage on behalf of the Living Lomonds
Landscape Partnership as part of the Discover the Ancient Lomonds Project (<a href="http://discovertheancientlomonds.wordpress.com/">project blog here</a>). The event was supported by Heritage
Lottery Fund, Historic Scotland and New Park Educational Trust.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXCTCVOQg5hBWlslF-wFnGsal8clKA4wjlIjBzKZenCztlp07qisjQYbBvYSCh3LsN_XYt0llW1WPc7ibi1-LF8Pu3mh67JapFMC0X6yaZCuuV4gAwYhfb4hzcY2WNFe9fOQIHC1QZuw/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZXCTCVOQg5hBWlslF-wFnGsal8clKA4wjlIjBzKZenCztlp07qisjQYbBvYSCh3LsN_XYt0llW1WPc7ibi1-LF8Pu3mh67JapFMC0X6yaZCuuV4gAwYhfb4hzcY2WNFe9fOQIHC1QZuw/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_04.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A near vertical kite aerial photograph of the main trench.</td></tr>
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Situated high above the relatively flat Fife, East Lomond offers
fantastic views in all directions from the Bass Rock in East Lothian all
the way to the Grampian Mountains to the north. The excavations themselves were just as captivating with some enigmatic structures and stone settings accompanied by many interesting finds. While I was on site one of the student diggers came across a well preserved spindle whorl, part of a device for producing yarn for fabric, within an Iron Age context.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c2STmknxr3KjsZkS2NRSFSko0M-hcKcWLh-NYR_b7qYTaKsP5lq3hNclmFChw-GWUs79NxPE6bVB3ofPjSXzz-cETJdu6qnotcxUW-oilNC3Qkkz2HltPlt2H6AwMksmkcAa00yaNLs/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_sfm_photogrammetry_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_04.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj7c2STmknxr3KjsZkS2NRSFSko0M-hcKcWLh-NYR_b7qYTaKsP5lq3hNclmFChw-GWUs79NxPE6bVB3ofPjSXzz-cETJdu6qnotcxUW-oilNC3Qkkz2HltPlt2H6AwMksmkcAa00yaNLs/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_sfm_photogrammetry_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_04.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An orthographic view of the east side of East Lomond hill.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
I used a rotating KAP rig and structure from motion (SFM) photogrammetry to build this topographical model of the area around the dig and the summit of the hillfort. This is a composite of a colour orthophoto and orthographic rendering of the structure data with low-level lighting used to pick up the topography.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFVo1__XsASRn0lYO-03gdZwIRqDciBUsYjBbKCGADZGHk1oZ9fjR61gsnnL32VEN0wCvuxiber1HTWQpSI57S1ugE9Gt2dVQSw_PUynWlYTv2J_-cvK65kEg9JXS89VJvA2uVXt7SoM/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxFVo1__XsASRn0lYO-03gdZwIRqDciBUsYjBbKCGADZGHk1oZ9fjR61gsnnL32VEN0wCvuxiber1HTWQpSI57S1ugE9Gt2dVQSw_PUynWlYTv2J_-cvK65kEg9JXS89VJvA2uVXt7SoM/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_01.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In high wind those marquees could have almost served as big extra kites! </td></tr>
</tbody></table>
As well as site recording I spent the morning delivering talks and workshops to school groups who were keen to learn about how aerial photography is used by archaeologists, but a little more interested in having a go with the kite. This is one of the shots taken by the students as another group works on excavating the trench. Extra KAP kits were very kindly donated by John Wells of the fantastic Scottish National Aerial Photography Scheme (<a href="http://www.armadale.org.uk/snaps.htm">website here</a>).<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb7lU5ncOdzhap-F_acINHb6aoyaiAvuZp12gKESJz7wQ4vjpLy7iE1E2h0j7R5tJpGUqit0RhNxnzejf_227Pzx3ZMjWaazTfW-vOw90qUEwrjODwl4MPyYt1rxz0mh7aoIg4b2HRnw/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBb7lU5ncOdzhap-F_acINHb6aoyaiAvuZp12gKESJz7wQ4vjpLy7iE1E2h0j7R5tJpGUqit0RhNxnzejf_227Pzx3ZMjWaazTfW-vOw90qUEwrjODwl4MPyYt1rxz0mh7aoIg4b2HRnw/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_Big_Dig_excavations_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014_02.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Big Dig with East Lomond hillfort behind.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Many thanks go to the organisers and volunteers who made the Big Dig happen. Events like this are great for raising awareness of the fantastic landscapes which hold the stories of our past, and with any luck we have gone a small way in inspiring the next generation of archaeologists and aerial photographers!</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-65009831539860438592014-09-09T10:46:00.000-07:002014-09-09T10:46:35.435-07:00Noltland to Newcastle: Visualising travel and arrival at Links of Noltland and the Further North conference<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Links of Noltland is an archaeological site that is defined by its remote island location as much as by the intriguing material culture and stories that are emerging from the excavations. Following on from my <a href="http://topofly.blogspot.co.uk/2014/09/kite-aerial-photography-of-excavations.html">previous post</a> on the Links of Noltland collaborative project, one of the challenges is to move away from a representation of the site which is fixed like a map or site plan and instead give an impression of a place that is constantly in flux and has its own transient sense of place. While photogrammetric survey carried out over the last two years using kite aerial photography (see below) provided a useful and revealing spatial model of the site (<a href="http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/272b0a4045843c3984f92c26dc4fb4d7">viewable here on GigaPan</a>), during fieldwork in 2014 our focus was on incorporating other visual elements from beyond the site boundaries.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><span style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgjmu7WMwpyIVfvLgipzxt0P4UgT_4M7LJlAHfNCHzWdhZU12FRDviokQybzHQ4U9WYTSJbkQjMbnnQiCisriaZLU0mzJ_9SyXYeNM-W3vfd1kpMYl6VhrKMIoRALGW-PFdCnzvYXGQODY/s1600/Kite_aerial_photography_rig_Kieran_Baxter_2013.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></span></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A second KAP rig was used to get this view of camera, electronic rig and operator on site in 2013.</td></tr>
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With this in mind, and drawing upon Aaron Watson's "Trans-scape" animations, we explored the use of time-lapse photography on and around the site as well as from the ferries on the way to and from Westray. We used the <a href="http://www.gentles.ltd.uk/gentled/">Gentles GentLED</a> device as a intervalometer, neutral density filters to allow for longer exposures and handlebar camera mount to shoot securely from the ferry railings.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgNfu14Dh0MMCRzNmVXFMt-pGuKkfMb670aEAKAjl74zGY-ryjtFOYK-xQzCloLA0WoxZqhJ-yK6ERgwDT0Dcj5Nc7980qHTZlB-GsoXpLR_TiDX9JWfUqOFl4R6cmjXKkHAgjLeCHfE/s1600/Ferry_timelapse_rig_orkne_KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNgNfu14Dh0MMCRzNmVXFMt-pGuKkfMb670aEAKAjl74zGY-ryjtFOYK-xQzCloLA0WoxZqhJ-yK6ERgwDT0Dcj5Nc7980qHTZlB-GsoXpLR_TiDX9JWfUqOFl4R6cmjXKkHAgjLeCHfE/s1600/Ferry_timelapse_rig_orkne_KB-2014.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The ferry time-lapse set up and running. Time to sit back with a coffee and wait.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
We wanted to use the analogies of travel and arrival to introduce the site in our animated visualisation. While we considered that the remoteness of the site has changed context between present day and prehistory, where long distances where perhaps more likely to be traveled along coastal routes making the site a potential "hub", it is still a place that for most lies at the end of a significant journey.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkPF6IwDRcs42QViAnPUYwV9sYNpcxsU3AvrtFFILu9RPDqD_FwAXAvxsjI6CEclEqSYaGiCx1rtCmXkHsmsP1JrZFNxpNuDZFo0JuLFQxOvo3l6Vxj9dV7hkgXitV9evXjZKUZxR9O4/s1600/Further_North_ocean_journey_KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihkPF6IwDRcs42QViAnPUYwV9sYNpcxsU3AvrtFFILu9RPDqD_FwAXAvxsjI6CEclEqSYaGiCx1rtCmXkHsmsP1JrZFNxpNuDZFo0JuLFQxOvo3l6Vxj9dV7hkgXitV9evXjZKUZxR9O4/s1600/Further_North_ocean_journey_KB-2014.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A slightly "bumpy" crossing on the Hamnavoe to Stromness.</td></tr>
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With these ideas in mind and with a draft version of the animated film (which is still in the works) I set out on another journey to present a paper entitled "Approaching Links of Noltland" at the Further North conference at Northumbria University, the closing event of the Norther Peripheries research network. I found the sessions of a very high standard and it was great to be amongst a truly interdisciplinary debate around Northness, marginality and the identity of place. The session that I presented in was chaired by Orkney-based archaeologist Antonia Thomas who also presented her work alongside Dan Lee on their <a href="http://archaeologistsinresidence.wordpress.com/">Archaeology Residency</a> at the <a href="http://www.papaygyronights.papawestray.org/">Papay Gyro Nights Arts Festival</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjweWboJxZ-GCgfQ7bRWVEo0rE6wRW8aQjysVfTgrJSPQk7MIWLmXmlP_FxtGVELU7Uu8TpXGXPEKCxoBiXJgfwDa7fqNrMzkCWM7-xDB_n9wZMiy3xFkncmJ9MTdCfO_sF_V4STYryQ/s1600/Further_North_conference_KB_2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgPjweWboJxZ-GCgfQ7bRWVEo0rE6wRW8aQjysVfTgrJSPQk7MIWLmXmlP_FxtGVELU7Uu8TpXGXPEKCxoBiXJgfwDa7fqNrMzkCWM7-xDB_n9wZMiy3xFkncmJ9MTdCfO_sF_V4STYryQ/s1600/Further_North_conference_KB_2014.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Speakers ranged in subject from walking as performance art to heavy metal music and Norse mythology.</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
Now back at the office with a lot of inspiration I am currently working on bringing together the visual material gathered at links of Noltland, with the help of Alice Aaron and John, to form a short film that introduces the site and begins to explore its archaeological interpretation. </div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-14137861938638753032014-09-08T03:05:00.002-07:002014-09-08T03:20:28.023-07:00Kite aerial photography of the excavations at Links of Noltland on Westray, Orkney<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The Links of Noltland is a complex prehistoric settlement in the care of Historic Scotland and under rescue excavation carried out by EASE Archaeology since 2006 when erosion was identified as a significant risk to the site. I have been involved in a project, backed by Historic Scotland, to tackle the challenges of visualising the site for public outreach as part of a team of four practice-researchers: Dr John Was, Dr Aaron Watson, (the newly Doctored) Alice Watterson and myself.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2sIfmK1CZwqPt14GGLOSK7xOyG8UooujoRxoIUUkiEhLNCCxusv4YZqRuYzaCmbjQaiCf-_GmUIkZMGM4_Sqe1S7VdxkKhyT3nxfJ0kvE4sBFTD9p9GJQoQcmqujTakKT_0wdQzgOF4/s1600/Links_of_Noltland_excavations_KAP_03_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgf2sIfmK1CZwqPt14GGLOSK7xOyG8UooujoRxoIUUkiEhLNCCxusv4YZqRuYzaCmbjQaiCf-_GmUIkZMGM4_Sqe1S7VdxkKhyT3nxfJ0kvE4sBFTD9p9GJQoQcmqujTakKT_0wdQzgOF4/s400/Links_of_Noltland_excavations_KAP_03_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" style="cursor: move;" /></a></div>
