While covering the Reno Air Races for Nikon we had the chance to photograph the Navy’s Blue Angels.  One morning a group of us were out at sunrise to photograph the planes on the tarmac and the Blue Angles F18 Hornets were all lined up and perfect for a portrait!

 

On another morning while out on dawn patrol great pre-sunrise light provided great background for a silouetted Glacier Girl – P38 Lightening.  The Glacier Girl was built about 50 miles from where I live so I got to follow the process of the rebuild. She was so named because she was extracted from deep under the ice in Greenland.

 

On another early morning, this time at Sun  n’ Fun Air Show in Lakeland Florida, I had the chance to capture a Harrier at sunrise. This McDonnell Douglas AV-8B Harrier was performing at the air show.

 

This beautiful example of the Ryan open cockpit airplane was at the Sun N’ Fun antique aircraft section, graced by early morning light!  Nikon D800 with 24-70 lens.

 

One again early morning pre-sunrise light was what this Canadian Trainer needed to show off it’s silver skin!  Reno Air Races.

 

While working for Nikon I was blessed to photograph 6 shuttle launches.  This one was captured from the VIP site at our compound with a D300 and a 500mm lens with a 1.4 converter The launch pad was 2.5 miles away and this set-up was equivalent of 1,125mm lens!  Even that far away the rumble from the rocket engines is pounding!

 

This only a few of my thousands of aviation shots, I hope you enjoyed them!

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim

 

Bonus shot!

While working the Reno Air Show I got a ride in one of the T-6 Texan Racing planes to go and photograph Lake Tahoe for my second America From 500 Feet Book, while coming back we got close to another Texan and I as able to photograph it air to air  This is me below in the one I was flying in.

 

 

Male Lion resting on the Serengeti Plain of Kenya.  Shot with a 80-200 Nikon lens and a Nikon F3 camera on Kodachrome film.

This series of images are from the early 2000’s and before, and all shot on film.

 

This is the old school house at Cumberland Gap National Historical Park, in Middlesboro, Kentucky.  Nikon F2 camera and a 18mm lens, shot on  Kodak Tri X film.  Of special interest to me as the last year I taught school, my 6th grade class had a wood burning stove much like this one, the last school room in Kentucky to have a wood burning stove for heat, was torn down the year after I left teaching.

 

There is two ways to make this kind of shot; 1. Wade out in the swamp and find a group of baby alligators and make close-up shots while keeping one eye peeled for momma!  Or 2. The safer way is to go to the Alligator Farm in St. Augustine and have them bring you a couple of babies and put them in a black dish washing pan with a little water and then sit on the ground, while eating your sack of McDonald’s breakfast, and photograph them in safety!  You can guess which way I shot these!  Nikon F3 and a 200m Micro Nikon lens, Ektachrome film, and no casualties!

 

This was shot in Kenya from a van, Nikon F3 and 80-200 lens shot on Kodachrome film.  I had the chance to photograph a lot of Elephants they are magnificent creatures!

 

I found this tree frog on the outside of our sliding glass door, I carefully captured him and placed him on a house plant with a lamp back lighting him and then shot this image with a 105 Micro Nikkor lens on a Nikon F2.  with Ektachrome side film. He was released back into the wild of my backyard!

 

Shot at Schwabachers Landing in the Gand Tetons N.P.  Nikon F4 and 24-70 zoom lens, on Fujifilm Velvia film.  One of my favorite spots that is now getting very crowded with as many as 100 photographers!

 

While shooting an assignment at a recording studio the florist delivers roses to the receptionist.  I asked if I might have a rose from her dozen and peeled off two rose pedals to place on the Yamaha piano keys.  The redline at the back of the keys added to the shot!  Nikon F3 with a 55mm Micro Nikon lens, and shot on Velvia film.

 

I don’t miss film, we have so much more control over the process now!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim

Bryan Peterson and I were taking a group on a  tour of the South of France, on this day we were in the lavender Fields and it was spectacular.  The aroma of the lavender was really something!  Using a Nikon D700 (just released) with a 24mm lens I shot this scene at 1/20th of a second @ f 11 at ISO 400.  It was used in the Nikon catalog of that year as the lead image for the D700. Shot on July 5th, 2013.

 

In November of 2012 I was teaching a workshop on Zion National Park and found    this line of trees in the Canyon near the river.  I loved the symmetry of the trees and the back ground of the canyon red rock walls.  Nikon D800, 24-70 @ 48mm  1/5th of a sec. @ f 11  ISO 400.

 

Flying in a Cessna over the Swanee River in Florida for the America From 500 Feet Project, May 26th 2007 I shot this image with a D700 and the 24-120 lens @ 40mm 1/400th of sec. @ f 4.5 sec. @ ISO 1600.  I loved the rivers winding through the swamp creating a great S pattern. Wes and I had a great time discovering America together!

