Taking Off! with Aircraft Photography

Podcast: Download (Duration: 32:59 — 28.0MB)

In this interview I sit down with aircraft photographer John Thow. John is the guy behind the site SlickPixels.com and along with his sons has taken some of the most amazing photographs of aircraft I've ever seen! We discuss the logistics of working around multi-million dollar aircraft, his technique for capturing his iconic images, and even a bit about is post-processing workflow.

If you've ever been intrigued by, or considered photographing aircraft this interview is a must-listen.

About John Thow:

Growing up in Southern California, Aviation Photographer, Artist Author and the creator of Slickpixels.com, John began his journey in aviation photography at the age of 7 when he began joining his grandfather for the Pt. Mugu Air Show. “Grandpa had the run of the place… and so did I in those days.” Says John. Grandfather Jim was one of the head electricians at the base and was in charge of setting up much of the air show. “ He would set me up in the pilot’s grandstand with them and their families. It was great to hear their stories after returning from flying in the show. Sometimes I even got to meet the Blue Angels.”

“I learned early on that planning on being out at the show for both Saturday and Sunday was a good idea due to the difference in the weather. Often times, especially Pt. Mugu’s propensity for fog, the Blue Angels or other acts would only get to fly on one of the two days, so I needed to be sure I was there to get my shots. In those days the aircraft the aircraft actually flew with and launched missiles. Looking back through those old snap shots sure makes me wish we had today’s cameras back then.

In any case, I have continued in aviation photography ever since, the gear gets better along with the photo opportunities, but “I guess I’ve just never really grown out of my childhood love for hanging out at the airshow.”

Website: SlickPixels.com
Graphic design business: jthow.com
And on Facebook!