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This kite aerial photograph covers a large portion of the Neolithic and Bronze Age settlement areas and shows the proximity to Grobust beach. Positioned on the north coast of the remote island of Westray, Orkney, Links of Noltland is exposed to a barrage of "high energy" weather that backfills unattended trenches, tears at anything not tied down (including caravans apparently) and is in danger of destroying archaeological remains as quickly as it reveals them.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58he-2foUr7w6gA6Cl4LBIdRcomtfdZGIijLj0GHJSuUOj6mHTyJ2DgzmQt9Mg6bi6X3VxK905SWPOuEkkNGwkCbosdhRr-PsBNS2WZ0LMxBwcbFxaqeEwig_hAW0C0LJiJynX2LfKeI/s1600/Links_of_Noltland_excavations_KAP_01_%C2%A9KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh58he-2foUr7w6gA6Cl4LBIdRcomtfdZGIijLj0GHJSuUOj6mHTyJ2DgzmQt9Mg6bi6X3VxK905SWPOuEkkNGwkCbosdhRr-PsBNS2WZ0LMxBwcbFxaqeEwig_hAW0C0LJiJynX2LfKeI/s400/Links_of_Noltland_excavations_KAP_01_%C2%A9KB-2013.jpg" /></a></div>
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One of the challenges of visualising a rescue excavation such as this is that the site is constantly changing. This vertical view into Neolithic Structure Seven was taken during excavation last year. On the right is Alice, sketching from the vantage point of the sand dune. Alice is working on a digital reconstruction to speculate on how Structure Seven might have looked in its complete form.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQaikj0a2KUUTeYLhy5ppTf4ZCgR8vRH2w3inSSo27k8f2zEA-WpXbuuqSVPlz2LPi2xB-00zhMkjRrWT_piEo3vNp4Y8aQj5kF6Rx8CHvwYtbSfL-kmJuHAbJG2cGYI0dOBMRYl9hTo/s1600/Links_of_Noltland_excavations_KAP_05_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgeQaikj0a2KUUTeYLhy5ppTf4ZCgR8vRH2w3inSSo27k8f2zEA-WpXbuuqSVPlz2LPi2xB-00zhMkjRrWT_piEo3vNp4Y8aQj5kF6Rx8CHvwYtbSfL-kmJuHAbJG2cGYI0dOBMRYl9hTo/s400/Links_of_Noltland_excavations_KAP_05_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="400" width="265" /></a></div>
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I used kite aerial photography to gather images for structure-from-motion photogrammetry in order to generate high resolution three-dimensional meshes of the site at different stages. Orthophotos are one of the outcomes of this process - high resolution plan views such as <a href="http://www.gigapan.com/gigapans/272b0a4045843c3984f92c26dc4fb4d7" target="_blank">this Gigapan</a> where you can zoom in and navigate around details in a way similar to google earth.<br />
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It has also been great to be able to photograph ongoing archaeological activity on the site and we have been combining low altitude aerial photography with time-lapse photography in an attempt to give an impression of a dynamic environment that is constantly in flux.<br />
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This large area of excavation is Area Five, a cluster of Neolithic dwellings where some of the most exciting finds have emerged. For a sense of scale the black circles are car tyres used to secure covers for parts of the trench not currently under excavation - a fact of life in such a wind-swept environment. The four of are are currently working towards an animated introduction to the site that incorporates some of the elements mentioned here so watch this space!</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-67377655612116132572014-07-15T04:29:00.000-07:002014-07-15T06:56:08.385-07:00Grounding the Aerial: Presenting at EVA London 2014<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week I traveled to London for the 25th anniversary Electronic Visualisation and the Arts (EVA 2014) conference. I presented a paper entitled "<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/53001" target="_blank">Grounding the Aerial: The Observer's View in Digital Visualisation for Built Heritage</a>" (<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConMediaFile/24225" target="_blank">full text here</a>). Suitably enough, and never missing an opportunity, I traveled down by plane.<br />
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Our high-wing propeller airplane gave some great views from slightly lower than the normal cruising altitude. Pressed against the window, I got this lucky shot as we passed over the town of Ambleside and the end of Lake Windermere in Cumbria.<br />
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From the serene calmness at high altitude to the bustle of central London in the height of summer - on arrival the streets where still heaving in the aftermath of the visiting Tour de France.<br />
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EVA was held at the headquarters of the BCS, the chartered institute for IT, just off from the Strand. Amongst the demonstrations where these high resolution 3D printed replicas of marble statues and stone tools, produced with stunningly high fidelity (<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/53028" target="_blank">more about this work here</a>).</div>
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Another interesting demonstration was this sophisticated pole-mounted photogrammetry rig for photographing and modeling ceilings for conservation. The four cameras are focused and calibrated for a given distance from the ceiling, which is positioned using two intersecting laser beams (<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/53013" target="_blank">full paper here</a>).</div>
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I presented my paper "<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/53001" target="_blank">Grounding the Aerial</a>" during a session on "<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/category/18205#visualisinglandscapes" target="_blank">Visualising Landscapes</a>", which ended with a great panel discussion with Daniel Buzzo and Tessa Morrison. Tessa's research used virtual reality models to "<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/53004" target="_blank">test historical utopian cities on a modern audience</a>", while Daniel adopted a creative practice-based approach, using photography to explore "<a href="http://ewic.bcs.org/content/ConWebDoc/53002" target="_blank">the theory and actuality of the effects of Time Dilation</a>". </div>
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It was great to see Daniel's high altitude time-lapse and photography used as a visual basis for reflection. Air travel happens in a serene, de-situated state that is neither here nor there but in-transit. For example, this photograph from the flight down shows the Solway Firth - Scotland is somewhere to the left of the estuary and England to the right but from up here the observers isn't really anywhere (no topical politics intended!)</div>
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I was reminded again of different view that high altitude can provide when I cam across this Sidney Nolan painting in the Tate Modern (<a href="http://www.tate.org.uk/art/artworks/nolan-inland-australia-n05993" target="_blank">full details and image here</a>), where I spent some spare time in London. It's often been commented that the Australian interior is too vast to really represent. Nolan has drawn from his travels across the landscape, including by plane, to present this aerial impression of the desert.</div>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-61021148755412941742014-06-15T15:33:00.003-07:002014-06-16T03:52:48.219-07:00Aerial Iceland: What I Did on My Holidays<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I went to Iceland for a long awaited holiday and, while I promised myself some computer-free time for hiking, camping and coffee drinking (Reykjavík offers a mean cappuccino), I did also manage to cram a few kites into my luggage. Here are some of the low altitude aerial photographs from the trip, taken while my companions waited patiently (for the most part) while I flapped around with a kite.<br />
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Iceland presents a beautiful yet bleak landscape where human settlement sometimes feels against the odds. Causeways built to avoid erosion from glacial melt water at Borgarnes make an attractive sweep from above (top left) and between rain showers one morning I got some shots of the two lighthouses on the peninsula at Akranes (top right and above). That is our "experienced but well maintained" vehicle (according to the hire company) at the bottom of frame.<br />
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We also had the skilled drone pilot Jacob Rowland in our midst for some of the trip, seen here dodging geysers with his phantom (and getting some fantastic footage at the same time). It was great to see Jacob's UAV in action and the Phantom is now firmly on the Christmas list (you'll find no kite related bias on this KAPers blog!)<br />
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We had little wind for much of the trip but walking a little way onto Skaftafell glacier I managed to launch the kite in the breeze created by cool air sinking off of the Vatnajökull ice cap and streaming down the glacial valley. While quite reliable, this 'fake' wind had quite a low ceiling so the shots above where taken after a bit of running kite line in and out to gain height.<br />
