Sorry for the delay in replying. I hope we can at least have dinner together. Do you think we should try to put together a "Dawn Patrol" kind of scenario like Canon has? I hesitate slightly because I'm so swamped at AirVenture, but I've got the entire week blocked out so I won't be quite so pressed to capture everything in a few days. How many people would be interested in a morning mini seminar? What do you think a fair $$$ would be? Gimme some feedback and I'll see what I can put together. I don't think we'd need any special credentials because we wouldn't be crossing the crowd line for anything. I think, once again, 20 people would be a manageable group, for maybe $75 a participant. It wouldn't be real in depth, but we could do a fair amount of hands on shooting from 7 to 10 or something.
Tonite was something I've got to share with all of you. My Grandson Chandler (5) and I went out to the hangar to fly, but the weather was just too unsettled so we worked on a model airplane together. When we came out of the hangar the sky was all kinds of colors and the cloud formations were only out shined by a rainbow. Chandler looked up and said, "Papa, do you think I could take a picture of this?" While my buttons were bursting with pride, we scrambled to a clear area on the taxiway to see what we could see. As I pulled out the 1DS MKII I asked him what he saw that he'd like to capture. He pointed out three areas that he wanted to shoot and they were roughly the same spots I would have chosen. I quickly set the camera focus to infinity and helped him steady the camera for the first couple of shots, then stepped back and let him compose and heft the camera pretty much on his own. We have some abstract angled ramp/sky/feet compositions taken when he just couldn't hold it up any more, but in between, he got three or four like this one......
You have to know Chandler, but he has a heart for flight like few people I've ever met. Maybe he and Gracie can pick this thing pick where I leave off! To think that we almost didn't go to the hangar tonite because of the imposing weather. I wouldn't trade that 30 minutes for anything!
Well, all I can say is I hope to capture some shots that good when I'm all grown up. Get that boy a camera of his own!
My 4-year-old daughter now carries around her own Nikon L4 P&S so she can enjoy the results of picture-taking, and so I can gradually show her about composition and such. Let's see how well I can teach her, what I learn from you.
Recently I was thumbing through the B&H Sourcebook, when my 5-1/2 year-old son, Simon, came over and asked what I was doing. I told him I was looking at a catalog and asked him what was in it, and he said "Canons." I then asked him if he wanted a Canon someday, shook his head and turned a few pages and said, "that's the one I want someday." Don't you know he turned to the Hassy digitals! Great story about your grandson, Jim. There is so much creativity and love in a child it just tears our heart when people squelch that.
Here's two shots from this past weekend up in Manitowoc, Wisconsin. Nothing too special, unfortunately. Both F/A-18.
Thanks Guys for enjoying Chandler's & my moment with us. I want you all to know I have exerted no undo influence on our Grandchildren as far as their hobby and career preferences..........
He's a treasure! One afternoon I had him up in the 182, he was sitting in his car seat in the back seat. He asked me to do a turn, so I cranked it over to begin a steep 720 (they always love those!), as I rolled into the 45 degree bank, Chandler's voice came over the intercom, "Go ahead and roll it Papa!" He was 3. I took them to an airshow several years ago and as we drove home I noticed an elevating debate taking place in the back seat. Chandler was certain I did have a smoke system on the 182 and Hunter and Weston didn't think so. Sadly I had to tell Chandler that we really didn't want the Cessna to be trailing smoke. I promised to put one on the biplane though.
JWilsonphoto wrote:
I want you all to know I have exerted no undo influence on our Grandchildren as far as their hobby and career preferences..........
Uh-huh, yeah... sure. And I let my daughter "fly" the Seneca on the ground just 'cause she looks so cute.
That picture is simply hilarious, and according to my wife is the cutest kid she's seen in months. The true definition of a "Lensbaby" in fact.
As far as Oshkosh goes, Jim, I think we have two distinct opportunities here. First, we should definitely do dinner. Let's pick a place, and any night from Wednesday through Sunday, and I'll happily coordinate our group logistics, arrange seating with the restaurant, and everything else. All everyone else needs to do is to show up, eat, and cover their own expenses. Does that sound reasonable?
On the other hand, I'm extremely excited about any sort of learning/shooting opportunity with you. I don't have enough experience to suggest whether a "Dawn Patrol" shoot is better, or simply a discussion on improving technique and results without even doing any shooting, or what. But whatever you think is best, don't even ask me... just sign me right up! And let me know if/how I can assist you so the workload is not as heavy. I just wanna learn...
P.S. Jan-Arie, sorry for not responding sooner. I'm with Jim, the Strike Eagle is my favorite! But the B-2 is also a great image... you care to share a few more of those gems?
There's a restaraunt kind of on the north end of the field, I'll get the name and get back to you. I'm going to ask my Buddy Jim Koepnick for some advice, he heads the EAA photo team. Be back to you shortly.
Your wish is my Command don't have to many images online on my own website but don't know if you know the fencecheck Website
i have there many photo's but on with the show
Super Hornet with Vapour Cone
Idaho A10 Warthog inbound Nellis Afb Nevada
Canadian C-130 Hercules inbound Nellis also
Hope you enjoy will look for a couple more pics
Get that boy a camera of his own! 
Does that sound reasonable?
