Posted on

90 Percent Cover & Centerfold

Being able to film the 138-Way and the 142-Way during Summerfest at Skydive Chicago was an amazing experience.  I honestly had the best seat in the house.  Lots of people have asked how I decided where I should be when I’m capturing something like this world record.  To be honest, it varies from jump to jump, but on both the 138 and the 142, it was late in the day and closing in on that magic hour for photographers.  It wasn’t perfect light, but as close as we can get up there.  I start by framing the shot, looking at the light and getting the sun near my back.  Then I take a look at the back drop.  Clouds?  Try and get them in there so we have some contrast.  Is the sun low in the sky and illuminating the formation in that warm light?  I pop up a bit and get everyone from the side.  Sure there is the risk of having a head eclipse a grip, but it’s worth it when you see the formation at that angle in that light.

On both formations, the angle, back drop and light worked out great.  So great in fact that 90 Percent decided that it was not only their cover shot, but also their centerfold.  Please enjoy the snap shots below and click this link to download the entire magazine!

Posted on

What I sell….Prints, Canvas & Gallery Float Mounts

I have to admit, being a photographer is fun.  I’m able to do what I love doing and share in other people’s moments.  Capturing those moments in people’s lives that means so much to them is something that I treasure.  Sharing those pictures with everyone is the obvious next step.

My website galleries are for all to see and share, for some this is enough.  But I’d like to take a moment to dive into what it is that I sell and the finished products that I offer.  The pictures are taken, they’ve been edited and now they’re posted online.  As with most photographers, I offer a range of different print sizes.  These prints will be mailed to you directly from my vendor.  You can mount them and frame them as you wish making sure they fit nicely into your home or office.  However if you’d allow me the privileged of creating a work of art for you, take a little closer look at my Gallery Wrapped Canvas Art and my Gallery Float Mounts.

To start, both selections are personally signed, inspected and guaranteed to be free of any damage or defects upon arriving at your location.  On the back, each will have my contact information as well as a description of the image, where it was taken, what camera was used and the camera settings.  The vendors I use only sell to professional photographers.  This is a key point because they know that not only will the actual photographer be scrutinizing their work, but so will the end client.  With that knowledge, they deliver the highest possible quality they can.

Gallery Wrapped Canvas Art

I’ve been selling the Gallery Wrapped Canvas Art for several years now.  The frames I sell are 1.5″ deep and can be almost any size up to 56″ x 120″.  Using museum quality canvas, they are hand stretched so that the image continues naturally around the sides and are ready to hang on your wall when you receive them.  Not only do they use archival quality inks, but they are sprayed with a UV coating for extra protection and won’t fade or discolor for at least 100 years.

 

Gallery Float Mounts

The Gallery Float Mounts are a glass-free mounting process designed to enhance and protect photographs while providing a glare-free finish. This high quality process provides a distinctive new look that is durable and offers a greater degree of protection from moisture and harmful UV rays.  The Gallery Float sits 3/4 of an inch away from the wall.  Using a French Cleat Mount, it can easily be adjusted with little effort.  Expertly Crafted – Prints are professionally mounted on MDF with a carefully formulated cold-press, UV Protective mounting adhesive and topped with a non-glare, protective crystal laminate. The edges are expertly beveled, sanded and finished with a high quality seal. Touchable and completely washable—grease, dust, dirt and moisture wipe right off with regular household glass cleaner (Ammonia Free Only).

Seeing past the 2D image can be hard.  But just think, you can turn this shot:

Into THIS Gallery Float.  The difference is amazing!

Another Gallery Float so you can see behind the actual art on the wall.

If you’re curious how it breaks down, here is a diagram of what a Gallery Float Mount is made of.

To order Prints, Gallery Wrapped Canvas or Gallery Float Mounts directly from my website, just click on the image that you’d like to order and then select the size product that you’d like.  If you’re not sure what size to get, please don’t hesitate to give me a call or send me a note through my contact page.  There are many times that clients will end up ordering product sizes that I do not have listed on my website.  Depending on how the aspect ratio of an image works out, some sizes may be better than others.  For instance, the 138-Way shot of the recent World Record Skydive fits great in an aspect ratio of 3 : 5.  So many have ordered a 20″ x 33″ and even a 24″ x 40″.  I can make almost any size, but most importantly is getting the right size for the shot.

Thanks for taking a minute to learn about my products.  I’ve always got my eyes on the latest ways to display my work, so the product line will keep expanding with time.  If you have any specific requests, please let me know.

Posted on

Vertical World Record Video – Digital Download

Just an update for those interested in the Official Video from the 2012 Vertical World Record 138-Way Skydive.

You can now download an HD version of the video online for only $4.99.  Download now.  We are also shipping the first batch of DVD’s.

We wanted to tell a story, a story about making a world record skydive. We interviewed the organizers, the jumpers and the camera men. We filmed on the ground, in the planes and in the air. They talked about the energy, that good energy when people unite together to accomplish a common goal. They talked about the heartache when something you’re striving for is so close it’s within your graspe only to be denied, then how you pick yourself up and you do it again and again until you get it done. This is the story of the 138-Way through the eyes of the people on it. In this 33 minute documentary film, the curtains have been pulled back and you can see how things work behind the scenes and how skydivers triumph over the obsticles in their paths.

Watch it. If you like what you see, share this post and spread the story of an amazing accomplishment.

Thank you English Jon for doing all the hard work and making this a reality!

To order Prints, Gallery Wrapped Canvas, Gallery Float Mounts, DVD’s or to download the digital version of this video, please visit:  http://www.verticalrecord.com

Posted on

National Head Up Record

Steve Vogdes and Simon Bones rallied the troops and gathered at Skydive Cross Keys during the last weekend of August.  Their goal was to make the first ever, National Head Up Record.  Earlier on in the year, Steve went to the USPA Board of Director’s Meeting.  His proposal to create a new category of a Vertical Head Up Formation was reviewed and accepted.  This would be the first event of it’s kind, the birth of Head Up Formation flying.  I was lucky enough to see this happen and be a small part of it.

The weekend started with plane troubles when a jumper inadvertantly dislodged the emergancy exit door in the Twin Otter and it proceeded to leave the aircraft.  With the Otter down, the organizers were scrambling for an aircraft.  Nearly canceling the event, the only plane they currently had access to was a King Air.  At the last minute, a Casa 212 arrived and saved the day.

The formation started out as over 20 people, but ended up getting chopped down to around 16.  Here is the group as well as a 20 Way and the Official 16 Way.  As in any record for the first time, there were issues that came up, things to be figured out, judging angles to question, etc…  As we all said, if it were easy, someone would have done it before.  There is no doubt that things will change in terms of how a Head Up Record is made and most importantly, completed.  But for now, it starts with a 16-Way.  To check out more pictures, please visit my gallery.