Newsletter
Summer 2012
contents 4 editorial
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In this day and age, it can be very tempting to “do it yourself.” An editorial discussion on the pitfalls of creating your own images...
Join us at the Explorer’s Club in New York City as we traveled to photograph the 35th anniversary of the Lindbergh Foundation’s creation.
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Since last fall we’ve made photographs in the Dominican Republic, Pensacola, Puerto Rico, Lakeland, Dallas, New York City, Kalamazoo, Oshkosh, and of course, Atlanta.
We recently had the opportunity to photograph a Bombardier Global Express and a Bombardier Challenger 605 for a corporate client in Michigan.
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Join us as John will be teaching a day-long class during the Triple-Tree Fly In, on 7 September. Another workshop for those who enjoy challenging their vision in the “industrial landscape,” will be conducted by my friend and outstanding photographer Mark Maio in Buffalo this fall…
This spring I had the unexpected opportunity to photograph a great American, Colonel Gail Halvorsen. He is otherwise known as the “Berlin Candy Bomber.”
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18 museums
copyright notice This newsletter was created by John Slemp to promote his aviation photography business, Aerographs. All reproduction rights are reserved, including copyright. All content is ©2012 John Slemp. (404) 245-2411
The “what” zoo? in Kalamazoo? Worthy of a detour, make it a priority to see the Kalamazoo Air Zoo…
Cover Image: A Bombardier Challenger 605 basks in the late afternoon light of a summer day in Kalamazoo, Michigan. Opposite Page: Embry-Riddle student and Eagle Scout Billy Janus takes a break while cleaning airshow pilot John Mohr’s Piaggio P. 136 L1 amphibian. AirVenture 2012, Oshkosh, Wisconsin. NEWSLETTER
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editorial Lending Our Expertise...
Recently, I was floored to receive a call late
Of course, prints in the 30 x 40 inch range require a lot of pixels, larger than most consumer digital cameras can provide. And it helps if the color/tone is consistent from print to print, and room to room. The print quality itself should be superb, as it would not speak well (visually) to have prints of varying technical standards throughout the office. The other aspect to consider is a unified vision to the overall body of work. Tough to do with lots of differing perspectives, varying degrees of visual standards, and mixed types of frames. Ignoring these parameters would lead to a less than stellar presentation, which could actually affect the bottom line when dealing with very high end clients. What does poor presentation say about your company, about your committment to quality? You get the idea. The next time you need a high quality presentation for your marketing, website, or decorative needs, hire a pro. We’ll get it done, beautifully, on time and on budget.
on a Friday afternoon from a potential client. They desperately needed several framed fine art prints for a video shoot the following week in their new offices. You see, there had been nothing placed on the walls since they moved in six months earlier. Thus the call. Upon further discussion, it was learned that the word had gone out to the employees of this very small company that if they went out and created images themselves, the best would be selected and framed for the office walls. While a genuinely worthwhile goal, as it would have involved everyone in decorating the new office, it also put a burden on them that they weren’t fully prepared for. How so, you ask? Let’s examine this a bit further. While meeting at their offices the following Monday, it quickly became apparent that when standing on the ramp, camera in hand, trying to create images with a “fine art” feel to them, they had absolutely no idea of how to accomplish the task. “It’s hard,” was a direct quote from the marketing director. I was not surprised. You see, vision is a skill that has to be honed, refined, and practiced, again and again. It’s not something that can be conjured up, generally speaking, by those who are unfamiliar with the skill. And it is a skill. So let’s examine this scenario a bit further. The new offices are quite nice, in the concrete floor, pastel walls, lofty kind of nice. Lots of glass and chrome. The kind of office that would lend itself to several large black and white prints, elegantly framed and displayed.
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Opposite Page: Prop, cowling, and fuselage of a Douglas DC-3, created using film and a wooden 4x5 field camera in the summer of 2001. Griffin, Georgia. Recent Clients: Women in Aviation International, Kitplanes magazine, The Lindbergh Foundation, Stryker corporation, privatejet.com, David Marco/Generations in Aviation museum, GA News, EAA’s Sport Aviation magazine, JSSI, and Graphix, Inc.
