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"Wanted! Pilots for aerial photo business. No experience neccessary /
willing to travel."
Yep. That's the classified ad I responded to that got me started in
aerial photography. But let me back up some...
Following my dream of becoming an airline pilot, I earned an
Aeronautical Science degree from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
graduating with a commercial pilot rating. Unfortunately, the major
airlines were going through deregulation and were not hiring at the time.
As a result, I opted to join the Navy becoming an officer. Seven years
later, I left the Naval Reserve as a Lieutenant with my focus, once again,
towards the airlines.
As before, the airlines were slow in the hiring process. Needing to do
something, I skeptically answered to the above ad. What this particular
company wanted me to do was pilot the plane and take pictures at the same
time! "Hey, I'm a pilot, not a photographer!" Well, within one week of
"by-the-seat-of-my-pants" flight training, I was hired and sent
photographing solo throughout the country. In return for entrusting me
with a Cessna 172 aircraft, 35mm Nikon F3, and credit cards covering hotel
and operational expenses, I would photograph farms and ranches on
speculation...just like the barn-storming days of yesteryear. It was
great, daring Fun!
The freedom I realized during that first year of flying and
photographing was nothing I had experienced before in my aviation career.
I was free to fly where-ever, when-ever, & how-ever! Uniform of the day:
shorts, t-shirt and tennis shoes. I was hooked! Throwing "The Book" out
the window, I never bothered to look back
Present
Well, that was nearly 18 years ago. I now have my own plane ....but
after logging nearly 12,000 flight hours, I'm starting to get a little
"saddle-sore!" I've limited my flying/photo activities throughout
California on a custom basis with concentration photographing the scenic
Californaia Coast, hence, West of One.
Operationally, I still photograph the old-fashioned way: film. I use
two medium-format cameras; a Pentax 6x7 and Pentax 645. For hand-held
aerial photography these cameras are among the best. That said, I'm sure
I'll be shooting digital sometime in the next few years. Already, I've
given-up on traditional photolabs, and produce my own archival poster
prints using a wide-format Epson printer. With the help of graphic
software (i.e. PhotoShop), I have been able to create many aerial images
that would not be possible otherwise. And let's face it, a little dose of
computer magic is always fun!
After nearly two decades, I'm still not quite ready to put the airplane
back in the hanger...but I wouldn't mind cutting back on my flight
schedule. So what & where now?
Future
What I love about art is the process of creation. And the ability to
create my own print enlargements has been very liberating for me. I seem
to be enjoying the printing process so much, that I have now started
reproducing the works of other local artists. So maybe this is where I am
headed: From commercial aerial photographer to commercial graphic artist.
We'll see!
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