Musings of an Aviation Photographer

It’s that time of the year again. We’re already a few days into January and steaming forward into 2018! 2017 went by faster than ever it seemed, and suddenly it’s time to take the annual look back into the top photo moments of 2017. As usual, this blog serves as my look back to the previous year showcasing 10 of the top photo moments with an honorable mention. This year was chalk full of aviation with so many airshows, air to air shoots, and other aviation related adventures that at times it was a bit overwhelming. October was the busiest month of the year with back to back major three-day airshows that kept me very busy. 2017 was also the second year … [Read More]

It’s that time of the year again! It’s time to step out of 2016 and into 2017! Another New Year has quickly appeared out of what seemed like nowhere, leaving behind another year that zoomed by. With that, it’s time for the yearly reflection on the best photography moments! 2016 was quite the year overall, with a lot of surprises along the way for the entire world. Some good, many bad… but as we cross that threshold between years many look to 2017 for something brighter. For me, this year was certainly for aviation… as nearly ALL of the top moments this year came from air to air shoots, airshows, or special aviation related events. With most airshows picking back up after … [Read More]

It’s that time of the year again! Well, the end of a year and the start of another… and with the end of 2015 coming and going like it was a distance memory (it pretty much does feel like that now being it’s already a week after the start of 2016!) it’s time to reflect on the best of 2015 and look forward to what’s to come this new year! 2015 was a pretty normal year as far as aviation goes, with some new shows here and there and the military appearing a bit more now almost fully recovered from the sequestrations that brought many airshows to a halt. It’s been a rather quiet year for photography overall, especially Canon in the upper … [Read More]

Here we are in January, another year has passed. 2014 seemed to go by in a flash, and the world keeps spinning faster and faster it seems. 2014 proved to be a much better year for aviation with many airshows and military acts finally being reinstated after two years of government uncertainty on budgets. And boy did it return with a bunch, much like how it used to be. But not all airshows were so lucky, nor were the various military demonstration teams that we’ve grown accustomed to seeing each year. Still, it was infinitely better than the previous years so who could complain? Photography continues to advance at a quick pace, not just with stills but also video. Cell phones with cameras on … [Read More]

Here we are again, a new year. With the close of 2013, and the opening of 2014, the world is rapidly changing. Electronics have advanced to where cell phones are also cameras with 40+ megapixels. Smart glasses and watches seem to be the way of the future. Now you can just tell your phone to take a photo rather than actually take it yourself. Digital cameras are getting more powerful at the cheaper range. High end professional cameras seem to be slowing a little compared to the consumer level cameras which seem to have a new one released every few months. The world is getting more and more high tech, even with serious budget crunches. There’s still a recession, but in … [Read More]

Here we are again, the start of a New Year! With the start of 2013, the world has changed a lot in just this one year that was 2012.  Advancements in the world have been overshadowed with devastation, financial crisis, and tragedy this past year.  It’s been a tough time for many struggling to get ahead in the world as it seems to leave them behind.  New rules, major budget cuts, and the unsustainability of many things we’ve come to expect or take for granted have made huge impacts all over the country.  Many programs have ceased to be because of these troubled times, sadly costing the enjoyment of many.  When we reflect on the previous year, like everyone does around this time, we then realize just how much … [Read More]

Once again we find ourselves at a New Year on the horizon.  With the end of 2011, we look back on all the events that took place. In this rapidly changing world, where technology seems to advance faster than you can purchase it and conflicts seem like everyday news, it’s necessary to take a moments pause to remember how we got here. When it comes to photography, each passing year offers its own challenges, opportunities, and learning experiences. Photography is an evolving medium, even though it has been around for decades. Aside from the every changing technology where in two months an upgrade to the brand new camera you just bought is released, photography as an art form is ever changing. Like fashion, what makes a ‘good photography’ seems to … [Read More]

The Petty Project started out as an idea to recreate all of the late George Petty’s famous airbrushed Petty Girls from the1940s and 1950s through photography and photoshop.  Using real models in a photography studio, the famous artwork Petty created launching the golden age of Pinups would be recreated in painstaking detail as close as possible to the original.  While most of the times the Petty Girls are in impossible real world poses and their proportions not entirely correct for a normal human being, the use of photoshop would bring these photos closer to how the Petty Girl looks while still keeping the real world natural shape if at all possible.  Finally, using various photoshop tools, the finish photo would be converted to look like the … [Read More]

You’re walking to your car after a long day. You’re exhausted and ready to sit down in your car, trying to use the last drops of energy you have after standing in the heat all day to make it to the car, which is now in sight.  Suddenly, a loud thunderous roar echoes in the late afternoon sky, starting from a low rumble and growing loudly till the ground begins to tremble.  Scanning the skies, you don’t see anything at first, but the roaring sound is too hard to ignore as the ground vibrates.  Finally spotting what appears at fist to be a single dot in the distant horizon, this dot begins to multiply and turns into several dots.  As these dots grow … [Read More]

The Satin Dollz: You may have seen them at any number of events around Southern California or you may have just heard about them from a friend.  Whatever you may or may not have heard, one things for sure; these beautiful and talented ladies sure know how to put on a show! If you’re a fan of the classic pinup and burlesque style of the 40s and 50s, then you’ll for sure want to see them perform.  With a mix of wonderful vocals, choreographed dancing, and vintage outfits the Satin Dollz recall the times when the Pin-Up was the symbol of women of the retro eras.  Having seen the Satin Dollz perform many times, I can honestly say that their performances turn every head and quiet everyone … [Read More]