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happenings recent work...
Breakfast view from the hotel, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Wild green parrots are an endangered species on the island of Hispaniola, and are protected. If the noise they made at 6am (!) every morning outside my hotel window is any indication, their numbers are increasing rapidly! Both images were created while working at the Design Caribbean festival last fall.
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My November visit to Pensacola with a friend to see the last Blue Angels show of the season did not disappoint. Their professionalism, spirit, and teamwork was evident in all aspects of their performance. I’d be hard pressed to remember a finer display of formation flying. In January, these images were created for the partners of privatejet.com, a newly formed company that plans to eventually have a luxury lifestyle magazine. DeKalb Peachtree Airport (PDK), Atlanta.
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In February, I had the opportunity to photograph Mr. Ray Williams, an original Tuskegee Airman. Known as DOTA’s (documented original Tuskegee Airmen), there are about a dozen living in the Atlanta area. This is the beginning of what I hope will be an effort to create portraits and interviews of these iconic Americans.
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Opposite Page: Southwest Airlines Captain, and National Aerobatic Champion Debby Rihn-Harvey.
Right: Ten-year veteran Jaime Vanacore is one of four female rescue swimmers in the US Coast Guard.
Below: WASP Bernice "Bee" Falk Haydu is inducted in the WAI Pioneers Hall of Fame on 10 March, 2012.
These images were created during the annual Women in Aviation International conference, at the Hilton Anatole Hotel, in Dallas, Texas. March, 2012.
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A 1943 G-44 Grumman Widgeon, photographed at sunrise for GA News. Lake Agnes, on the Fantasy of Flight grounds. Sun ‘n Fun, March, 2012.
The Lindbergh Award, presented in March, 2012 to Dr. Forrest Bird. Created for the Lindbergh Foundation. Opposite Page: The crowd gathers at Fantasy of Flight for the Lindbergh Foundation’s annual awards banquet.
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Bob Wagner, otherwise known as “Mr. WACO.” I’m told he has more time in WACO aircraft than any other man alive. He owned a closed-cabin WACO when he was 16 years old, and has been flying them ever since. Sun ‘n Fun 2012. Lakeland, Florida.
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David Marco’s beautifully restored Lockheed 12A Electra Junior. Photographed this spring over the skies of Lakeland, Florida. NEWSLETTER
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workshops Visual Education...
As a photographer, I am constantly learning.
storage, and what you can do with the resulting images. That afternoon, we’ll trek around the premises, where you’ll be able to make photographs, and John will be there to answer your questions. After dinner, John will give an on-site demonstration of mixing strobe with available light, as the sun sets. Cost for the program is $50, and includes a handout crammed with information for future reference, and many web links for later perusal.
It’s one of the reasons why I chose this profession. Never boring or dull, it’s a constant challenge to keep up with the latest in cameras, lighting, processing software, and photo techniques. Not to mention the latest visual trends. To that end, I’m sharing this knowledge more and more through my blog, this newsletter, workshops and other public venues. Below is a listing of various educational offerings that I and others will soon be conducting. For more information, go to the Workshops section of our website.
Silo City Photography Workshop Buffalo’s Grain Elevators
Aviation Photography Triple Tree Aerodrome - Woodruff, SC September 6-7, 2012
Buffalo, New York October 18-21, 2012
Aviation photography has always gone hand in hand with airplanes. Both the planes, pilots and those who keep ‘em flying can all be fascinating subjects. Often, there are more cameras at aviation events than planes! To that end, join us for an informal, free educational session on Thursday evening (the 6th), where John will showcase some of his work. On Friday morning we’ll get going at 8am, in a workshop suitable for neophytes to advanced amateurs. The morning session will be primarily about basic photographic concepts such as exposure, composition, and quality of light. Additional topics will include properly setting up your digital camera for best results (and why), software to process those digital files, file
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Join my friend and professional photographer Mark Maio and he conducts a workshop at the Silo City Grain Elevators in Buffalo, New York. A former resident of the area, Mark has previously made black and white images that conjure up the best of the “old masters,” such as Weston and Adams. Through a relationship with the owner of the property, Mark will accompany up to 16 lucky photographers who have always wanted to visually document this quickly fading aspect of our industrial past. For more information, please visit his website, or call him in Atlanta at (404) 386-5676.
