Value Added Bonus
Hang out at the Palm Springs Air Museum and you often get the added fun of military aircraft flying at the airport. Saturday saw T-45 jet trainers taking off and landing. Out of Naval Air Facility El Centro, these trainers are fully aircraft carrier capable and will do 645 mph. When I am there, I always have a camera at the ready. Wow!
One Of Only One
Saturdays at the Palm Springs Air Museum brings us great programs and flight demonstrations. This last Saturday brought us the only still flying World War II P-51A Mustang. There are other still flying Mustangs but this is the early A version powered by 1200 hp Allison engine. It had a maximum speed of 409 mph and carried four .50 caliber machine guns. The plane was designed to be strictly an air to air combat aircraft. Now owned by Planes Of Fame in Chino CA. I had the pilot stop mid-air right in front of me so I could shoot this photograph. Ok maybe not.
SAM 44
That is Special Air Mission 44 carrying President Obama. Until a few hours before the designation would have been Air Force One. On Friday, I waited in the rain just South of the runway for the arrival. I have been there before photographing Air Force One but always in bright sunny weather. Visibility was very limited but I knew it was coming in from listening to the control tower.
I heard it first, but coming from the wrong direction, behind me and not where I would have usually seen it. Just appearing as a ghost out of the clouds, that giant 747 had added power and was turning East away from lining up on runway 31 left. I fired away with my camera as it again disappeared into the dark clouds.
SAM 44 headed back up to higher altitude to await possible better weather, I lost track of how much time elapsed, maybe an hour. From the conversation with the control tower I knew it was coming back on final approach. From my vantage point the weather conditions looked even worse. Then I saw that ghostly apparition, slightly visible in the dark clouds and rain, go around again as I fired away with my camera.
Did 20 minutes go by or maybe 30 when I heard the pilot advise the tower that they were deciding on diverting to another airport. Another 10 minutes and the pilot advised that they were diverting to March Air Reserve Base and requesting clearance to 10,000 ft. Not long after that, requesting clearance to 17,000 ft and then on the way to March.
I must say I find the photographs I shot really interesting, and as one person said, very historical. Within 90 minutes I had them online with Zuma Press, one of the largest photo press agencies in the world. All in all, I am going to remember this for a long time to come. Thanks!
Looking At Her Looking At You
Look away, no you just can’t. Even when you do, you still see her looking at you. This gorgeous woman, Amber Flowers in our photo shoot. She also created her makeup, hair and wardrobe styling. One incredibly talented and beautiful individual.
Photo shoot notes… Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting. Only the best!
Mutual
Wandered Photo L.A. yesterday with my buddy Gabriella Muttone. Not only do we have the commonality of me loving her in front of my cameras; she is an extraordinary photographer herself who loves much of the same photography that I do. It was also fun thinking that people were staring at me, when of course they were gaze locked on her! Me too lol
P-40 Warhawk
Yes this is the plane that you would recognize as having been flown by the famed Flying Tigers. Two P-40’s shot down attacking Japanese aircraft at Pearl Harbor.
If you were at the Palm Springs Air Museum yesterday, you saw this P-40 chase a Japanese VAL Dive Bomber just barely over ground level. Wow!
Attack At Dawn
A special program today at the Palm Springs Air Museum. You will be seeing the aircraft of Pearl Harbor flying overhead.
Starting with a presentation by the internationally recognized historian, researcher and author, Dr. Ed Gordon, “Japan Strikes At Dawn: Defeat at Pearl Harbor, the Philippines and Singapore.” at 1:00 PM.
Right now there are also other very special exhibits at the Museum, including artworks from World War II and the Holocaust; original and rarely seen restored prints of the original flights of the Wright Brothers.
If you have not done so, it is time to visit the living and flying history at the Palm Springs Air Museum. I will be there with my cameras for sure!
Beautiful Fit Action!
Stacey Naito one of the most extraordinary women I have ever had in front of my camera. She brought her authentic Japanese Katana to the photo shoot. The sharpness, quality, curved, powerful and distinctive beauty of the sword is readily matched by that of Stacey herself. Thank You to Blanche LeBeau for her art of makeup and hair styling.
Reminder
I am known for photographing some of the most incredibly magnificent women on the planet. Sasha Brown is in that category many times over!
Just In Case
In case you forgot, one of my specialties is photographing incredibly gorgeous fit women. Way at the top of the list is the incredibly gorgeous and fit Sherry Goggin.
Space Travel Not Required
Found a new photo shoot location on a recent photo excursion. And no space travel required. I can see you posing in front of that landscape now! The question is… Who is you? Send me an e-mail to Ian@SecondFocus.com. Thanks!
Oil Can!
I kept waiting for him to ask if I had an oil can. Didn’t, so I shot a photo and went to lunch.
Rock Star!
From my friend Brooks Wachtel…
I received an amazing holiday gift the day after Christmas thanks to Ian L. Sitren who arranged for me to meet Fred Bell, the director of the Palm Springs Air Museum. It’s not often a writer gets rock-star treatment, but that’s what the Museum staff – all fans of DogFights – gave me.
