Blimp Airphotos

Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art
Kansas City, Missouri

James S. Aber


In April 2005, we visited the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art in connection with a class field trip for small-format aerial photography. Under mostly sunny sky with a light southeasterly breeze, we used a small helium blimp to lift various digital camera/lens combinations from the south lawn of the museum campus. Students in the class conducted most of the field operations under the author's supervision. Flowering trees displayed their full color in mid-April.

Superwide-angle image of the Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art taken with Canon digital Rebel, 10 mm lens (16 mm film equivalent). View northward with the downtown Kansas City skyline in the background.

High-oblique view northward with the Kansas City downtown skyline on the horizon. The landmark KCPT television tower (formerly KCMO-TV's) appears in center background. The tower was completed for service in 1955. Canon digital Elph camera.
Low-oblique view showing the south lawn and terraces in front of the main building. A pair of shuttlecock (birdie) scultures rests on the lawn. Kansas City Art Institute is located in the upper left corner. Canon digital Elph camera.
Low-oblique view toward the northeast showing construction for the new Bloch Building on the east side of the museum campus. Canon digital Elph camera. Compare with a pre-construction image from 1998.
Closeup view of construction for part of the Bloch building on the east side of the museum campus. Canon digital Rebel, 16 mm lens (28 mm film equivalent).
Wide-angle, closeup view of the south side of the main building. The copper roof with skylights covers the interior Rozzelle Court in the west wing of the museum. Canon digital Rebel, 16 mm lens (28 mm film equivalent).
Wide-angle, low-oblique view over the northern side of the museum complex. The water pool has "portholes" that let light into the underground parking garage. Part of the Bloch building appears toward top of scene. Canon digital Rebel, 16 mm lens (28 mm film equivalent).
Wide-angle, near-vertical shot above the west wing of the main building showing two shuttlecocks (birdies) on the lawn. Canon digital Rebel, 16 mm lens (28 mm film equivalent).
Superwide-angle image of the Country Club Plaza taken with Canon digital Rebel, 10 mm lens (16 mm film equivalent). View westward with Brush Creek in the center background. Notice strong spatial distortion toward the left and right sides of image.
View directly southward with Oak Street along right side of scene. Volker Park and Brush Creek appear in foreground; University of Missouri at Kansas City campus is located in center and left background. Canon digital Elph camera.

Panoramic image created by stitching together two Canon digital Elph pictures using D Joiner software. Compare with first image (above).

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All images © by the author (2005).