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The volcanic black beaches at Vik (above and below top left) were one of the excellent locations for aerial imagery along with some of the more desolate stretches of the ring road, which crosses mossed-over lava fields and glacial rivers along the south coast of the country (below top right and bottom). You will notice our "well maintained" vehicle has changed colour, not after a paint job but because we had to swap it for a slightly less broken one.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j9UeL1ETyGhlvQ70lCKBQgB2o4cEg8x-vbU3WGtiA0e4h9SqzMEibrqIg20NTiSZGnh5DOhAYHFeL15LNdGtOUlIXzbF8oO1ol3Hfc7xMkCt1U8S66WL7cUKaBzH-Li1qecbq_mjClI/s1600/Vik_black_beaches_Iceland_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1j9UeL1ETyGhlvQ70lCKBQgB2o4cEg8x-vbU3WGtiA0e4h9SqzMEibrqIg20NTiSZGnh5DOhAYHFeL15LNdGtOUlIXzbF8oO1ol3Hfc7xMkCt1U8S66WL7cUKaBzH-Li1qecbq_mjClI/s1600/Vik_black_beaches_Iceland_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC3m03qwllMj8qwj3avvNjbPA52d4iuyO18ZdYlJxv4-cEPZ29PK9G41GD-RsQLsrCgkAH1HtIWVL8T9cCfOoBxKDVdulBHrtd9RcnqK8RFIX4KDVvGQFSVlRxcdu2JnF9RyKpx7qeZI/s1600/Iceland_river_crossing_ring_road_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidC3m03qwllMj8qwj3avvNjbPA52d4iuyO18ZdYlJxv4-cEPZ29PK9G41GD-RsQLsrCgkAH1HtIWVL8T9cCfOoBxKDVdulBHrtd9RcnqK8RFIX4KDVvGQFSVlRxcdu2JnF9RyKpx7qeZI/s1600/Iceland_river_crossing_ring_road_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="132" width="200" /></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6McsReLAO0C2AzmiJ1-cFwQMafbXX-qoxlDzRFpJm0VCI6s5gtvMUA4chq1jB15KVtWjKkuPu_mQp62KXcLb-gtgsDy58SkxEeefkkv-6TbaWaq3kYpUn6F-BaJ5J4SZ8FQMMEmo34Y/s1600/Iceland_lava_field_ring_road_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6McsReLAO0C2AzmiJ1-cFwQMafbXX-qoxlDzRFpJm0VCI6s5gtvMUA4chq1jB15KVtWjKkuPu_mQp62KXcLb-gtgsDy58SkxEeefkkv-6TbaWaq3kYpUn6F-BaJ5J4SZ8FQMMEmo34Y/s1600/Iceland_lava_field_ring_road_KAP_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="264" width="400" /></a></div>
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We were also lucky enough to catch this higher-altitude glimpse of the Westman Islands (below) from the plane on approach to Keflavík. You can make out Eldfell, the crater of the volcano on Heimaey (to the left of the large island), which came close to destroying the town and harbor in the winter of 1973.<br />
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Iceland has a way of captivating people and after a very busy visit we left with a list of places to go back to, and another of things that we didn't have time to do. The striking colours and landscapes make for something of a photographic playground. I hope to have more fun with aerial photography here some time in the future! </div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-75279634436360721362014-05-14T15:46:00.001-07:002014-05-14T15:49:03.387-07:00Musket Fire and Ruins at Tantallon Castle<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Historic Scotland recently hosted an event at Tantallon Castle that combined the current archaeological excavation work with a re-enactment of the siege by Oliver Cromwell's men in 1651. I was asked to come along to document the event with kite aerial photography and despite overcast and rather blustery weather was able to get these shots of the re-enactment in action.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yJzZUvt8z3HuImA6j_Aicg2ubFfAzqmcZ_wdPF4gJCldhNY5L8qx6m5Xk5Qtn6drjl9Yt8MA2QsjxKJYyheRyLfgnhxu7xe4LajCn1a95vgVY4n0nuqNeRZMU9w77FAN7uzeX7MEYSQ/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2yJzZUvt8z3HuImA6j_Aicg2ubFfAzqmcZ_wdPF4gJCldhNY5L8qx6m5Xk5Qtn6drjl9Yt8MA2QsjxKJYyheRyLfgnhxu7xe4LajCn1a95vgVY4n0nuqNeRZMU9w77FAN7uzeX7MEYSQ/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_02.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Members of the excellent First Captain’s Company open fire on the public.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDZ0mPpl9SDbSfVeWrFQMRLshBvnGS-xrBgdsGYpAQ1duRghTjnQK8DliC3Pi2-ebmTOWT9B3jxCPKT8Xrrs9NPFcfF2UNkFMvT0OkDCr2KSOcqhpoKQUMHdhvIT7hxDAM3L8q5t6Gbw/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_05.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeDZ0mPpl9SDbSfVeWrFQMRLshBvnGS-xrBgdsGYpAQ1duRghTjnQK8DliC3Pi2-ebmTOWT9B3jxCPKT8Xrrs9NPFcfF2UNkFMvT0OkDCr2KSOcqhpoKQUMHdhvIT7hxDAM3L8q5t6Gbw/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_05.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">It's not often in recent years that smoke rises from the battlements of Tantallon.</td></tr>
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Alongside the musket fire and cannons, less violent work was being undertaken in the archaeological trenches and 17th century crafts where on show at the encampment where the re-enactment team were based.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjCQvw43hBgHf6eOC8NdQ-YJgwIFYvG7hwu_uAIh6BmcLWdck46IsbVQPs-eF72t0KHWiDmU4arXLbtU6rMU6WRKxPavmZDWZFIuVU9wYNfoiH41tFZ56UI6OWoVlIDp2tDRR-3967ag/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_03.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidjCQvw43hBgHf6eOC8NdQ-YJgwIFYvG7hwu_uAIh6BmcLWdck46IsbVQPs-eF72t0KHWiDmU4arXLbtU6rMU6WRKxPavmZDWZFIuVU9wYNfoiH41tFZ56UI6OWoVlIDp2tDRR-3967ag/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_03.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A tour of one of the trenches where excavations were underway.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzxX2SZbIrR1Bry5sFO-TLEF-GTuXnsuIQS0hdNs9pdRVc37bMIHXKdI0mHxuAHbX6lKIYOCv2CYD-aSbe4PLaYD-S80j7cThzOQpk37n90LgctuHgFDjKVdlX3-6Z_SW8MJmOrhGjx4/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_06.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiEzxX2SZbIrR1Bry5sFO-TLEF-GTuXnsuIQS0hdNs9pdRVc37bMIHXKdI0mHxuAHbX6lKIYOCv2CYD-aSbe4PLaYD-S80j7cThzOQpk37n90LgctuHgFDjKVdlX3-6Z_SW8MJmOrhGjx4/s1600/Tantallon_siege_event_KAP_2014_06.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A nice location for a campsite.</td></tr>
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Photographing events can be challenging because there is no waiting for better weather conditions, but despite this the day was a lot of fun and with some dramatic results. The organisers, archaeologists from Historic Scotland and Kirkdale Archaeology, and the fantastic First Captain’s Company all did a fantastic job of pulling off a great event. I look forward to getting up above more special events in future!</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-38227965564140577832014-04-25T15:49:00.000-07:002014-04-26T02:28:49.991-07:00Over the Tay: Aerial Photos Above Dundee and Broughty Ferry<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
These photographs were taken in transit between Fife and Angus during a light aircraft flight to gather material for my hillfort PhD case study project. It was fascinating to pass over the city where I live and am familiar with from ground level.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJzit6-cufGdrEFHmP3L4DU9bOVnrhXMhVn1jqS_ldkH9PqQLwAHBVC2G3X2Zi0eh0Jo4FtmbW8Y-zM263LBRfMBMpP2eqfJcBlQe4q39DMxt5vXWppnyzKp57eU2KRi4sqr4vKfty28/s1600/Tay_Rail_Bridge_Dundee_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiuJzit6-cufGdrEFHmP3L4DU9bOVnrhXMhVn1jqS_ldkH9PqQLwAHBVC2G3X2Zi0eh0Jo4FtmbW8Y-zM263LBRfMBMpP2eqfJcBlQe4q39DMxt5vXWppnyzKp57eU2KRi4sqr4vKfty28/s1600/Tay_Rail_Bridge_Dundee_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Tay Rail Bridge with the stumps of the previous bridge visible at low tide.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_T5e2S8XGX9_Sf3TKZkCdh4_zgkSqX3CM0TPDR98tyuPvzcFVCuvWlIJ0R1Qlt_w3Ze5rC_SOZyVnB87bvM5iehyphenhyphenpf0KHJ7MEeXD0kBCkO0JZ1R03zC5tpZblR9302uSpM6dFlP4w3A/s1600/Dundee_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhS_T5e2S8XGX9_Sf3TKZkCdh4_zgkSqX3CM0TPDR98tyuPvzcFVCuvWlIJ0R1Qlt_w3Ze5rC_SOZyVnB87bvM5iehyphenhyphenpf0KHJ7MEeXD0kBCkO0JZ1R03zC5tpZblR9302uSpM6dFlP4w3A/s1600/Dundee_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dundee from near Ninewells with an oil rig undergoing work in the distance.</td></tr>
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From height it's easy to get a sense of how the city relates to the narrowing of the Tay Estuary, which was first taken advantage of by ferryboats and later by the two bridges. Before the construction of the first rail bridge, Broughty Ferry (below) was the staging point for boats that carried railway wagons to and from Tayport.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwa5TMiXuNznCnjS6zfXtktTp8w2Ez60gOXJHQvSqJqc4gWXX1woadzmfekfb_u73HqMAcDiVhQWfd74KI8Kmt54xDbvK7t4mrQj9w2RUK1WhkH_f3DR6pDC-ulJE2pWVlwdaRg84cl8/s1600/Firth_of_Tay_Broughty_Ferry_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKwa5TMiXuNznCnjS6zfXtktTp8w2Ez60gOXJHQvSqJqc4gWXX1woadzmfekfb_u73HqMAcDiVhQWfd74KI8Kmt54xDbvK7t4mrQj9w2RUK1WhkH_f3DR6pDC-ulJE2pWVlwdaRg84cl8/s1600/Firth_of_Tay_Broughty_Ferry_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broughty Castle guards the narrow Firth of Tay with the bridges behind.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVx98jY2_eD0ya5LJGJSsll7QfycrNEuVKUJtHEVtKSoSG7QM5TzZ6QEgQoIhM4TO_2H0YrZB3z522J0fkXOxYknieszagyHJpaFpMWTT496CfJmWjeIhZv8aXgp0JmuXpAqTdIxPVm4/s1600/Tay_Road_Bridge_Dundee_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXVx98jY2_eD0ya5LJGJSsll7QfycrNEuVKUJtHEVtKSoSG7QM5TzZ6QEgQoIhM4TO_2H0YrZB3z522J0fkXOxYknieszagyHJpaFpMWTT496CfJmWjeIhZv8aXgp0JmuXpAqTdIxPVm4/s1600/Tay_Road_Bridge_Dundee_aerial_photograph_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A view of Dundee and the Tay Road Bridge from above Fife.</td></tr>
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Photographing from a light aircraft can be intense with a lot of ground is covered very quickly and wide areas of landscape compressed into a series of brief vignettes. It's a fantastic experience but always a good feeling to have two feet firmly back on the ground!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCWmTSQvfORaBY_WXdUSs8WpQF9LmnNeFFq60Gmr1_C0A55NYBMKX5APzJzBJqFHXsJtTJdL3gVAwGwXI4RmDMrmpcRBSC2B03FDTDpOOHcbTf7mucaEayrx6lnTbBNbxVplGTNOW4UI/s1600/Cessna_172_portrait_%C2%A9KD-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXCWmTSQvfORaBY_WXdUSs8WpQF9LmnNeFFq60Gmr1_C0A55NYBMKX5APzJzBJqFHXsJtTJdL3gVAwGwXI4RmDMrmpcRBSC2B03FDTDpOOHcbTf7mucaEayrx6lnTbBNbxVplGTNOW4UI/s1600/Cessna_172_portrait_%C2%A9KD-2014.jpg" height="266" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Our trusty ride the Cessna 172 is ideal for aerial photography.</td></tr>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-56679111499137186412014-04-23T15:17:00.002-07:002014-04-25T06:24:32.624-07:00From Sky to Soil: Excavations at Castle Law Forgandenny hillfort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I was recently lucky enough to be invited to photograph during the <a href="http://www.gla.ac.uk/schools/humanities/research/archaeologyresearch/projects/serf/archaeologyfieldschool/">SERF (Strathearn Environs and Royal Forteviot)</a> excavations at Castle Law Forgandenny hillfort. This was a rare and fantastic opportunity to see a buried hillfort structure revealed and I was keen to use low altitude aerial photography to pick out the details of the trenches as they where under excavation, as well place them within the broader site and surrounding landscape. Here are some of the resulting shots.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoEtndRD2J1-FawDlh0a7YK2vCVM6Fyg-pcedeyX2cIOeouAbL6wiDvP5DD44cOgCsdpmyzUWFOThH6HjryYit-GJ-nrhSEORPvKcYcrMgcqv_jwofnB-DNib6z6tRgNO3-pwsMG-kYc/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_KAP_03_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjeoEtndRD2J1-FawDlh0a7YK2vCVM6Fyg-pcedeyX2cIOeouAbL6wiDvP5DD44cOgCsdpmyzUWFOThH6HjryYit-GJ-nrhSEORPvKcYcrMgcqv_jwofnB-DNib6z6tRgNO3-pwsMG-kYc/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_KAP_03_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kite aerial photograph of Castle Law Forgandenny under excavation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_dPQRBangfKd1OpKZ5keQQEDEFfo2kPvbCI0Zq7jJFyOyYQbTyGykSy8YEl_2BhXQTSCvUlUUKTYwkTarJLUIqoMQk7eZLVkKYF6Zv5Ox6ctK6Kz0qjDn0T6d9L7b8Oympcws9w4rVw/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_KAP_02_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhg_dPQRBangfKd1OpKZ5keQQEDEFfo2kPvbCI0Zq7jJFyOyYQbTyGykSy8YEl_2BhXQTSCvUlUUKTYwkTarJLUIqoMQk7eZLVkKYF6Zv5Ox6ctK6Kz0qjDn0T6d9L7b8Oympcws9w4rVw/s400/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_KAP_02_%C2%A9KB-2014.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Excavators busy in trench G seen from the kite. Apparently G is for Gigantic.</td></tr>