I found, to my delight, that the museum even run segments of the series on monitors in front of some of their display aircraft to illustrate the warbird’s stories.
One of the treats was seeing this Phantom, in Midway livery, that we depicted in “Mig Killers of the Midway” an episode I wrote with Cynthia Harrison-Wallach.
We interviewed most of the aviators whose names are emblazoned on the aircraft and brought their combat to life – they were responsible for both the first the very last MIG kill of the Vietnam War.
Here’s Fred Bell and I in front of the F-4 Phantom (thank you, Ian, for the photo). Fred and his staff do a fantastic job and I highly recommend the museum for any fan of history or aviation. They have an amazing collection and it keeps getting better.
For the curious, I’ve included the DogFights episode thanks to the inevitable youtube link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YfQVehFjvaI
Come Shoot With Me!
Already booking up for January! So who wants to come shoot with me? Your portfolio in the gym? That poolside sexy shoot for your book? Dramatic wardrobe changes in a sea of black background. Maybe some special location, windmills, desert, vintage aircraft? Also your head shots which will be really affordable! Unlikely I will wear the bowtie. But I do have much better camera and lighting equipment now! Only the best! Send me a note and Thanks! Ian@SecondFocus.com
The Human Story
I see medical transport helicopters overhead fairly often. Usually more conspicuously marked. This one belonging to TriState Careflight in Nevada. Always makes me wonder what the human story is behind a flight like this.
The View
The view across the tarmac at the Palm Springs Air Museum from Saturday. I always have a camera at hand when I am there. The jet on the left, an F-102 will be taking up residence in the new Museum hangar when it is completed in a few months.
Winter Light
The Winter skies over Palm Springs revealed wonderful contrasts of light yesterday. It was made for photography.
Air Museum Snow Christmas
It was one beautiful day yesterday to be at the Palm Springs Air Museum. Snow on the mountains too making for a great view outside the hangars. I will be back there again on Monday. Until then… Merry Christmas!
Christmas In Palm Springs
So you have those kids in town for Saturday, the day before Christmas. Those kids from about 3 years old to about 103 years old, like me! The weather is rain and wind, so where do you go for a great time indoors? The Palm Springs Air Museum! Two huge hangars filled with beautifully restored aircraft and surrounded by endless displays of memorabilia and history. Flight simulators and even tours inside a huge World War II B-17, four engine bomber. From 10:30 – 12:30 you can even find yourself sitting in the cockpit of an F7F Tigercat. Too much fun which is why I am always shooting photos there! Ho Ho Ho!
Stop Action Bodybuilding
Another multi-exposure stop action bodybuilding posing with the consummate professional of the world of bodybuilding and fitness, Doug Brignole.
Photo shoot notes… Hasselblad digital camera system and Broncolor lighting with their Para 133 reflector and Move 1200L pack. Only the best all he way around!
Contemplative
A bodybuilding pose begins between the ears. You can see it on his face. That is if you are going to do it right. Doug Brignole is one guy in bodybuilding and fitness who is widely known for doing it right. If there were a belt grade in bodybuilding as there is in martial arts, Doug would hold a black belt at the very highest level of the sport.
Photo shoot notes… Photographed with a Hasselblad digital camera system. Lighting with a Broncolor Para 133 reflector and a Broncolor Move 1200L pack for multiple exposures. Only the best!
An F-18 Visit
Not unusual to see military aircraft coming in to the airport here in Palm Springs. It is unusual for an F-18 Hornet to drive by my house right over my backyard pool. And nothing in my pool looks like a carrier. Very cool though!
A Big Day In Flight!
The place to be today for a number of reasons! The Palm Springs Air Museum! There will be a flight demonstration of this incredibly powerful T-28 which in some ways out performs the famous P-51 Mustang. It is a real WOW when if flies by low and fast and pulls way up! The flight demo follows a presentation on the very historic X-15 at 1:00 PM.
Then as reminded by my buddy Brian Ratliff, today is the anniversary of the first flight. Yes it was December 17, 1903 that the first successful airplane took to the air. Tell you a secret that will be unveiled next month. There is a gallery of very rare, almost unseen, photos of that first flight on display at the Museum now. A selection of prints that were created from fully restoring the images created from the original glass photographic plates. Seeing these photographs is an incredible opportunity!
And then also from Brian, today is the day that the first Douglas DC-3 rolled off the assembly line in 1935. The DC-3 was perhaps one of the most significant advances in aircraft for both the military and civilian aviation. The DC-3 in it’s military designation, the C-47 can also be seen at the Museum. Down for maintenance, it is right over in the restoration area. Big airplane, you won’t miss it! See you there today!
Up It Goes!
Yesterday was the Beam Raising & Signing at the Palm Springs Air Museum for the new Kenneth P. Miles Korea and Vietnam Hangar. It will celebrate the history, personal stories, artifacts and aircraft from those eras and times.
In attendance were many of the heroes of those years, including the Veterans who flew the aircraft you see at the Museum and destined to have a new home in that hangar. Signers of the beam being raised and put into position for the years and decades ahead. And I am so very excited and humbled to not only have been there but to have signed it as well. Wow! Thank You!
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