F
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museums The Kalamazoo “Air Zoo”...
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ON ASSIGNMENT: THE LINDBERGH FOUNDATION Walking into the Explorers Club in New York City is like walking into a living time capsule. Leather couches blend perfectly with the dark paneled walls, each adorned with a painting depicting some feat of exploration in a far-away land. Join us for the evening... NEWSLETTER
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By anyone’s standards, it was to be a
magical evening. Black ties and fancy jewelery was de rigueur. So too was the anticipation, at an almost palpable level, while awaiting the guests of honor. On the surface they might be mistaken for three rather ordinary, now elderly gentlemen. They are in fact some of the most trailblazing aviation pioneers alive today. It’s not everyday that a photographer is called upon to document the gathering of the most well known astronauts in history, that being Neil Armstrong, Jim Lovell, and Gene Cernan. Otherwise known as the first man to step on the moon, the commander of the successfully aborted Apollo 13 mission, and the last man on the moon. And yet that was the phone call I received in April, from one of the Lindbergh Foundation board members. Set to be held at the historic Explorer’s Club in Manhattan (founded in 1904), it was to be an intimate affair of around 100 guests, along with the astronauts, the Foundation board members and alumni, and members of the Lindbergh family. The question was “are you willing to shoot this for us?” Of course, my answer was an unequivocal “Yes”! As I hung up the phone, it occurred to me that I had just signed on for a pressure-packed evening. Not to mention that many of the other guests would themselves be notables in the aviation world.
chagrin, noticed that not only did it appear to be small, it actually appeared to be tiny, and dark. Not a good combination when trying to make photographs of important occasions. The one part of the club that offered a ray of hope was the second-floor terrace, which was flanked by a lovely series of small arches, and offered a bit of respite from the dark walls and what I knew would be a rather jam-packed scene inside, once “the fellas” arrived. And indeed it proved so.
So, how does one prepare for such an event? First, I did a quick online search for the Explorer’s Club, and much to my
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My next step was to call a colleague in New York, who recommended several experienced assistants that were familiar with the local rental houses, and of course the city itself. I’ve not personally spent a lot of time in New York, so it was doubly important that I had someone who was both knowledgeable and reliable to work with. As it turned out, my assistant (Thanks Scott!) was an Army veteran, a father of four, and had worked in the city for about 13 years. I couldn’t have asked for a better man. I also called and spoke with the staff at the Club, and once that was done, made arrangements for the rental lighting gear. Tickets were purchased and all was set.
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Arriving early at LaGuardia the morning of the shoot was important, so that I had time to handle any last minute problems that may have cropped up. There were none, thankfully, so I made my way to the hotel, dropped my gear, and headed out to the rental store. Much to my delight, Scott had already picked up the gear, had it loaded into his car, and was waiting for me. After introductions, we made a beeline for the Club, arriving before 2pm. Even though the first guests weren’t really due ‘til about 6pm, I wanted to have plenty of time to examine our options. Once the site survey was completed, we made our plan, coordinated with the staff, and set up the lights. I considered it very important to let the staff know what was in my head, just so that I didn’t step on any toes, or obstruct them in doing their jobs. They appreciated that too. Once all the lighting was set and tested, we relaxed for a bit, had a bite to eat, and changed into our suits. Fortunately, the weather was glorious, sunny during the day, and about 75 degrees. The Club was in one of the many man-made canyons of the city, so as the afternoon wore on, the only light we had on the terrace was indirect overhead light, except for the light reflecting off the windows of a nearby building. I wasn’t too worried about that, as the sun was rapidly setting by the time we were ready to shoot outside. Fortunately, I was able to steer the astronauts, and thereby just about everyone else outdoors, soon after their arrival. While my on-camera strobe would have done fine for the indoor shots, it was so dark that it would have been necessary to increase dramatically the sensitivity (speed) of the sensor, which also increases “digital noise” as well, thereby degrading image quality. Also, since the building had wooden ceilings, there was no chance of bouncing light off the dark ceiling or walls, as I often do in this kind of situation. Outdoors, there was still enough light to shoot with my on-camera strobe, which worked well. Right before dinner, we asked for a bit of privacy, and made photographs of the guests of honor, and the various Board members. Over in a blur, it took two minutes and 8 seconds, from start to finish. Then it was in to dinner. I found myself seated next to Kristina Lindbergh, the grand-daughter of Charles and Anne Morrow Lindbergh, and her husband. An unexpected treat to say the least. The rest of the evening was spent making images of the speakers, with a monopod to steady the camera and the available light, mixed with whatever my on-camera strobe could muster. Getting to bed about two AM (New York is loud and restless at night!), I slept easy, having already downloaded and backed up the files, duplicated to another hard drive. It’s
