Faux Macho

Two F-16s fly over Memorial Stadium after the Marching Illini played the Star Spangled Banner on Saturday, Oct. 10, 2009. (Ned Mulka/The Daily Illini)

Again I got the chance to go up in a plane over campus, this time in a B-17 Bomber instead of a Piper Archer 3-4 seater.

It was just amazing to stick my head out of the top of the plane and look around – briefly because at 160 mph I’m not THAT crazy.

Any DI photogs reading this should note the benefits of being photo editor and staying to shoot over the summer, APPLY TODAY.

Images Copyright Ned Mulka/The Daily Illini July 8, 2010

While waiting at the gate for my plane yesterday morning, I read the textbook on photojournalism I purchased a few weeks ago. I was reading the chapter on photo stories and  felt the urge to do a little story on my travel, especially since there was a good chance I was going to miss my connecting flight in Denver. That didn’t happen, but I did make a few interesting photos.

Images Copyright Ned Mulka, March 24, 2010

I was told on Sunday that there was a story about flying running later in the week as soon as the weather was good enough to fly. I had mixed feelings about shooting it; it was definitely one of the more prized assignments out there, but with no time scheduled, I couldn’t assign it and only found out the time hours before we took off. Beginning to end the assignment took almost three hours right in the middle of the day so I doubt anyone else even had the time to shoot it.

There were many challenges, like shooting through the haze, the glare on the windows, and being right on top of the wing, but I enjoyed the half hour in the air.

Here is the audio slideshow of the flight

Image Copyright Ned Mulka/The Daily Illini Sept. 21, 2009