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I even got to do some mattocking! This was near the beginning of the process where we were removing relatively recently disturbed debris from the main wall. This is possibly why I given this job - where my enthusiastic but uninformed efforts couldn't cause any damage!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFY9am0X8pvjVQb2nSDRqaj2fDYJ2gkTOMFnge4Pv77FH3OAVLOolsipixnJ57byGsWhatgDskNlX_sdtI0dYBBFrquG1rmoVBKl7GVrmxnYKhLMAsRk2hGgUXSYROM3GCiF0czXJaM8c/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_4-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgFY9am0X8pvjVQb2nSDRqaj2fDYJ2gkTOMFnge4Pv77FH3OAVLOolsipixnJ57byGsWhatgDskNlX_sdtI0dYBBFrquG1rmoVBKl7GVrmxnYKhLMAsRk2hGgUXSYROM3GCiF0czXJaM8c/s400/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_4-2014.jpg" height="265" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After years of photographing hillforts I finally get to stick a mattock in one.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFm_aH6P0pYvollfJn7qn9apcK1oisbk9R2exRFLt3tsIUQ-wslVuAqqJMq8Be1szJH9N3fBk7oTH7opmXgux-4U5n51NQUHMXPJso7wHfljVEQsGM1tIZhcKZQPS3djgmI4sZq5xQ08/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_KAP_05_%25C2%25A9KB-2014.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiaFm_aH6P0pYvollfJn7qn9apcK1oisbk9R2exRFLt3tsIUQ-wslVuAqqJMq8Be1szJH9N3fBk7oTH7opmXgux-4U5n51NQUHMXPJso7wHfljVEQsGM1tIZhcKZQPS3djgmI4sZq5xQ08/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_excavations_KAP_05_%25C2%25A9KB-2014.jpg" height="300" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Vertical shots of trenches that intersect parts of the outer wall and platforms.</td></tr>
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Castle Law Forgandenny sits in a stunning location overlooking Strathearn with views out towards the entrance of the Tay, as shown in this high altitude photograph from last year. When it comes to visualising the site (and it just might)the position within the wider landscape will be a key point.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXzd5UOPrQikdfKpjPVP8h23JdkzpeV3Uax0_E4HI3xEvveeYf8fOvUy4ZF8pYQXLmNDys5WagS9IhJe4lctG4KygMa_HntgYglpLvrHn56FVEI3ubo1AyyyUMjSkoK8zGQkVPZacUG8/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_AP_%C2%A9KB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhSXzd5UOPrQikdfKpjPVP8h23JdkzpeV3Uax0_E4HI3xEvveeYf8fOvUy4ZF8pYQXLmNDys5WagS9IhJe4lctG4KygMa_HntgYglpLvrHn56FVEI3ubo1AyyyUMjSkoK8zGQkVPZacUG8/s400/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_AP_%C2%A9KB.jpg" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castle Law Forgandenny seen in its landscape context from high altitude.</td></tr>
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Many thanks to Tessa Poller and Cathy MacIver for catering for myself and Alice Watterson on site during the excavations. I'm very much looking forward to doing more work with this intriguing and dramatic site.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-86189765187931960942013-12-23T03:27:00.000-08:002013-12-23T04:57:24.966-08:00TAG-On-Sea: Bournemouth hosts the 2013 conference of the Theoretical Archaeology Group<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
Last week I attended the 35th annual TAG conference, held over three days in Bournemouth University. I was presenting a research poster (below) which introduces my PhD research and outlines my ongoing practice-based enquiry.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.topofly.com/documents/Kieran_Baxter_Tag-On-Sea_2013_poster.pdf" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" target="_blank"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0YFYbUVWfGB3NSxf1swf2Kt0OY1Po9jax33D80Q3NaBJV_Y976P_dvsB4ajschfBZLaot3wnYD-bewdelrJLUSBw_U4XTKIJtGzm0j-Bqcrgd-B5LikU7WLbmAm5AfuUOcBZ0vCy4pJ4/s453/Kieran_Baxter_Tag-On-Sea_2013_poster.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My Poster for TAG-On-Sea 2013 (<a href="http://www.topofly.com/documents/Kieran_Baxter_Tag-On-Sea_2013_poster.pdf" target="_blank">click for pdf</a>)</td></tr>
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The poster focused on the theoretical concerns that aerial photography and computer generated imagery raise, such as the danger of dehumanisation and detachment from the lived experience of built heritage. Examples of my visual work included high and low aerial photography as well as a still from my animated CGI film "<a href="http://www.topofly.com/jarlshof/" target="_blank">Jarlshof</a>".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfOAW83IXp6gKYKt_BHBwYM63JBo0WZeRPkxbJT6BAfItZANlx4LJVwrFGO1kW-Y368SFigVao4IyYPt9Xucepd6YCKnL20Qg73i91n1Fg0ju2RaTK_cFaUxn3Kih0jT8_n7nJ049BPc/s1600/TAG-On-Sea_2013_poster-Kieran_Baxter.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWfOAW83IXp6gKYKt_BHBwYM63JBo0WZeRPkxbJT6BAfItZANlx4LJVwrFGO1kW-Y368SFigVao4IyYPt9Xucepd6YCKnL20Qg73i91n1Fg0ju2RaTK_cFaUxn3Kih0jT8_n7nJ049BPc/s320/TAG-On-Sea_2013_poster-Kieran_Baxter.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The poster survived the 500 mile journey to Bournemouth!</td></tr>
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Highlights from the conference included a session on <i>"Researching Audiences in Archaeology"</i>organised by Donald Henson and Chiara Bonacchi from the <a href="http://www.ucl.ac.uk/archaeology/research/projects/caspar" target="_blank">Centre for Audio-Visual Study and Practice in Archaeology</a>, UCL, where the problematic area of audience research was discussed.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniIaqZx1bNKngIT7Ceiln1IGajGedklpa6GgqU5sUJ_cWcjYktwnHmEMg45BXNx8kToFgTe0zdYcsi2BvheSCbOd3_xPzuUFsmPow8sEjnsD6dh2f8EVbV-gU4jJfnZy12o9ftFfK7fs/s1600/Bournemouth_seafront_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiniIaqZx1bNKngIT7Ceiln1IGajGedklpa6GgqU5sUJ_cWcjYktwnHmEMg45BXNx8kToFgTe0zdYcsi2BvheSCbOd3_xPzuUFsmPow8sEjnsD6dh2f8EVbV-gU4jJfnZy12o9ftFfK7fs/s200/Bournemouth_seafront_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCzEV5TuvLbpVMdYcADmASTOAFD2l65UXoW2EiI-WzmhKguEtv8QYWgYmTvG9QQGcmG1TGCgM4TdNzbL3QKaK4Nz_Cfmk1gFLxGC9JQ_Tt16ZDnBz3ihaMD7pElq3ZtXDXJEiofqMn7M/s1600/Bournemouth_pier_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="150" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLCzEV5TuvLbpVMdYcADmASTOAFD2l65UXoW2EiI-WzmhKguEtv8QYWgYmTvG9QQGcmG1TGCgM4TdNzbL3QKaK4Nz_Cfmk1gFLxGC9JQ_Tt16ZDnBz3ihaMD7pElq3ZtXDXJEiofqMn7M/s200/Bournemouth_pier_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bournemouth seafront and pier during a brief period of sunshine.</td></tr>
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The visualisation session, entitled <i>"Seeing, Thinking, Doing: Visualisation as knowledge Creation"</i>, featured some fantastic experimental projects including a talk by Mhairi Maxwell on the "<a href="http://www.nms.ac.uk/collections__research/early_historic_scotland/bringing_the_past_to_life.aspx" target="_blank">Creative Spirit</a>" exhibition at the National Museum of Scotland. Art-practice and Archaeological collaborations were also discussed during the session <i>"Archaeology with Art: Space, Context, Fabrication and Gesture"</i>. Another highlight was a session re-evaluating the idea of "<i>Taskscapes</i>", opened by Tim Ingold (below) who first introduced the term in his 1993 paper "<i>The Temporality of the Landscape</i>".<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzFRV5ii7FaJhY2ISnncR00AV9ndRDrC3LmX6YPJqJwZ1E4CGxBxXR47a_tuAJxkZR3LkSM4d3OLEOc9FJ-mzeR11Z6AB2kXMgyyguEOE2m1gDNv9F8h2nmO8W2wNHsCgeWubuKyMPGc/s1600/TAG-On-Sea_2013_talk.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjWzFRV5ii7FaJhY2ISnncR00AV9ndRDrC3LmX6YPJqJwZ1E4CGxBxXR47a_tuAJxkZR3LkSM4d3OLEOc9FJ-mzeR11Z6AB2kXMgyyguEOE2m1gDNv9F8h2nmO8W2wNHsCgeWubuKyMPGc/s320/TAG-On-Sea_2013_talk.jpg" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tim Ingold exploring the evolution of the idea of "Taskscape".</td></tr>
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My first experience of TAG was of an relaxed and discursive environment that I look forward to catching up with again. Over just three days I have a host of new ideas and avenues to pursue, as well as new reflections on my work so far.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-18095762820628251992013-12-02T09:01:00.002-08:002013-12-02T14:17:37.473-08:00Mountain climbing and the hilltop vantage: A prehistory of the aerial?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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One of the thrills of hillwalking is to be able to watch the landscape unfold while escaping to a place of clarity. Mountain climbing has been considered a precursor to flight (see for example <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aereality-Essays-World-William-Fox/dp/1582434298" target="_blank">"Aereality" by William Fox, 2009</a> and <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Aerial-Perception-Spacecraft-Influence-Contemporary/dp/0879820403" target="_blank">"Aerial Perception" by Margaret Dreikausen, 1985</a>) and I would certainly follow the idea that the experiences closely relate. It's an intriguing and attractive idea for my area of interest because it lends a prehistory to the relatively short history of aerial photography.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmxnKz3uKCFrVCg-jNFbXGrX7cQrHSMeH88dBr9UrD-HmRbOiUkFw8Baus4KnraDxUSzCUboGEg5ZsD8kMeh24OGDBiFBn8KlCHQRIDFC157ZEQZAgPu2K41DNrrqxSz_HgpBHiwv-UM/s1600/East_Lomond_hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjEmxnKz3uKCFrVCg-jNFbXGrX7cQrHSMeH88dBr9UrD-HmRbOiUkFw8Baus4KnraDxUSzCUboGEg5ZsD8kMeh24OGDBiFBn8KlCHQRIDFC157ZEQZAgPu2K41DNrrqxSz_HgpBHiwv-UM/s400/East_Lomond_hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjjvzKQAre9fTYbQ_68ywTwMZwrIkbxjVRbF50YgOVOBPHIuAZRFB3uLu0Fhmrwo7H71t8Xa-QYpFuoLvPZZ0UMOQx-twj41MmKJFvYRcAcRqv6PRc_gSAz4qNCCz4BamTJTtwSCp9hU/s1600/Craig_Mellon-Cairn_Broadlands-Glen_Clova_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAjjvzKQAre9fTYbQ_68ywTwMZwrIkbxjVRbF50YgOVOBPHIuAZRFB3uLu0Fhmrwo7H71t8Xa-QYpFuoLvPZZ0UMOQx-twj41MmKJFvYRcAcRqv6PRc_gSAz4qNCCz4BamTJTtwSCp9hU/s200/Craig_Mellon-Cairn_Broadlands-Glen_Clova_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamrU-N0O3mYo9ZVxwOliLFGheWwF8SAe6blT-jjN-pI2wR3DvxaOZhSxbCRpxkH4VyxLEC4g7-Yo1aLcA6rBsvE3-Ismk1nwTqOtdA6q87-mBxMmwi41V4x6Ld5uUvhGYhKsWDRaIQg0/s1600/Normans_Law_hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjamrU-N0O3mYo9ZVxwOliLFGheWwF8SAe6blT-jjN-pI2wR3DvxaOZhSxbCRpxkH4VyxLEC4g7-Yo1aLcA6rBsvE3-Ismk1nwTqOtdA6q87-mBxMmwi41V4x6Ld5uUvhGYhKsWDRaIQg0/s200/Normans_Law_hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Top: Aerial photograph of figures at the summit of East Lomond hillfort, Fife.<br />
