Angel 4

I spent the morning with my friends at Guardian Air shooting Angel 4. It was a bitter sweet assignment as the new chopper replaces Angel 1 which went down after a mid-air collision with another medical chopper on approach to Flagstaff Medical Center last month. Seven people died in the crash including a Guardian Pilot and Flight Nurse. I have shot for Guardian for the past seven years doing everything from calendar shoots to ride-alongs on rescue missions. The pilots, flight nurses and paramedics are all heroes in my eyes going into harms way to help those in distress. I'll never forget watching Rocky, a flight nurse, start an IV on a patient who had been injured in an ATV accident as the helicopter bounced around the sky on the way to the hospital.
I had two great pilots help me with the shoot by putting the chopper wherever I needed it. After making some images on the tarmac at the airport JD flew me over to Flagstaff Medical Center and dropped me off to get some approach shots from the landing pad.

Ken and Jen

Ken, Jen, Bryce and Daisy live in a great straw bale house surrounded by flowers. Ken and I used to work together as lifeguards in college years ago and bump into each other every couple of years. We had a great afternoon taking photos as Ken, Jen and the kids relaxed around their home.

Just for Kicks

Chuck Maize is training to become a professional kick boxer under coach John Pertuit. I got to play with my lights as Chuck worked out in the wrestling room at Coconino High School here in Flagstaff. It was a really dynamic shoot and Chuck put everything into the workout. After a half hour the sweat was exploding off him as he threw punches and kicks at the bag. Working at the newspaper enables me to meet all kinds of interesting people like Chuck and document slices of their lives.