As of September 17, 2026, my air show season has come to a close. This could certainly change, but as of now, I am done. It has been eye-opening and more than I could have imagined. Only a few years ago, I decided to go to a show in NJ, more specifically the NJ Air Show. I never thought I would get so heavily involved. What do I mean by heavily involved, exactly?
Well, for starters, I am proud to now be one of the photographers for the NJ Air Show, which is really cool. I went to SUN ‘n FUN in April and met some pretty awesome people (IYKYK), who I still talk to often. I even met people I had only communicated with via text or email, and it was super cool putting faces to names. SUN ‘n FUN was not only a lot of fun but SUPER tiring. I ended up with 17,000 pictures over a week’s time. And this was only the start of the season for me.
What I didn’t know was what the universe had in store for me. But do we ever? I ended up meeting an air show pilot and his wife through a friend, and we started working together on HIS shows and some other cool stuff we have in the works. This, to me, was possibly the highlight of the year. I was able to travel outside of NJ for an air show and really see how much work goes into a show, and BOY, is it a lot! It is also really cool to interact with other pilots and everyone else involved. This is special to me, and I hold this relationship dear to my heart. Seeing where I can help and interacting with others is something I don’t take lightly, and I hope to continue this work and build my skill set to become a better photographer.
A friend recently said, “You are doing more than I thought you would with aviation. You once said this was something to just get you out of the house.” I laughed and said, “You’re right, it was supposed to be just that, but it has turned into something more, and the journey is incredible.”
Most of all, it has taught me patience. Not everything will come together overnight or in a day. There will be times you have to come up with stuff on the fly. Sometimes it turns out great, and sometimes it doesn’t. I was delayed in Chicago a few weeks ago, and funny enough, I was able to explain what was going on to other passengers who didn’t understand. I think it’s because I’m so involved now that I can relate.
I also often think of my grandfather, who LOVED planes. I really wonder what our conversations would have been like if he had known I was this involved. I am sure he’s watching and loving every minute of my interactions within this world.