Bottom left: Glen Clova Glen is a popular area for hillwalkers.<br />
Bottom right: Normans Law hillfort with Tay estuary and Dundee behind. </td></tr>
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The large image above shows a family enjoying the panoramic views from the summit of East Lomond hill. From here you can see most of Fife as well as into Angus, Perthshire and Lothian. They are standing at a circular plinth which points out the orientation of landmarks in all directions. What they can't see - at least not very clearly - is that they are standing right at the center of a series of enclosures that were constructed thousands of years previously. While East Lomond hillfort is located on an obvious high point in the landscape, other such sites seem to be placed with more specific viewshed in mind. Normans Law hillfort (bottom right above) is located at the Eastern end of the Orchil hills with a strategic view over the Tay.</div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2FrX97vYpcbJNtu6X-HS0qWa-kphUi4nvrDknct8fZulZC17LMqsE-8ibFgqfisuoc6gG1ky3z7L-60DTqeY80wjmNC0FoKyTJZher2SKuE0cU3rT6T9peTsGd-vsbD7-0ShFSY_b4c/s1600/Cumbria_mule_tracks_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI2FrX97vYpcbJNtu6X-HS0qWa-kphUi4nvrDknct8fZulZC17LMqsE-8ibFgqfisuoc6gG1ky3z7L-60DTqeY80wjmNC0FoKyTJZher2SKuE0cU3rT6T9peTsGd-vsbD7-0ShFSY_b4c/s400/Cumbria_mule_tracks_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9jKKDDa_9dNZUIptTjgP4APtR9iHe4T5MQWjIP5Sh18cUtXCyCuJFjIbPEFPf7_Crrw7N9361DsMeGMbae07W6MChzgH9GLERnHWFX0NTem1zQkmxPpbX2H3hpA-QsGvoscdbjXRAEA/s1600/Skiddaw_Cumbria_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF9jKKDDa_9dNZUIptTjgP4APtR9iHe4T5MQWjIP5Sh18cUtXCyCuJFjIbPEFPf7_Crrw7N9361DsMeGMbae07W6MChzgH9GLERnHWFX0NTem1zQkmxPpbX2H3hpA-QsGvoscdbjXRAEA/s200/Skiddaw_Cumbria_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-rJHADdJZ8656fNWc4NeXLh4MfSH2c_aJu8Y0jnB9qnbbReG5xg2qBTmvrVnDwxLbNL7zQ48TXFFmPkDk5z_BPTh1an48PrEdQqNFGz5R_lzG14bKa6HKRb6HgYj_KrepBWzC4M3cag/s1600/Cumbria_mule_tracks_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1-rJHADdJZ8656fNWc4NeXLh4MfSH2c_aJu8Y0jnB9qnbbReG5xg2qBTmvrVnDwxLbNL7zQ48TXFFmPkDk5z_BPTh1an48PrEdQqNFGz5R_lzG14bKa6HKRb6HgYj_KrepBWzC4M3cag/s200/Cumbria_mule_tracks_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a></div>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Top and bottom right: Mountain paths picked out by snow and low light.<br />
Bottom left: An aerial view of Skiddaw taken from a light aircraft. </td></tr>
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The evidence of human presence in the hills cropped up unexpectedly while I was flying and walking amongst the Cumbrian fells in April this year. These deep-cut tracks (above) zigzag up and over over mountain passes and form a labyrinth of paths, both old and new, which join low land and mountain areas. In Cumbria the evidence of mountain exploration goes back thousands of years.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEEN5QnYS4KBBWOpfaDR7gzQ010xMWFK994KRGDiaYz2FfIVvCte53hc81sXdojsH-cFohkZV6om_Aa9R6v4nv2E5fDDtB4ZDWcBpJtVNOe9rZBSoCw96T-pwa2hX0-tT-_t50vQinR8/s1600/Langdale_Neolithic_axe_quarry_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhBEEN5QnYS4KBBWOpfaDR7gzQ010xMWFK994KRGDiaYz2FfIVvCte53hc81sXdojsH-cFohkZV6om_Aa9R6v4nv2E5fDDtB4ZDWcBpJtVNOe9rZBSoCw96T-pwa2hX0-tT-_t50vQinR8/s400/Langdale_Neolithic_axe_quarry_KB-2013.jpg" /></a>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKm9a2hlQzpb7XVYHcqM8LPCOMqxwjqrGh6OjseRsPa3TvPwpPyHfBMIwn0YSIZpAAMV1WanAX0UnEEGV0V_P0sX7GLOLK-FlSrekAff7xIBG5VP4Fe101hsMTUo3SRevl3jiuRsipKp0/s1600/Carrock_Fell_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiKm9a2hlQzpb7XVYHcqM8LPCOMqxwjqrGh6OjseRsPa3TvPwpPyHfBMIwn0YSIZpAAMV1WanAX0UnEEGV0V_P0sX7GLOLK-FlSrekAff7xIBG5VP4Fe101hsMTUo3SRevl3jiuRsipKp0/s200/Carrock_Fell_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRskxz2MjesoE16woTGv1BNgPB8A0S9b8Ce-hN2REhEd2HEpOGwJTD8wgsi-4opATDOyX3WExrO0T70E3NFxBhMgEIkjX5Qi97fJ8Vt70jEtGKXHcTXdvGzSqcs6NO9QDEfYbJ2KKt4dc/s1600/Langdale_Pike_of_Stickle_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="133" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjRskxz2MjesoE16woTGv1BNgPB8A0S9b8Ce-hN2REhEd2HEpOGwJTD8wgsi-4opATDOyX3WExrO0T70E3NFxBhMgEIkjX5Qi97fJ8Vt70jEtGKXHcTXdvGzSqcs6NO9QDEfYbJ2KKt4dc/s200/Langdale_Pike_of_Stickle_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Top: A Neolithic axe quarry near Pike of Stickle (bottom right), Cumbria.<br />
Bottom left: Carrock Fell hillfort is also situated high amongst the fells.</td></tr>
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The remains of a Neolithic axe industry are situated high amongst Langdale Pikes (above) where I was experty guided by archaeologist Aaron Watson. Here greenstone was hewn from difficult to reach outcrops and shaped into rough cuts before being transported down the mountain. The stone from this particular seam is of exceptional quality and Langdale axes are found distributed broadly across Britain and Ireland. Good quality stone is available elsewhere however and yet the Neolithic craftspeople chose to work up here in the mountains, despite of (and perhaps in part because of) the difficult and dangerous logistics involved.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqMlWSGEoNLSAwkwUwuzQW38bMJHibnwjtIoYVV34kEUh9p1RiY3PVVHOK8OxxZ6u2IiUL05RRCSuPS17v5RtlWm1mJoi-OxvBj1Ej1BZmjPto5LMJaupjFByHnf1LRzEuJu1XgI_BjQ/s1600/Kilchurn_Castle_KB_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-bottom: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnqMlWSGEoNLSAwkwUwuzQW38bMJHibnwjtIoYVV34kEUh9p1RiY3PVVHOK8OxxZ6u2IiUL05RRCSuPS17v5RtlWm1mJoi-OxvBj1Ej1BZmjPto5LMJaupjFByHnf1LRzEuJu1XgI_BjQ/s400/Kilchurn_Castle_KB_2013.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy8lyuUCcOK6IBJvFFBXTyqQi3ne0U-WDMUuXyohy_DFuJBVVxwtV9S3IzUoU6pdmGWwhKVSC8ZiT9t7zKbsnXFuaGVZ3v8JmOl2Xg2V3H58u2jl_6DMzCpuWhUA7hpOlWH620oTjgCw/s1600/Beinn_a'_Chleibh_and_Ben_Lui_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiXy8lyuUCcOK6IBJvFFBXTyqQi3ne0U-WDMUuXyohy_DFuJBVVxwtV9S3IzUoU6pdmGWwhKVSC8ZiT9t7zKbsnXFuaGVZ3v8JmOl2Xg2V3H58u2jl_6DMzCpuWhUA7hpOlWH620oTjgCw/s200/Beinn_a'_Chleibh_and_Ben_Lui_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UStgyPkQY49hm3A9tM1N34-bGAcOsg4H0sWjwYu4OaA_aFDuHicg0yfqLMYnagS7j8H7wUWDQjSGW2MCI_Nm1p2I5d91iqyFEvsN2kpiEnH868I68Gd12aXtU8KqzZqfHe4KlSNp9gQ/s1600/Loch_Etive_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1"><img border="0" height="132" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2UStgyPkQY49hm3A9tM1N34-bGAcOsg4H0sWjwYu4OaA_aFDuHicg0yfqLMYnagS7j8H7wUWDQjSGW2MCI_Nm1p2I5d91iqyFEvsN2kpiEnH868I68Gd12aXtU8KqzZqfHe4KlSNp9gQ/s200/Loch_Etive_KB-2013.jpg" width="200" /></a>
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<tr align="left"><td class="tr-caption">Top: Kilchurn Castle seen from the hills above towards Beinn a'Bhuiridh.<br />
Bottom left and right : Views towards Ben Lui and Loch Etive.</td></tr>
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More recently I had the opportunity to do some mountain aerial photography (I guess that would be MAP) while hillwalking around the northern tip of Loch Awe in the Scottish west highlands. Among the fantastic views offered by these hills they provided an aerial vantage point upon Kilchurn Castle (above). Normally aerial photography is near impossible in such dull light conditions. This was however the first time I've taken aerial photographs with my feet and camera supported firmly on the ground!</div>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-9050471542973822212013-11-08T09:18:00.002-08:002013-11-10T03:35:54.438-08:00Hillforts from High Alitude: Aerial Photography of a Wider Landscape<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
For one of my PhD case studies I'm currently building a small body of aerial photography work around some of the hillforts in my local area. As well as kite aerial photography I have also approached these sites from a light aircraft for higher altitude views. Here are some of the resulting images from a recent flight over Angus, Perthshire and Fife, Scotland.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI65inQB4plqMp6GX83_y6WYV3EVun5UkUXhkHm56O1Ul0m0h9z96VhRSQFbRwIU6dFTsOkcpwFHLJioMsj0DsGRGOHfySzUWgf_DxUfTUNc6Nveymjd68u4DjPAbTgl66dCdUjRPDMVg/s1600/White_Caterthun_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiI65inQB4plqMp6GX83_y6WYV3EVun5UkUXhkHm56O1Ul0m0h9z96VhRSQFbRwIU6dFTsOkcpwFHLJioMsj0DsGRGOHfySzUWgf_DxUfTUNc6Nveymjd68u4DjPAbTgl66dCdUjRPDMVg/s400/White_Caterthun_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Caterthun (front) with Brown Caterthun hillfort in the distant left</td></tr>
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This was a chance to return to some of the sites which I photographed back in March under snow cover, including the impressive White and Brown Caterthuns (above) near the town of Brechin. After much waiting for the right weather conditions we were finally treated to a clear afternoon with some fantastic low Autumn light.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaWxeIhfxyniIaoRTHlEGN0UoIa3r_253TGtUvUg-LcvF9Ct-274lpu0i36MkEUcPeMqa4scl_WvkcjddOcVB-vAweG8UIKaONpzyCc-md2LdG1h9UK_ztK9BTyBlZm0DsH7dBhHRfQA/s1600/Barry_Hill_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGaWxeIhfxyniIaoRTHlEGN0UoIa3r_253TGtUvUg-LcvF9Ct-274lpu0i36MkEUcPeMqa4scl_WvkcjddOcVB-vAweG8UIKaONpzyCc-md2LdG1h9UK_ztK9BTyBlZm0DsH7dBhHRfQA/s602/Barry_Hill_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Barry Hill hillfort near the town of Alyth, Angus, Scotland</td></tr>
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While we lingered at some sites, others where shot in passing like Barry Hill (above). With hillforts dotted across the landscape it was easy to plan a route which included a good number. A return to Turin (below) was also only a slight D tour as we left the Caterthuns.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlc_10qC3WYXMqE8GWGYtTPe_-x-owM-xFRVVYjHEgypMlorQLmSQjyTmf3JblVEiX39qAOiPWGibX53YMTVVTmN5P69eiUPhonOkDBnqNmokNUhhQbRPZ33aPvL6NgxQ3_GmEWLxMoA/s1600/Turin_Hill_Temp_Castle_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgOlc_10qC3WYXMqE8GWGYtTPe_-x-owM-xFRVVYjHEgypMlorQLmSQjyTmf3JblVEiX39qAOiPWGibX53YMTVVTmN5P69eiUPhonOkDBnqNmokNUhhQbRPZ33aPvL6NgxQ3_GmEWLxMoA/s400/Turin_Hill_Temp_Castle_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Turin Hillfort is made up of a number of enclosures above a rocky outcrop.</td></tr>
