Oftentimes, when I mention to people that I’m an aviation photographer, they look at me as if I’m either “touched” or some sort of Superman…or both.  (Depending on who it is, I’ll let ‘em think that too…just for fun.)  Thus it is when I recently mentioned that I was commissioned by AOPA Turbine magazine to photograph a pilot who flies to/from Africa, carrying patients with the Ebola virus.

I recently received a call from a potential new client.  Like a lot of calls from folks I’ve never met before, she began with the phrase “We love your work…”  Usually this is a good indicator, but there are times when it can have a double meaning.  Such was the case with this call.  At this stage of my career, I’d consider myself an experienced business owner, and so I’ve learned to take a cautious stance when evaluating a potential client’s candor.

The Velocity, by all accounts, is one sexy airplane.  A "pusher" in aviation parlance, the rear-mounted engine helps to balance the design, and makes for a quieter cockpit too.  The "XL" is for extra large, in that the rear passenger compartment is a bit bigger than the original version, and the "RG" is for retractable gear.

Bob "Punchy" Powell doesn't consider himself a "hero", in the military sense.  You see, he was a pilot in WWII, and flew the P-51 Mustang over the beaches of Normandy, during the D-Day invasion.  He has been heard to say that the guys on the ground that day were the real heroes...he was just doing his everyday job.

Joe Shepherd is "the man".  A retired Northwest Airlines Captain with over 30 years experience, his aviation roots began in General Aviation, where they remain.  He was a CFI for a while before signing on with Northwest.  After retiring, he quickly returned to General Aviation.  I'm told this is a bit of an anomaly, as many retired airline pilots hang it up altogether, preferring not to go back to the little airplanes.  Not so with Joe...

In a short period of time, the Lockheed 12A Electra Junior has become one of my favorite aircraft to photograph.  The elegant lines with a subtle yet distinctive touch of "art deco" renders it irresistible in my eyes.  I believe "eye candy" is the current phrase that sums up my feelings about this aircraft...it just seems "right".

Ron Alexander is well-known in aviation circles, and he loves the DC-3.  He's owned an original DC-3 for over twenty years now.  According to Ron, there were only about 300 aircraft built as true DC-3's.  The other 10,000+ aircraft were built as C-47's, the military version.  His was built as a passenger liner, and has remained so to this day.

Recently we had the opportunity to appear as a guest on the simpleflight.net internet radio program, hosted by Al Waterloo and Marc Epner. The archive version of the show is available below, in case you missed it.  I come in at about the 28 minute mark, and the interview lasts for almost an hour.  Enjoy!

Underneath the tail assembly of the enormous Airbus A-380. AirVenture 2009, Oshkosh, Wisconsin.