OK, so not exactly a news flash on that, but I had to share this.

I think I've posted enough shots for anyone who's been around here much to know that I've been working on air show/aviation photography for a while, and have attended many events.

One event I recently attended is a small local air show in San Diego, for which I have even donated shots to the organizers to use for promotional purposes. At this year's show, a co-worker of mine, who is an attractive woman, attended it for her first air show photography session. That same day she gets invited to do air-to-air shoots with some of the pilots attending the show, and has since gone on a few flights.

It's just not fair, I tell ya...

So you are saying you are ugly and are considering a sex change?

I think in general, especially in aviation or autos, if you get a girl who is very attractive she'll be given alot of attention. Is it fair? Hardly, but what can we do? At least you can stand behind her at an air show and admire her assets.

I would be pretty upset if I was in your position. Your photography is very good and to do air-to-air stuff is challenging because you are the person in charge of positioning both airplanes. Speaking strictly from a safety stand point, I wouldn't want to be in an airplane with a photographer that doesn't know what she is doing.

Yes to the first part, and maybe to the second...

I understand how the world works, and am not really upset, I actually find it kind of amusing, and just thought some others here could appreciate the story.



Thanks, and yeah, I'd love to get the opportunity to do some air to air shooting, but would also be stressed that I would screw something up, and it would end up wasting a lot of money.

Next air show your mission from me is to get a photo of this girl. I need to approve of her 'hotness'.

Seconded!

Ahem..uh..we'll need to see some photographs of this woman to properly judge whether her assets were what got her the invites. <cough>

BeachAV8R

Oh and...Short shorts, bikini, and semi-nude are the preferred judging criteria.. Carry on.

semi?!? F that. ;-)

Yes to all of the above.

Oh, and while you're there, try and get a flight seat as well. Maybe someone here can pull a few strings, talk to someone who knows someone...

"I have even donated shots to the organizers to use for promotional purposes."

That's the problem - you give photos for free, so no value is attached to your work. Send them a bill - you may never come back, but your children will eat for a month

Sorry guys, she's a co-worker and I don't really know her that well, so no photos.

And I wouldn't put her in the incredibly hot category, she's just fairly attractive, and that's a lot more interesting to the the pilots than a guy like me (not that I blame them).



Well, I'm sure that the pilots had no idea I had done that, so I don't think it would have made a difference - she just has much more of what they're interested in

The donation part was done through someone I know who worked with the organizer, and it was kind of a special favor just for him, and not something I normally do.

Ah I see - it is of course always useful if it opens doors or returns favours, but it can sometimes work against you in perceptions of value. It does of course depend whether you are doing it for fun or profit.

Hehe as you suggest, I think she's just turned them all into gibbering wrecks. You need to invest in a skirt and some eyeliner

Lipstick too.

But we can pass on the photos... No really, we insist....My eyess!!

I would probably look something like this:
http://inlinethumb32.webshots.com/29791/2328359610100752951S500x500Q85.jpg

I'd be very afraid of anyone that would attract...

Studies have shown that attractive people tend to get higher wages than an ugly person doing the same job. That's discrimination just as much as racial discrimination is. Ugly people of the world unite!
Oh, I'm considered attractive so can't join in the good fight.

As someone said above, taking a photographer aboard for Air2Air who is not experienced is simple unprofessional on the part of the people who make possible that flight. If they really care for high quality usable pictures which have value for marketing and promotional use, they need to use the person with the most experience. Also, does she even have an outlet to publish those pictures (magazine, website?). I understand how guys and pilots work, but I can only assume these are private aircraft since it would be a waste of tax payer money if we're talking Armed Forces public affairs here.

If it's any consolidation to you - in Austria it is currently pretty impossible to go A2A with the Army or any other government aircraft, and for private ones it's hard enough. The upside is that if you do manage to convince someone for a ride, you can be sure you got it based on past performance and quality of your work, not for tits.

Yeah, I think they were less interested in the photography and more interested in taking her for a ride.

Flip it on it's head. You're a fighter pilot. You have a snazzy flight suit, aviator glasses, and dammit, you're cool. In front of you stands a grizzled, world weary photographer with £3000 of Nikon/Canon round his neck and an eager and lithe young filly with a P&S.

Which would YOU take in the back seat?

Yeah, I don't blame them one bit, I just thought it was a funny story, the way things work out.

And to be fair, she does have a 5D Mark II, and these weren't military aircraft.

Since the Fighter Pilot doesn't pay for his own gas or aircraft maintenance, he needs to fly the guy who gets the job done, not the person with the better looking butt.

As this were private AC, all bets are obviously off and it's their expense (or their companies?). Can't blame them really if that was a private gig.

Don't Ask, Don't Tell

I always wondered what the oiled-up volleyball scene was about

Maybe they think she should become a member of the 'mile high club', lol.

Sorry about resurrecting this old thread, but I had to post an update. She went to the Reno Air Races and got to ride in a P-51 while she was there, and do some air-to-air stuff with other Mustangs.

I will say that she does a pretty good job on the photography. It's a little uneven, with some shots being out of focus or blurred, and others looking very nice, but overall, she does fairly well.

Maybe if I shaved my beard and wore a wig....

I feel your pain Ken.
No Really, I do.
But still no pictures of her ???
We need to know what is getting these pilots all hot and bothered.


Wheels

Is she even there in some official capacity (media/press) or how does this work?

It's absolutely a shame when guys with years of practice can't get a ride to safe their life, and then get beaten in the competition for online views by people with little experience but some kind of "in".

If it's any consolidation - there is not much skill involved in a straight one-vs-one Air2Air with two good pilots. Unless you start setting up your own shots, which she certainly won't be doing yet. One of the biggest oxymorons of the whole aviation photography scene is how incredible easy it is to get good pictures when you are in the right spot.

I think she just caught the attention of some pilots at an air show and got some invites.

Here's a few shots of hers:

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3510/3985479758_02d815fb67_b.jpg

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2622/3985471908_0d37f8a48d_b.jpg

Any recent run ins with your nemesis ?


Wheels