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I've found it difficult to photograph from higher altitude and still situate these sites within their landscape context. The distance from the ground and obstructions shooting from a high wing aircraft mean that the tendency is to use strong lenses which can crop out the background and leave a site in isolation. To get parts of the aircraft out of the picture requires a bit of negotiation with a skilled pilot!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaixkUYVenzSuACseexbjFT96PTBx4NKQLX0-rZpG5jBwpjIABSAYZdSsLKJ60O6gecXCJJ0WYYXuLfIS5dnoQtPYKnz1e3M44FOsz4SCXLUIqz17NxKHL_gA0neuvJYZ22Y5yGjEr18/s1600/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="602" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQaixkUYVenzSuACseexbjFT96PTBx4NKQLX0-rZpG5jBwpjIABSAYZdSsLKJ60O6gecXCJJ0WYYXuLfIS5dnoQtPYKnz1e3M44FOsz4SCXLUIqz17NxKHL_gA0neuvJYZ22Y5yGjEr18/s602/Castle_Law_Forgandenny_Hillfort_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Castle Law near Forgandenny with the Tay Estuary behind</td></tr>
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Photographing from high up has a totally different dynamic from the kind of wide-angle low-level kite aerial photography that I'm more used to. I'm particularly interested in how the high-level view can be used to juxtapose elements of the landscape which would otherwise be reduced from the kite's perspective. The shot below of East Lomond hillfort with the town of Falkland behind is an example of this - an almost forced perspective that brings the background forward.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yqMs4WFBs2oIel-3hyApFueLc2MiKvQaOHPyUk0iQ8fzz3i0D-QVCO4PNLY9lULezk5rvYSDSG_iB1qa9S-PTS-HIagQfdGc9W9QMV2E17NL7UIiGaWd24115d9ibICGkenSHCvYXqI/s1600/East_Lomond_Hillfort_Falkland_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh-yqMs4WFBs2oIel-3hyApFueLc2MiKvQaOHPyUk0iQ8fzz3i0D-QVCO4PNLY9lULezk5rvYSDSG_iB1qa9S-PTS-HIagQfdGc9W9QMV2E17NL7UIiGaWd24115d9ibICGkenSHCvYXqI/s400/East_Lomond_Hillfort_Falkland_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evening light shows up the ramparts at East Lomond hillfort.</td></tr>
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These images will form part of a resource to inform animated computer-generated outcomes over the coming months. One of the aims of this project is to show these fantastic sites in a way which incorporates the wider landscape that they form part of. During these flights a lot of data is generated very quickly so the immediate task is to continue a lengthy sorting process!<br />
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-91992721642404520132013-10-29T15:52:00.000-07:002013-10-29T15:56:20.133-07:00PhD Transfer and Mulitiple Perspectives<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
I have just completed my transfer which marks the end of the first year of my PhD (time flies!) and outlines a programme of research for the next two years. The presentation and discussion was held in Centrespace in the VRC (beneath the DCA) which meant that I could set up the space with some props and HD projection for my visual work.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbB8VW6D8e360grEJJppWqEuBLxJ9EoLpVvhNOdWEAwV49XiKsTv5fHln-BOYtdIJ7ET15zJ-6-wdikOPwLcYftthOfXun-icemwXPyvRXfvktkFlUlmjiTaLv3TY4DampZTaNsyKBAQ/s1600/Kieran_Baxter_PhD_transfer_10-2013_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdbB8VW6D8e360grEJJppWqEuBLxJ9EoLpVvhNOdWEAwV49XiKsTv5fHln-BOYtdIJ7ET15zJ-6-wdikOPwLcYftthOfXun-icemwXPyvRXfvktkFlUlmjiTaLv3TY4DampZTaNsyKBAQ/s400/Kieran_Baxter_PhD_transfer_10-2013_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">During my transfer there were some people in this space. Honest.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTiOiA9AJSV2ALiliJcc_ioby9CbRMH3X5TK-XSTiAgT59hOyFMW0KDphAkoPHZrgVl8niWCwyZJrMwTccM8SAmSuFeDZFt_wqI8DvVovWnMDgk4Y4TEBPf3-3mQ6h1zSRakD2DXV4ew/s1600/Kieran_Baxter_PhD_transfer_10-2013_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihTiOiA9AJSV2ALiliJcc_ioby9CbRMH3X5TK-XSTiAgT59hOyFMW0KDphAkoPHZrgVl8niWCwyZJrMwTccM8SAmSuFeDZFt_wqI8DvVovWnMDgk4Y4TEBPf3-3mQ6h1zSRakD2DXV4ew/s400/Kieran_Baxter_PhD_transfer_10-2013_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Both the presentation and presenter became animated at some stage.</td></tr>
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Much of the pilot work that I've been doing this last year has been building up a body of visual material of hillforts in the area local to Dundee. The idea is to be able to return at different times of day and year, and also photograph using different aerial platforms and altitudes.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0m5M4scI4o1Xfx4jdwLlTz0WgHuWqkFEkaDcuSmJ2hx3v_DqdUI9iH80Q1dpzY2Bwm9q3ZpaN1sPSsXoshGQzGU3UBS5ZfNhRH23-kVSpv3dNGNdFZXEhBOVwa8-XhVEScfKj3btrtro/s1600/KB_White_Caterthun_high_aerial_3-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0m5M4scI4o1Xfx4jdwLlTz0WgHuWqkFEkaDcuSmJ2hx3v_DqdUI9iH80Q1dpzY2Bwm9q3ZpaN1sPSsXoshGQzGU3UBS5ZfNhRH23-kVSpv3dNGNdFZXEhBOVwa8-XhVEScfKj3btrtro/s400/KB_White_Caterthun_high_aerial_3-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Caterthun hillfort photographed from light aircraft</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpI8_9VpaH4q1KxhFjqSasJWu6LtZk9KB-T2KCZaleKX-op6hyTrawP5mJ6g545HIQ2UfNjwfrWGXS8lC0RqODH9Mmrzq8ksmBHZwwIwzWLG4u6N9fHERRqnU4Wa_G6RewBRNDR1ZfRo/s1600/KB_White_Caterthun_KAP_3-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhQpI8_9VpaH4q1KxhFjqSasJWu6LtZk9KB-T2KCZaleKX-op6hyTrawP5mJ6g545HIQ2UfNjwfrWGXS8lC0RqODH9Mmrzq8ksmBHZwwIwzWLG4u6N9fHERRqnU4Wa_G6RewBRNDR1ZfRo/s400/KB_White_Caterthun_KAP_3-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">White Caterthun hillfort photographed from a kite</td></tr>
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<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The intention here isn't to show that one method is better than another, or even to depict as much archaeological information as possible, but rather to layer up a general impression of the site that a visitor could relate to. The motion test below is a montage of multiple perspectives which aims to put across the three dimensional form of the site, as well as a bit of the atmosphere and relationship to the surrounding landscape.<br />
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<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" mozallowfullscreen="" src="//player.vimeo.com/video/78095770?title=0&byline=0&portrait=0&color=ffffff" webkitallowfullscreen="" width="560"></iframe>
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This was produced using structure from motion photogrammetry from a number of high and low altitude aerial photographs. While at the moment these shots could perhaps have been produced in live action filming, the plan is to use this 3D environment as a vehicle to communicate archaeological interpretations to a wider audience. This test is still a bit rough around the edges, but a starting point for something which explores these perspectives in more depth.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-68582061062198602332013-07-28T11:30:00.001-07:002013-07-28T14:21:57.548-07:00St Andrews Cathedral, Pier and Castle from the Air<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
St Andrews is a favorite location for aerial photography with fantastic built heritage, geology and coastal landscape rolled together to create some striking visuals.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbU-ZrA6c7fOHfFEDCm8C21SIgJllpclX7HLV0YLL4q63krpXxU7ij8u4f24CLdhfwlIW1X3bsdAvD0GlT5pxo-WYv_v_NLtrIoHbRJjyfm0bkd5wCWyGcm-Qe5768M4SjPOyZ4iXZ7o/s1600/St_Andrews_Catherdral_and_Pier_Aerial_Photo_KB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiLbU-ZrA6c7fOHfFEDCm8C21SIgJllpclX7HLV0YLL4q63krpXxU7ij8u4f24CLdhfwlIW1X3bsdAvD0GlT5pxo-WYv_v_NLtrIoHbRJjyfm0bkd5wCWyGcm-Qe5768M4SjPOyZ4iXZ7o/s400/St_Andrews_Catherdral_and_Pier_Aerial_Photo_KB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Andrews pier, cathedral and castle photographed from a light aircraft</td></tr>
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Flying over East Sands beach in a light aircraft offered this high level overview of the historic town and coastline.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgye6gif0klN0YsECxNcGhe41gdChY6a3aTvYjdC59kS0St9vn0Z79eX537PJ96aRtnvslIO3YA52dBQTQQbFxxi8or202oDHjTc4GqnjW5eCXItJPTyZaq3av7IIKFdC1069Cw2oMf5U0/s1600/St_Andrews_Catherdral_Kite_Aerial_Photo_KB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgye6gif0klN0YsECxNcGhe41gdChY6a3aTvYjdC59kS0St9vn0Z79eX537PJ96aRtnvslIO3YA52dBQTQQbFxxi8or202oDHjTc4GqnjW5eCXItJPTyZaq3av7IIKFdC1069Cw2oMf5U0/s400/St_Andrews_Catherdral_Kite_Aerial_Photo_KB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The remains of St Andrews Cathedral, kite aerial photograph</td></tr>
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This vertigo-inducing kite photograph shows what appears to be a stand-alone monument. In fact these are the remnants of a larger lost structure at St Andrews Cathedral.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8is2fHWH8X_TpHqYW4Poo5f_K78amRu3BfPrOT98juPtxJUWyafWAoGzt2yGjUt30e8fycLj43xXTqg0mkitCz7mwmp49auSIIPbY_miBs7hGvIVdK-KXJeZ913Gvo974FZ788Zknmg/s1600/St_Andrews_Pier_Kite_Aerial_Photo_KB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhk8is2fHWH8X_TpHqYW4Poo5f_K78amRu3BfPrOT98juPtxJUWyafWAoGzt2yGjUt30e8fycLj43xXTqg0mkitCz7mwmp49auSIIPbY_miBs7hGvIVdK-KXJeZ913Gvo974FZ788Zknmg/s400/St_Andrews_Pier_Kite_Aerial_Photo_KB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Andrews pier, Kite Aerial Photograph</td></tr>
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The long walk to the end of St Andrews pier follows the line of natural geological features, visible at low tide.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAdZ8h58hiQxis4qhjIRdKXvXrgSPCDM7ADCyOS6yAOUNgdNpHyvRbODDHBhRmzwoRp76csUPtlMgwOxPDfVVYo-a3PJpFwVwPjctYfMT4VApxxnO3NicOiO4UCPpjxJSVjiUkWAY3HI/s1600/St_Andrews_Castle_aerial_photo_KB.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgqAdZ8h58hiQxis4qhjIRdKXvXrgSPCDM7ADCyOS6yAOUNgdNpHyvRbODDHBhRmzwoRp76csUPtlMgwOxPDfVVYo-a3PJpFwVwPjctYfMT4VApxxnO3NicOiO4UCPpjxJSVjiUkWAY3HI/s400/St_Andrews_Castle_aerial_photo_KB.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">St Andrews Castle, photographed from a light aircraft</td></tr>