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cheap insurance, and serves as a hedge against possible digital disasters. The next morning, it was out to Long Island, to capture images of the board meeting at the Cradle of Aviation Museum, and of the re-dedication of a long-lost plaque commemorating Lindbergh’s historic flight. Then it was to the airport, and home. A quick two days, to be sure, but it was also very satisfying, in that I knew we had created some important images for the Foundation, while not wasting any resources. They were quite pleased with the results, as was I. Involved in consequential work, they are a great group, and with any luck at all, the relationship will continue to bear fruit for us all.
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Above: The staff coordinates just before dinner. Below left: The lovely cake created for the occasion. Below right: Reeve Lindbergh speaks of the importance of continuing her father’s legacy.
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folio...
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Created in July, this mini-porfolio of images was shot for the Stryker Corporation, and featured a Bombardier Global Express, and a Bombardier Challenger 605. Kalamazoo International Airport, Kalamazoo, Michigan.
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perspective Great Americans...
It helps to have friends that look out for
effect it had in making the Russian decision to blockade the city appear even more foolish. Many even think that this one small act was the catalyst in forcing the Russians to abandon the blockade, many months after it began. There was just no “give up” in the allied effort, or to the Berliner’s themselves. It was with great anticipation of meeting this great man, that I went to make photographs of him recreating an airdrop to one of the local elementary schools. Still spry and sharp, even though he’s into his 90’s, he climbed into the back of a Cub for the drop in a nearby park. The kids were giddy with excitement, and one child from each class was the designated “retriever.” I can’t tell you how excited they were with each pass, and upon landing, he went to their school to greet them as they loaded the buses for home. I’m not sure I’ve ever seen a man who enjoyed the company of children more. He even signed some of the ‘chutes as a memento of his visit, and graciously accepted many requests for photographs. It was a real treat to have met him, and to understand how a simple act, and faith in the humanity of man, could have such a longlasting and positive impact on so many peoples lives. What a great legacy to have...
you. Such was the case this spring when I got an email from a local Atlanta friend, informing me that Gail Halvorsen would soon be in town. Gail who? you might say. Gail Halvorsen. Colonel, US Air Force. Otherwise known as the “Berlin Candy Bomber”. What little hair I have remaining stood up on end. Having been a military history buff for a number of years, I knew exactly who he was, and of his place in German/American history. Since I had forgotten the details, I purchased his book about the Berlin Air Lift, a little-remembered event that threatened the very existance of Berlin, just a few years after WWII. The war was still very fresh in the minds of many of the pilots who participated in keeping the city’s population alive. Gail had been one of those pilots. To abbreviate the story, at some point Gail began to drop candy to children from his plane, upon approach to Templehof Airport, attached to small home-made parachutes. It was not an authorized activity, and he kept it quiet, in an effort to stay within regulations. Nonetheless, the leadership soon learned of his activities, and instead of being disciplined for it, he was instructed to ramp up the effort, because of the positive effect it had on the population, but also because of the positive political NEWSLETTER
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finishing up...
My EAA chapter (690) is very active in youth education, and this summer hosted a number of kids for a summer Youth Aviation Camp. Called by the former chapter President to come out and shoot, we packed up the lights and generator, just in case. The opportunity presented itself late in the morning, and we had a bit of fun. Briscoe Field (LZU), Lawrenceville, Georgia.
(404) 245-2411 www.aerographs.com NEWSLETTER
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