The large, basically flat landscape of the El Brujo terrace and extensive features, such as church architecture and house compounds, compelled us to find ways of taking photographs from above in order to better understand these features. This led us to consider using a form of aerial photography.

Our first attempt at aerial photography employed a balloon system on which a camera was suspended. We used the Floatograph system which we had employed successfully in a previous project in Costa Rica. The advantage of the Floatograph system is that the use of an optic cable and a small video screen allows the ground crew to view through the camera lens, thereby offering the opportunity to take precise pictures when the balloon and camera are over a feature for which a photograph is desired.

Left: The balloon used for early attempts at aerial photography at the site. Right: The balloon in flight over the Huaca Cao Viejo (rear) and church complext (foreground).

Although we took some very good photographs on a single day of calm weather at the site, the strong (up to 20 miles per hour) winds made handling the balloon very difficult, even when a stabilizer was placed on the system. In addition, helium had to be obtained in Trujillo, 50 miles away, and there were a number of logistical problems in both securing tanks of the gas and transporting it to the site.

Due to the problems we faced with the balloon system we decided to try kite photography. This work was initiated and undertaken primarily by Bill Doonan. A kite which could be controlled in high winds was obtained. The lift of the kite is not as great as the balloon. This results in the absence of an optical cable device to view through the camera lens and, furthermore, a small digital camera on an automatic setting to continuously take photographs must be employed. These disadvantages are counterbalanced, however, by the fact that unwanted digital photographs can easily be discarded. We were able to take a number of pictures of the site using the kite system.

Bill Doonan and Hal Starratt work the kite which successfully took aerial photographs.