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St Andrews Castle is perched a little further along this rocky coastline. This winter shot, taken from a light aircraft, shows a web of footprints left by visitors exploring the site.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-4017530710721395922013-07-20T09:24:00.002-07:002013-07-21T05:15:32.010-07:00High & Low Exhibition Open at Falkland Centre for Stewardship<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
An exhibition of my aerial photographs - including images from a kite platfrom, light aircraft, and computer generated orthographic views by Susie Green - opened at Falkland Estate on Tuesday with launch event and presentation. I was please to see a good number of attendees for what was an enjoyable evening with lots of good questions and discussion.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzXZEX5JuAOMlXtkiaFeKPn1emcU-SaYisHhRM-c7RV01r7qlauwmGGXUc8unQOuddUSDshYhcPSGRhE0qEkdMjFjqm1w3SYKIMElmZfrMO3k2Im_FfnINP0XmTe8PnxscTmjhZkE7qw/s1600/High_and_Low_exhibition_Falkland_Centre_for_Stewardship_Stables_01.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDzXZEX5JuAOMlXtkiaFeKPn1emcU-SaYisHhRM-c7RV01r7qlauwmGGXUc8unQOuddUSDshYhcPSGRhE0qEkdMjFjqm1w3SYKIMElmZfrMO3k2Im_FfnINP0XmTe8PnxscTmjhZkE7qw/s400/High_and_Low_exhibition_Falkland_Centre_for_Stewardship_Stables_01.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pairs of aerial photographs are displayed in the converted stables.<u><br /></u></td></tr>
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The exhibition itself is set up in the Stables where it will remain until mid August. The old horse booths create a great space where images can be grouped into pairings like these:<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznI5ROpp_bxAVxWFGcIPHDdrJ-lXmAfpF0C2l7xhH-YziH7ufDMeO9BCfhr3eh7gIRwT6XT-4VMVWi1KNhyphenhyphen23LrleCIOct2S_8_xkgQ-huRCDsSoqdiXa97WyAeo_rMt3L_3wN8r9jDo/s1600/White_Caterthun_hill_fort_vertical_aerial_photo_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjznI5ROpp_bxAVxWFGcIPHDdrJ-lXmAfpF0C2l7xhH-YziH7ufDMeO9BCfhr3eh7gIRwT6XT-4VMVWi1KNhyphenhyphen23LrleCIOct2S_8_xkgQ-huRCDsSoqdiXa97WyAeo_rMt3L_3wN8r9jDo/s400/White_Caterthun_hill_fort_vertical_aerial_photo_KB-2013.jpg" width="265" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebXFY_hNIq6tXe00V-WcRyD9ZJhtxYtz0ES-k2YNrJJ6J6sALfMfBVdRV6M42-K1Vkj7Rg4rwVenPJiU2aGIAVswXscZulvshqP9fLO4ZcTMhcG8gjWlUGoz7M5BM2t8QhEDi2K0jlms/s1600/White_Caterthun_hill_fort_vertical_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="400" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiebXFY_hNIq6tXe00V-WcRyD9ZJhtxYtz0ES-k2YNrJJ6J6sALfMfBVdRV6M42-K1Vkj7Rg4rwVenPJiU2aGIAVswXscZulvshqP9fLO4ZcTMhcG8gjWlUGoz7M5BM2t8QhEDi2K0jlms/s400/White_Caterthun_hill_fort_vertical_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" width="265" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">High & low altitude vertical photographs of White Caterthun showing subtle enclosure remains.</td></tr>
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This example shows two near-vertical views of White Caterthun hill fort in Angus - one from high altitude and the other taken from a camera suspended from a kite. The lower view (on the right) shows the remains of a circular enclosure, seemingly underlying the main rampart, which is made more visible in the melting snow.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfOwkzbPi-Aa4vkRhE1uz1vjBYfMdb7XQJSALnBBhSH-UIym8mgGE9dGSdOD1fpx02BfuKkjULgfmY_yMwyvnhC8nUScfOhkYNCfLzThHaGolFmsaWfU-FkJ-VjoQ6DRP59zXoak7TGk/s1600/High_and_Low_exhibition_Falkland_Centre_for_Stewardship_Stables_02.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="266" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgzfOwkzbPi-Aa4vkRhE1uz1vjBYfMdb7XQJSALnBBhSH-UIym8mgGE9dGSdOD1fpx02BfuKkjULgfmY_yMwyvnhC8nUScfOhkYNCfLzThHaGolFmsaWfU-FkJ-VjoQ6DRP59zXoak7TGk/s400/High_and_Low_exhibition_Falkland_Centre_for_Stewardship_Stables_02.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The range of images includes ortho-rectified views by Susie Green.</td></tr>
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As well as a series of oblique views from high and low altitude the exhibition includes
orthographic renders of Susie Green's very high resolution computer models of White and Brown Caterthun generated from structure from motion photogrammetry (<a href="http://www.archaeologysfm.co.uk/" target="_blank">see Susie's website here</a>).<br />
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The exhibition marks the end of an image gathering stage of a pilot project exploring the characteristics of different aerial photography platforms, methods and approaches. the next stage is to take this imagery and bring it forward into more cinematic and interpretive outcomes, which further tell the story of these fantastic monuments. This animated test of Maiden Castle in the Lomond Hills gives a sense of the potential for this kind of imagery.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-89296327017409375652013-07-20T08:38:00.002-07:002013-07-20T08:41:29.872-07:00The Falkirk Wheel and Arria Sculpture, Cumbernauld<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
On a recent trip to Glasgow I stopped off at a couple more modern sites to get some kite photos. The Falkirk Wheel - with it's the circular basin, bold architecture and impressive engineering - makes a great subject for the aerial view.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SqOso50eqmVA0yoyete2CeNGmfER9gH1xwyWftMIkgzlIMIloGBFpH95SGZLVrpww7U8NMSV0xxfF-cUAn0je9e-8AireEiz7p8Dp0W2RU4czBY6d6gK6-77x60emGAAVTHsUEAhil4/s1600/Falkirk_Wheel_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh8SqOso50eqmVA0yoyete2CeNGmfER9gH1xwyWftMIkgzlIMIloGBFpH95SGZLVrpww7U8NMSV0xxfF-cUAn0je9e-8AireEiz7p8Dp0W2RU4czBY6d6gK6-77x60emGAAVTHsUEAhil4/s400/Falkirk_Wheel_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Falkirk Wheel with the Ochill hills in the distance.</td></tr>
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The worlds only rotating canal boat lift was opened in 2002 and connects the Firth and Clyde Canal with the Union Canal. When it is not in use for canal traffic short boat trips take visitors up and down the lift.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOvUCC4KmkIvrISR3D1QvxFw6DJYq07P7sKTCFjjEYxijGaObfTiiz53nBjB2ujymwcNQRaL1gWA2ld86upoz6EEtYlkCzPlIQFSq3Uxr_Y2qDuXZk2-YN6yoBLE2VNH1pHCSiEkdXZw/s1600/Falkirk_Wheel_aqueduct_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEipOvUCC4KmkIvrISR3D1QvxFw6DJYq07P7sKTCFjjEYxijGaObfTiiz53nBjB2ujymwcNQRaL1gWA2ld86upoz6EEtYlkCzPlIQFSq3Uxr_Y2qDuXZk2-YN6yoBLE2VNH1pHCSiEkdXZw/s400/Falkirk_Wheel_aqueduct_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">An elevated aqueduct carries boats to the top of the lift. </td></tr>
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This shot gives an unusual angle on the familiar Arria sculpture which overlooks the busy M80 near Cumbernauld. More about the story behind the sculpture is on the <a href="http://www.scottsculptures.co.uk/theworks/arria">website (here)</a> of it's creator Andy Scott.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDehIOo6a1xW2h0YZOaA-nvdonFhybmdvU_BTcxr3SzAKE2Fnhy_jHRQtpeYY6PrbIuPWci-qbhL9VoFlK5RXF9N0ddoPl9js0DbXRL5sXMDY8Soyueqo2AwstFVZb0I97xs3RGbaCp8/s1600/Arria_sculpture_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhmDehIOo6a1xW2h0YZOaA-nvdonFhybmdvU_BTcxr3SzAKE2Fnhy_jHRQtpeYY6PrbIuPWci-qbhL9VoFlK5RXF9N0ddoPl9js0DbXRL5sXMDY8Soyueqo2AwstFVZb0I97xs3RGbaCp8/s400/Arria_sculpture_KAP_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Arria sculpture by Andy Scott stands near Cumbernauld.</td></tr>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-86352388044668417282013-06-30T15:12:00.004-07:002013-06-30T15:24:35.091-07:00The World Wide KAP Project Banner Comes to Dundee<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
The World Wide KAP Community Project was the idea of Argentinian kite aerial photographer Ramiro Priegue who, in 2009, sent the WWCP banner on its journey around the world. Each participant takes some kite photographs featuring the banner, signs it and passes it on. You can plot the banners intrepid journey using the map and gallery at: <a href="http://wwkp.kiteaerialphoto.org/">wwkp.kiteaerialphoto.org</a>. I was lucky enough to be one of the KAPers to take care of the banner as it passed through Scotland this year.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8u9gn1lrfzXxhLFYw61d-lhww6s2tTVg96UTPkT3oFmW0IE1KeLMdsGoCg35YDx5LDTGPD-TWM4WU6IQBktpRexg8VZjIpc2BsAIDUvt4QccgUWMDZpEUcZ12emYVioHHV4y9fDsWV54/s1600/Law_Hill_Dundee_KAP_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi8u9gn1lrfzXxhLFYw61d-lhww6s2tTVg96UTPkT3oFmW0IE1KeLMdsGoCg35YDx5LDTGPD-TWM4WU6IQBktpRexg8VZjIpc2BsAIDUvt4QccgUWMDZpEUcZ12emYVioHHV4y9fDsWV54/s400/Law_Hill_Dundee_KAP_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The Law Hill, Monument and city of Dundee with the WWKP banner.</td></tr>
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This first kite aerial photograph with the banner was taken above Law Hill, which dominates my hometown of Dundee. Incidentally, the two red and blue striped tower blocks on the right hand side of the frame were demolished just 11 days after this shot was taken (<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-tayside-central-23119212">video here</a>). This makes the photograph already out of date but all the more unrepeatable! A rectangular Iron Age hill fort once spanned the entire summit of the hill and the ramparts are still visible to the left of frame (<a href="http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/31936/details/dundee+law/">site record here</a>), although the near end has been destroyed during the building of the war memorial and viewing platform.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOLIt6TwDNV6T0uD9rbz18j1b6BdZenXNNTaBP-Z03YRJx3O9Kx9o3kYF6Uca9sxdnM_WwAuylioZQg_VyXU1Po61MM6FSI9S5ffpX_puvR-qtm-TojU4tRueIpCtG4CWpdCUPYIyhJY/s1600/Law_Monument_Dundee_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjpOLIt6TwDNV6T0uD9rbz18j1b6BdZenXNNTaBP-Z03YRJx3O9Kx9o3kYF6Uca9sxdnM_WwAuylioZQg_VyXU1Po61MM6FSI9S5ffpX_puvR-qtm-TojU4tRueIpCtG4CWpdCUPYIyhJY/s400/Law_Monument_Dundee_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Passing between KAPers, the banner has already circumnavigated the globe.</td></tr>
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Another favorite local KAP spot which I felt was a must for the banner was Broughty Ferry Castle. Seen here in evening light with Broughty Beach and the mouth of the Tay Estuary behind, the castle's complex shape makes it an interesting subject from low altitude.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLxLxd0Wn-NAbDwXJZt0P26OPJgYJs3HS7aeyBAKfyXL86fPCGbDC_kBcncm-jnBiNdfFiIFizZWZ1KtoGPfzPpTFM_KIdlFHFpybrdihAbq1-z3ThCKHg7DnnHX7e76kOYeN8m-Rmdk/s1600/Broughty_Ferry_Castle_Beach_KAP_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiDLxLxd0Wn-NAbDwXJZt0P26OPJgYJs3HS7aeyBAKfyXL86fPCGbDC_kBcncm-jnBiNdfFiIFizZWZ1KtoGPfzPpTFM_KIdlFHFpybrdihAbq1-z3ThCKHg7DnnHX7e76kOYeN8m-Rmdk/s400/Broughty_Ferry_Castle_Beach_KAP_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Broughty Ferry Castle with the WWKP banner, kite aerial photograph.</td></tr>
