JWilsonphoto
Registered: Jan 16, 2002
Total Posts: 13871
Country: United States
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Good Morning Jon,
I'm not much of a meeting/seminar guy myself so I can relate. That being said, I'm in a seminar with Bert Monrony from The National Association of Photoshop Professionals all day on Wednesday. ISAP is the International Society for Aviation Photography, founded by a good friend of mine Jay Miller. Paul is on the board along with other notables like Caroline Sheen from Air & Space Smithsonian and numerous other, equally prestigious backgrounds. The goal of the organization is to create a standard of excellence in it's membership that is recognized worldwide. That doesn't mean you have to shoot like Paul Bowen to belong, the excellence applies as much to personal behavior and professionalism as it does to photographic talent and technique. As I said before, at the moment the website is good, and the forums are a bit weak as far as participation. We could fix that in no time though, couldn't we boys!! The annual symposiums are wonderful events, even if you aren't attempting to make a living with aviation photography. I don't know of another place you can meet the folks you'll meet and learn what you'll learn. Why they even let me be a presenter a few years back,. I had just been involved in a 70 mph T-Bone car crash about ten days before and was still suffering from a concussion, so I can't tell you if my presentation was up to snuff, well, I can't tell you much the two weeks surrounding that whack actually.
Last year I did a kind of a running narration of the event in Pensacola so if you can return to those pages, you'll get a little insight into the organization. Dues are minimal at $35.00 and I think the symposium runs in the $250.00 range plus expenses. The gathering is generally around 3-4 days and I've attended from Vegas to Pensacola so it's always someplace neat with a great field trip or three. The site can be located at this link, http://www.aviationphotographers.org
There is a wealth of experience available here, and lots of fun. One thing you'll notice is that there is a minimum of attitude and a great spirit of brotherhood. The print exhibit is nicely done and no one needs to feel timid about placing their work in front of this group (least of all our Buddy Rodolfo!) I'd kick anybody's rear that didn't welcome any and all of you with open arms, and the very nature of our group precludes the kind of big ego aura that sometimes surrounds this level of talent.
I'll tell you what, there's nothing I'd like better than to have all of our Guys here join, we could really spice up the forums, the whole structure is there, participation is just lacking for one reason or another. During the course of the symposiums we have evening presentations from anyone who would like to share their work, very informal, lots of fun. I don't think I've ever heard an attendee say anything but how worthwhile the time spent was. The darn things are actually over too soon! The annual list of presenters are people of caliber in all walks of our industry/passion, most of whom, I am not worthy to clean the dust off their sensors. You'd pay $250 plus expenses to hear any one of them, much less three or four days of them!
JW
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to funny.... Any way let me know which week you are coming and I will see if I can push to finish the OV 10 Bronco to have the rear photo platform complete. Though I know there is some government involvement in allowing this bird up. Its on a military contract with Stallion 51 for training sorties only at this time. Looking forward to shooting with you again. I was suppose to shoot a hanger event there yesterday but I couldn't make it.
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