Once you have decided to have a go may I suggest you go out and buy a relatively cheap kite of the form recommended for KAP and fly it. Two things will be achieved. Firstly you will know whether or not you are a kite person. Secondly, if you are then you'll have enjoyed the experience and will want to do more.

Make no mistake once you have tried flying a kite and succeeded in doing so, it is quite satisfying and I’ve found that even though the camera shoot has had to be aborted I’ve gained valuable flying experience.

In my research for a beginners kite and looking at what was available for a reasonable price I decided on a Delta Conyne approx 10 feet in span. This kite is an amalgam of a box kite and a delta. In a moderate to stiff wind it flies well and will lift a reasonable payload. At first I flew it without tails and it could be erratic at the lower end of flying conditions. This is something you don’t need, your aim must be for stability with a good payload lift. I therefore recommend you to fly it with tails. I currently use two 15’ tails but any streamer would do.

To give you a rough idea my camera kit weighs in at roughly 820 grams. I can fly the Delta Conyne in any wind from about 6 miles per hour but to lift the payload its nearer to 10 miles per hour to be safe. I have now invested in an anemometer to help me judge wind speeds.

To increase the flying envelope into lighter winds I’m considering a Dopero and a Rokkaku both of these kites will fly in lighter winds and carry a good payload but do take longer to set up. The Dopero seen here on the left is I suppose a KAP speciality. This version by Jones Airfoils is considered by many to be the "bees knees", while others are now favouring Dan Leigh's Deltas.

The other type of kite that is favoured among Kappers is the Flowform. This is a soft kite (no spars) and is essentially an aerofoil. It was developed by Steve Sutton in his research into parachute design. Apparently they do require a moderate wind but do have a good payload being extremely light to start with. Again they seem to be flown with tails to help stability.

Lastly I've played around with some others namely the Ostend Bird and one of the original aerial photography platforms, the Cody. As you gain experience flying you will seek to extend your stable of kites.

Remember you have to be comfortable flying kites. If you are not then this will reflect in your photography or your ability to take something more than just a aerial snap.