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Compared to the blustery Law Hill, the promontory at Broughty Castle offered clean winds with an chance to experiment with camera angles a little more. A wide angle lens makes the most of the converging vertical lines in this shot of the castle entrance.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgrDu9jnYOF_J2Xh1Gs58IvUccVS-Iov0w6PBd28MRs7cJjFR8VCIwdkg5qo1dFVMgWGO6elwBchc7qa3mUFWyC4BOBlBpz3TArsNkr4aNNxQCY5Jqw_fvs95YMHdDAA6pH8vk5MFvUI/s1600/Broughty_Ferry_Castle_KAP_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIgrDu9jnYOF_J2Xh1Gs58IvUccVS-Iov0w6PBd28MRs7cJjFR8VCIwdkg5qo1dFVMgWGO6elwBchc7qa3mUFWyC4BOBlBpz3TArsNkr4aNNxQCY5Jqw_fvs95YMHdDAA6pH8vk5MFvUI/s400/Broughty_Ferry_Castle_KAP_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">A wide angle near-vertical shot of the castle and banner.</td></tr>
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The project aims to bring KAPers together as a community and one of the ways it does this is by providing a good excuse to meet up in order to pass the banner on. I collected the banner from <a href="http://www.gentles.info/">James Gentles</a> at Cairnpapple, a neolithic ritual complex in Westlothian, where we were joined by fellow KAPers Simon Harbord, Sue Storey, John and Cade Wells (and trainee Tom), all of whom can be found listed on the <a href="http://www.armadale.org.uk/kite03.htm">West Lothian Archaeology Group pages here</a>.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/9049737259_45d7e8bd14_o.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5485/9049737259_23fc5f7947.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The handover at Cairnpapple, kite aerial photograph by James Gentles © 2013.</td></tr>
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James took this shot of all of us with the banner using a remote control rig. This was the first time I had visited Cairpapple, which has special significance both archaeologically and as a focus point for KAP in the Westlothian area. I was last to arrive at the meeting and, as I approached the site, snapped this view with the banner visible and all the kites already in the air.<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAEwyG82bb9dDEMtEHOPC1NgG4WLe3MLvRxje8lZP6agUy91JImz-ZLA5rZNtmLSYOt_KCv93JEsxtCWpIZHRvBelsrnls1FL1EJfmX4Elxu2nXg9Es88QXOrLdHCm-zopUVfR9mziN8/s1600/Cairnpapple_kite_aerial_photography_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhFAEwyG82bb9dDEMtEHOPC1NgG4WLe3MLvRxje8lZP6agUy91JImz-ZLA5rZNtmLSYOt_KCv93JEsxtCWpIZHRvBelsrnls1FL1EJfmX4Elxu2nXg9Es88QXOrLdHCm-zopUVfR9mziN8/s400/Cairnpapple_kite_aerial_photography_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group of KAPers flying with the WWKP banner at Cairnpapple.</td></tr>
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The banner is always on the move and with it being nearly time for me to pass it on to the next participant, <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/dictybloke/sets/72157604908821460/">Robert Insall</a>, I found a spot to add my logo. The project has generated a fantastic collection of stories which will hopefully continue to accumulate for many more years as the banner wings its way across the globe. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpPKJDE1q6zMNNK7k6NfFVwxpMyvg-W-towL5Y8VsGDKlLKN5NShqkg4bFF-LJTJRUBnzJBwMvSfp8zDCF2LtVUOKcOJdQurX51efd2zzBW1Dx2jHYcnH2j49ygXy4ZjMAat9rIcXk9w/s1600/Topofly_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqpPKJDE1q6zMNNK7k6NfFVwxpMyvg-W-towL5Y8VsGDKlLKN5NShqkg4bFF-LJTJRUBnzJBwMvSfp8zDCF2LtVUOKcOJdQurX51efd2zzBW1Dx2jHYcnH2j49ygXy4ZjMAat9rIcXk9w/s400/Topofly_WWKP_Banner_6-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Joining the many distinguished and multinational signatures on the banner.</td></tr>
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You can see the current location of the banner along with past and future participants at: <a href="http://wwkp.kiteaerialphoto.org/">wwkp.kiteaerialphoto.org</a></div>
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-73237933503822123052013-06-25T06:27:00.000-07:002013-06-25T06:27:12.825-07:00High & Low - An upcoming exhibition and talk on aerial explorations of the hill forts of Fife and Angus<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
You are invited to attend an exhibition by Kieran Baxter as part of a PhD investigation into the creative application of aerial photography & computer generated imagery for heritage & archaeological storytelling. <br/><br/>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-1Tjyvrql1Xy1rFHq8y7cnRQ3S2QEBwidm9GuU-6mJuBTRzCOQAcql9F3OHrCCsCK7Ecif428QqhvBiRq1lOzNDfO9NoLxZbFB_Gk3DtcHU96cruJ84V4xgXrpvvGZOjN8xZerUibsg/s1600/High_and_Low_Falkland_exhibition_event_poster_2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="561" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6-1Tjyvrql1Xy1rFHq8y7cnRQ3S2QEBwidm9GuU-6mJuBTRzCOQAcql9F3OHrCCsCK7Ecif428QqhvBiRq1lOzNDfO9NoLxZbFB_Gk3DtcHU96cruJ84V4xgXrpvvGZOjN8xZerUibsg/s600/High_and_Low_Falkland_exhibition_event_poster_2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br/>
This showcase features unique views of hill forts spanning from East Lomond hill above Falkland in Fife, to the Caterthuns nearby Bechin in Angus. Often passed-by but sometimes difficult to appreciate from the ground, these prehistoric banked enclosures are intriguing because of their form and longevity. This exploration looks at how our appreciation of these sites and landscapes is mediated through different types of image. Using high and low altitude aerial photography along with state-of-the-art digital imaging techniques in collaboration with Susie Green from University College London, this presentation of imagery ranges from the archaeological to the cinematic. <br/><br/>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvDOhwzH5sgm-EY88HWXBh8vjfHH8-IpvV46Bycu45rXgMmiZ0kIN1TEpCKeVVPG5iOPBVshD8qFdLu5qz52Sm1MRP0z2z6e_P0gsQIWyUKmQObqfUMjERNFehqIpZ0123jRuTp5Uxfk/s1600/Maiden_Castle_hill_fort_Lomond_Hills_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="265" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEguvDOhwzH5sgm-EY88HWXBh8vjfHH8-IpvV46Bycu45rXgMmiZ0kIN1TEpCKeVVPG5iOPBVshD8qFdLu5qz52Sm1MRP0z2z6e_P0gsQIWyUKmQObqfUMjERNFehqIpZ0123jRuTp5Uxfk/s400/Maiden_Castle_hill_fort_Lomond_Hills_aerial_KB-2013.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br/>Free launch event and talk - Tuesday 16th July, 7pm. See a presentation of images and computer generated animation with a brief explanation of the approach and techniques used to capture and process them. All welcome, refreshments provided.<br/><br/>
Free exhibition - Throughout the weeks beginning 15th July, 29th July & 5th August 9am-5pm Monday to Friday. Please phone the Centre for Stewardship on 01337 858838 to check weekend opening hours. The exhibition is held in the Horse Stalls. <br/><br/>
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The event and exhibition will be held at The Stables, Centre for Stewardship, Falkland Estate, Falkland, Fife, KY15 7AF. Any questions? Please feel free to <a href="http://www.topofly.com/contact">contact me</a>. The exhibition also has its own page at <a href="http://www.topofly.com/highandlow/">topofly.com/highandlow</a> where you can find more updates and info.
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Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-10398453438907217522013-06-14T14:02:00.002-07:002013-06-14T14:04:59.096-07:00Evening Light at Evelick Hill Fort<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
After my previous reccy of this location in the Sidlaw hills (<a href="http://topofly.blogspot.co.uk/2013/04/evelick-hill-fort-and-views-across-tay.html">post here</a>) I returned to of Evelick hill fort with low evening light to bring out the topography.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Evelick hill fort and the Tay Estuary, kite aerial photograph </td></tr>
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The shadows show the earthwork ramparts on one side and the steep natural defenses on the other. You can even make out the shadow of the hilltop on the farmland below - a reflection of the way in which these Iron Age monuments tend to visually dominate particular areas of arable land.<br />
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Here is the site on Google Maps, from where you can make out more of the embankments and enclosures which make up the fort. More details and high aerial photographs can be found on the <a href="http://canmore.rcahms.gov.uk/en/site/28108/details/evelick/&biblio=more">RCAHMS site record page here</a>.</div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2985541809938758763.post-19777372024638102962013-05-29T14:01:00.000-07:002013-05-29T14:13:35.490-07:00Jarlshof Broch KAP Featured in Antiquity Photo Competition<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
My kite aerial photograph of the Iron Age broch at Jarlshof is one of two winners of the photography competition in the current issue of <a href="http://journal.antiquity.ac.uk/welcome">Antiquity: a quarterly review of world archaeology</a>.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Jarlhof broch from above features in this quarter's Antiquity photo competition</td></tr>
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For this vertical shot the camera was positioned directly above one corner of the relatively modern Laird's house to reveal the half circle of the broch remains, which have been partially lost to coastal erosion. If you haven't quite gotten hold of your copy of Antiquity yet, here is the image that was published.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The broch is disguised from the ground by the remains of later structures</td></tr>
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From ground level the broch architecture is confused by later a wheelhouse, cells within the thick walls as well and the later Laird's house which cuts through the wall. From above the meticulous engineering and drystone craftspersonship is immediately apparent. This shot was made possible with the assistance of Sumburgh Airport Air Traffic Control who oversaw kite flying so close to a busy airport. The property is in the care of Historic Scotland who also kindly accommodated for the project.<br />
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More images and the story behind my interpretive visualization of the spectacular site of Jarlshof are compiled on this page: <a href="http://www.topofly.com/jarlshof">topofly.com/jarlshof</a></div>
Kieran Baxterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00389973236779617575noreply@blogger.com0