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EDITORIAL - January 6, 2001

The following is a copy of an Email from Brooks Leffler to Masami Nakajima of the Japan Kite Aerial Photography Association (JKPA). I do not desire to create a contentious atmosphere by reprinting Brooks' email (which I do with his permission). But I thought that I would join with Brooks in letting the JKPA contest committee understand that KAP, along with the rest of the photography world, is moving toward a more digital environment, much as the music and video industries have been. Maybe the limits that JKPA places on submissions to their contest should include the amount and/or nature of image manipulation that are acceptable for an entry. After all photography is a manipulation of reality, even in its simplest form. - David Hunt, Editor, KAPER

Happy New Year, Nakajima-san!
(Ed-Masami Nakajima)

Today I received your invitation to contribute photos to the JKPA Contest 2001.

I have never submitted a photo to this contest, but had hoped to do so this year -- but I can't because the rules won't allow it!



Most of the KAP photos I have taken in the last year have been with my digital camera rig. Your rules prohibit any digital pictures.

I believe that this rule is unrealistic. The fastest-selling cameras on the market today are digital -- indeed, most are Japanese-made. Many KAPers here and abroad are building digital rigs, and many more will do so in the future.

I can understand your concern that digital pictures may be modified before submission, but I think you should take that chance. I think you would find that most pictures were not significantly changed from the way they were taken, but even if they were, many might be new and exciting images! I have no interest in editing my images in the computer, but I do want to do the same kind of modifications to brightness, contrast, sharpness, etc, that any photographer would do in the darkroom.

I hope the JKPA will reconsider this rule and open the competition to all kite aerial photography, no matter what the medium.

My best wishes to you and your wife.

sincerely
Brooks Leffler

Here is the URL for the JKPA Contest 2001, now in its 3rd year. The deadlines are coming up fast.
http://www.interq.or.jp/japan/jkpa/

FROM THE EDITOR:

December 19, 2000
Winter is coming on here in the Northern Hemisphere. There is an inch of snow outside as I write. It has been almost a year since KAPER first went online and the page hit counter is a little over 19,000. I hope that many of you have found KAPER of use in your pursuit of this hobby. Remember that KAPER is NOT MY personal web site. KAPER is looking for Articles and Pictures from any KAPer who wishes to contribute.

The biggest surprise to me this last year has been the number of new listings that have appeared on the links page since KAPER first went online. There are currently over 90 personal web sites listed, and another 40 plus sites in the Commercial, Educational, and Others sections. This is almost double the number of sites that were first listed when KAPER went online.

Last month Peter Bults from the Netherlands went online with a new KAP site that will prove to be of great benefit to KAPers, Digital Encyclopaedia of Kite Aerial Photography.
It provides a means of searching KAP information by topic. It is only in its infant stage with just a few links for each topic, but this will improve as Peter continues to work on the site.




I just received an email from Brooks Leffler stating that there are no more copies of back issues of The Aerial Eye. However, Brooks is in the middle of a project converting the entire 18 issues of AE to Adobe Acrobat format and placing them on a CD. The price will depend on the cost of duplication, but will be much cheaper than the cost of the printed set.

My KAP has hit a low this fall with my schooling taking most of my time. This spring will be different because I will be doing a project where I will build a KAP rig controlled by a computer chip.

There was a thread on Cris Benton's Discussion page about using the Basic Stamp and/or PICs to control a KAP rig. This fits in perfectly with a project I have to do where I must interface a real world device with a computer.

(The previous letters "From The Editor" can be found by clicking on Past Articles in the main menu at the top and bottom of every page.)