Hanging by a Thread: A Kite's View of Wisconsin (Spanish, German and English Edition) [Paperback]

Craig Wilson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: August 15, 2006

This full-color book of photographs records Wisconsin from an unusual viewpoint. The camera was suspended from a kite and controlled by the photographer, Craig Wilson, on the ground. From fifty to a few hundred feet in the air, we see festivals, zoom close over "Wisconsin" on the capitol dome, get a seagull's eye view of sailors, and hover over the crowd at a University of Wisconsin-Madison football game. More than 140 gorgeous photographs offer a unique look at people and places around the state. Captions in English, Spanish, German and Mandarin Chinese.

Editorial Reviews

Review

Wilson has a book to be proud of. . . bringing new perspectives to familiar settings. "What has always intrigued me about this medium of using a kite is the intimacy, not just with the landscape but with people," he explains. Where satellite images are static, remote and gridlike in composition, Wilson's kite cam affords a more human-scale acuity, full of color and life and artistic intent that is beyond the ability of even low-flying surveillance craft. . . . " (It's) a loving look at Wisconsin." Wilson says. "This represents my heart and soul." --David Medaris/Isthmus

About the Author

Craig Wilson has been a kite flyer and builder since 1983. He uses his large kites to lift radio-controlled camera equipment. He has flown his kites and camera system and exhibited his photographs in France, Germany, England, Japan, Belgium, Holland, South Africa, and in many locations in Canada and the United States. His images have been published in magazines and books, and used in advertising. Craig lives in Madison with his wife, two children, and dog, Stampy.

Product Details

• Paperback: 140 pages
• Publisher: Itchy Cat Press (August 15, 2006)
• Language: Spanish, German, English
• ISBN-10: 0976145030
• ISBN-13: 978-0976145035
• Product Dimensions: 10.4 x 8.3 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,595,151 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Unexpected, December 7, 2006

By 

Itika (Madison, Wisconsin USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Hanging by a Thread: A Kite's View of Wisconsin (Spanish, German and English Edition) (Paperback)

When I first heard about this book I was not enthusiastic. Pictures from a kite? It sounded like sort of a hobby project, or a curiosity piece. I figured the photos would be lousy.

I was wrong! I'm not sure if the pictures are National Geographic quality, but they are darned nice pictures. Don't think "pictures from a kite" think about the pictures you'd take if you could float gracefully over the landscape.

As noted by another review, the pictures are much more intimate than normal shots taken from above. They are much more elegant and personal.

My wife is a recent immigrant and has come to love Wisconsin. I bought this for her because I haven't seen any other book that so gracefully and truthfully captures the spirit of Wisconsin. Thanks Mr. Wilson!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'm enjoying the views!, October 11, 2006

By 

D. Brinnehl (Oak Lawn, IL USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Hanging by a Thread: A Kite's View of Wisconsin (Spanish, German and English Edition) (Paperback)

Most of the aerial photography we see was taken from an airplane. These photos usually lack the detail that Craig Wilson has captured in the images taken from his camera attached to his kite string. Giving us a unique perspective of common objects and areas. The patchwork of picnic blankets, the aerial view of a frozen lake, a closeup of the top of the capitol building in Madison are just some of the fantastic photos in this book. This book gets two thumbs up!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book!, January 22, 2007

By 

Gormet Girl (Evanston, IL USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Hanging by a Thread: A Kite's View of Wisconsin (Spanish, German and English Edition) (Paperback)

A very unique and fascinating book. Although the photos in the book are all of places and events in Wisconsin, there is a universality of subject matter that shoiuld make it interesting to photographers and anyone who likes photo books.