PS. That looks like a bit of retouching in the previous shot by the tailwheel, but it's actually dirt and grass flying and the shadow of the horizontal stabilizer.
Here's a question for all you guys, do you think an aviation screen saver disk images like these would be a saleable item? I don't know if there would be a market for that at 20 bucks or so, what do you think?
I would buy one JWilsonphoto wrote:
Here's a question for all you guys, do you think an aviation screen saver disk images like these would be a saleable item? I don't know if there would be a market for that at 20 bucks or so, what do you think?
So right Tim. We shouldn't be surprised, it's a risky business. Sad nonetheless. The irony always gets me, my buddy Charlie Hilliard after all he had accomplished, dies in a landing accident. The masters of disaster, arguably the best airshow routine ever devised, albeit an accident waiting to happen, has two great performers killed in a mid-air. The French Connection, performed for decades, killed in that very maneuver in a practice session. The profession is so demanding that a minute lapse in attention is fatal, and any human can expect such a lapse every once in a while. As a pilot I am constantly reminded that the best of the best die regularly in their planes, no one is immune or too good. Johnny Rutherford gave the eulogy at Charlie's service and he summed up the airshow pilot's psyche. He said Charlie and people like him (there weren't many) find life a little sedate unless every once in a while they crawl up to the edge of the envelope and look over. Charlie died with The Lord's prayer in his flight suit pocket, he lived it and he shared it, there are a lot worse ways to transition from this life into eternity.
JW
Edited by JWilsonphoto on Sep 04, 2007 at 05:46 PM GMT
Man, this is memory lane. It would have been more than enough just to have had the opportunity to fly with these gentlemen, to be able to call them friends, was beyond my wildest dreams!
Edited by JWilsonphoto on Sep 04, 2007 at 05:49 PM GMT
Mind if I ask how you got your foot in the door? I've been flying for two years and 400 hours. Currently I'm collecting ratings and adding as many different aircraft as I can to my logbook, 16 so far. I've got the bug bad and need to find a way to make it pay the bills.
The Eagle's routine was a skillful combination of showmanship, expert pilotage, and three personalities that knew at any given time, what the other was thinking. Thousands of sequences, millions of fans, quite a legacy.
Edited by JWilsonphoto on Sep 04, 2007 at 05:49 PM GMT
I wish I could give you a formula, the truth of the matter is that there are many very talented folks that haven't been able to make a living in photography. When you subdivide that field into the very narrow market of aviation the opportunities become even more limited. Anyone who shoots in these markets, racing, flying, etc. will tell you of the challenges. One huge hurdle in those arenas is the fact that there are literally thousands of people who would shoot those activities for free just to be in the thick of it and smell the fumes. Most of these people can't capture the kinds of images you see here, but they dilute the market because a potential client sees ok photography for free or stellar images for thousands of dollars a day. They settle for ok more than they should. Another thing that is like flying up a box canyon business wise, is to think you can give your work away to get your foot in the door. Doesn't work, it's very difficult, if not imposssible to go from "free" or very inexpensive to a liveable wage in the client's psyche.
I belong to a great organization, The International Society of Aviation Photographers, or ISAP. It is a strong group of team players, about 400 in number. The group supports education and each other. The qualifications run the gammut from the top shooters in the world to people who just love photography and aviation and never hope to make a living at it. The members that are making a living in the industry would tell you the same thing I am right now, it's a tough market to make a name and a living and truthfully there's a handful of folks in the world that really do it well, it's not an easy subject to capture excellently and it's not without it's risks.
I hope I haven't discouraged you with the facts above. Certainly there are people succeeding and those people will be replaced by new shooters coming up through the ranks. But it's important to know that it's one thing to get a few interesting images at an airshow or on a flightline, it's quite another to perform professionally under tight schedules, hectic travel, unforseen weather, demanding clients. The men and women who consistently turn out striking images amidst that potpourri of challenges are the ones that succeed, acquire loyal clients and reap the rewards, both personal and financial. They are talented, dedicated and tireless and they deserve what they have worked so hard to achieve. You may be one of those people in training, your talent level, desire and perseverance will tell.
JW
Edited by JWilsonphoto on Oct 25, 2006 at 09:50 PM GMT (Reason: spelling)
Discouraged, most certainly not. A few years ago I was told I might not ever walk again and now I'm just hours away from my CFI checkride. Your pictures and small airforce only serve to fuel the fire.
Well done! You are just the type of person that has what it takes to rise to the top. Please let me know if I can help you in any way. The small airforce is wonderful and I use some of it in my business, however, and don't tell my dear wife, it doesn't come anywhere near financially sustaining itself.