 

Another of those images that I really love and can’t tell you exactly why!  I  think it is the wonderful combination of colors and the simple composition. I shot it May 13th, 2011 in Arkansas at a Train Museum on assignment for Nikon.  With a Nikon D7000, 24-120 @105mm and 1/4 sec @ f 16 and ISO 320.  i would love to know  how you react to it!?

 

While shooting Lobster Floats at a fishing dock in Acadia N. P. Mike Roberts offered to let me try his 18-135, I did and had one ordered as soon as I got back to the room that night, it turned out to be one of my favorite lenses from Fujifilm!  X-T1 with the 18-135 @ 69mm  1/10th of a sec. @ f 16 and ISO 320.

 

 

While covering the Reno Air Races in Sept of 2011 in early morning we went out to shoot a collection of antique airplanes in first light.  As I recall Bill Pekala, Moose Peterson, Scott Diussa and I were there with three or four others, and we had a great morning.  This was my attempt at photographing parts of airplanes as art. Nikon D7000 with the 24-120 @ 112mm and 1/6 of a sec @ f 11  ISO 200.  I love silver skinned airplanes in this kind of light!

 

 

I think this was shot in Nova Scotia, I think?  I just loved the rope leading your eye up to to the boats bow.  This is another of those images that just grabbed me, not sure why, but it was shot with the X-T1 with the 18-135 @  40mm and 1/20th of sec. at f 11  – ISO 1600. I know I was with a great group of friends and we had a blast!

 

O.K. thanks for joining me again, and I hope you are enjoying this as much as I am!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

MAGIC, it doesn’t happen that often, in fact I’ve attempted to shoot this part of the Tremont Branch of the Little River over a hundred times, this was the only day it looked just like this!!!  It takes the perfect water level, the perfect light, the exact time in Spring, this was the day!  Then you have to compose it right, use the right shutter speed and aperture and set your polarizer just right!  Thankfully as photographers once in a great white it happens and we get it!  This is why we keep going out there with a camera!  May 1st, 2009 at 8:47 a.m.  Nikon D700 with a 35mm lens set at f 22 shot for 5 seconds.

 

The sad thing about this shot is just how nearly impossible it is to shoot it now!  Christmas morning of 2022 there were over 200 photographers here!  The place you need to stand or kneel in to get this angle will only accommodate 10 photographers all working together to get the shot! January 29th, 2008  Nikon D700 – 24-70 zoom exposure not recorded.  On this morning there were 12 people here and we took turns letting everyone get the shot, and everyone did!  * Thank you social media!

 

i was with a group of very dear His Light Friends in NewEngland in the Fall.   October 9th, 2011.  We were shooting a farm and I found these barrels in a shed with the red barn outside the window!  I remember I was so excited!  Nikon D7000 66 mm on a 24-120 zoom, 2.5 seconds @ f 11.  The window light was perfect!

 

I have been shooting this same shot of a Bel Air fender side since March 10, 2012 the year before I retired from Nikon. I think this was my first trip to Old Car City. Shot with a Nikon, did not record which model, but exposure was 1/45th of a second at f 9 and ISO 400.  Still one of my favorite shots from that location.  Today it is completely faded with only a hint of blue is left and part of Bel Air is now missing. Shoot things when you see them, don’t wait!

 

Jack and I were leading a group on the Amish Workshop at Yoder’s Farm, I found this on a shelf in the garage where they park their buggy!  These are the kinds of shots I treasure finding and I was thrilled with this one!  October 22, 2015  Shot with  Fujifilm X-T1 with the very sharp 18-135 zoom (can’t believe I gave mine away)!  Shot at 1.4 seconds f 16 @ ISO 400 on a tripod.

 

Same New England trip with the His Light Friends group.  Stopped for lunch in a restaurant in an old house, while waiting for my lunch decided to see what was in the other rooms, found these bottle on a shelf, my lunch was cold by time all of us shot this!  Was well worth it!  Shot October 11th, 2011.   Shot with a Nikon D7000 shot at 66mm (24-120) for 2.0 Seconds at f 11 ISO 1600. Bottles shot as found!

 

While walking down the street in St. Petersburg, Florida I saw this homeless man. I stopped and starting talking with him, we talked for a while, he knew I was a photographer, carrying  tripod, wearing a photo vest and with a camera over my shoulder in plain sight.  After talking for while I asked him if he would allow me to shoot a portrait of him, that I thought he had such incredible character in his face! To  my surprise he said he would and I got several great shots of him.  After we finished I offered to buy him breakfast and we went in little cafe and ordered breakfast and continued to get to know each other.  I offered to give him some money but he refused, he said, “you showed me kindness, we’re even!”  I think of him often and wonder what ever happened to him.  He reminded me that we’re all human and but for God’s Grace it could’ve been me standing there on the street.

 

This is the joy of being a photographer, who we meet, who become our friends, the incredible beauty we see and the disturbing things we see too, it all adds up to make us who we become, I pray it has made me a better man!

 

Blessings,

 

 

the pilgrim