Photojournalism Archives

Thunderbirds spotted in Ozarks skies

May 12, 2009 by John L. Dengler

My photography career has intersected with aviation many times. For stories, I’ve been in hot air balloons, rode with helicopter traffic reporters, flown in a glider, done aerial photography from “doors-off” helicopters, flown in an open cockpit of the Red Baron Squad, flown in the Goodyear Blimp and experienced a scary incident with an electrical fire in a four-seater plane. I’ve also done stories on F-15 test pilots, and once in the early years of my career stupidly attached remote-controlled cameras to an acrobatic pilots plane (great photos, but I was sure lucky they didn’t come off). I’ve even had a helicopter pilot that I was flying with land his helicopter in a McDonald’s parking lot because he wanted lunch (I reminded him that I didn’t think they had a “fly-thru” window).

Enough ancient history — so, despite the threat of rain in the afternoon, I was drawn to photographing these “birds” even if they were of the metal variety. I packed light and mobile for the event. I left the 600mm at home and instead opted to use my 70-200mm and when needed, a 1.4 teleconverter. Festival-type shooting always requires you to move easily and quickly through crowds. To this end, I carried my equipment in a couple of ThinkTank pouches attached to their Racing Harness and Steroid Belt.

Air shows are always fun, and challenging to shoot. You have a variety of different aircraft, flying at vastly different speeds. You might need the fastest shutter speed your camera offers to capture the just below speed of sound pass of a fighter jet, or a significantly slower speed to capture the ever so slight blur of a propeller (nothing worse than to “freeze” a propeller — making the plane look like it has lost power).

Air shows also force you to anticipate and be prepared to react to any unexpected action. If you haven’t already begun tracking the plane when it is early inbound, and, figured out what it might do on the pass, and where that is likely to happen, you’re going to miss the shot. That anticipatory thinking led to my getting a photo of two of the F-16 Thunderbirds appearing to be flying in unison. Another time was when I noticed the odd shuffling of spectators by event organizers near the airport runway during the A-10 Thunderbolt II demonstration. I knew something was up but didn’t have a clue, but suspected the action was going to be on the ground and not the air. While I was surprised as everyone else. KABOOM! I was in the right position and focused in the right spot.

TOP PHOTO: Two Lockheed Martin F-16 “Fighting Falcon” jets from the United States Air Force Demonstration Squadron–better known as the “Thunderbirds” demonstrate the precision flying for which they are known during the air show at the new Branson Airport, in Branson, Mo. The The Branson Airport, is the first privately financed and operated commercial service airport in the United States. Photographed using a Nikon D3, using Nikon 70-200mm f2.8 lens with Nikon TC-14E II 1.4x teleconverter. Image capture: 1/1000 at f5.6, EV – 1.7, ISO 200.

ABOVE: A Fairchild-Republic A-10 Thunderbolt II “Warthog” jet from the United States Air Force makes a pass after a fiery simulated bombing run during the air show at the new Branson Airport in Branson, Mo. The pyrotechnic display was by Rich’s Incredible Pyro.. Photographed using a Nikon D3, using Nikon 70-200 mm f2.8 lens. Image capture: 1/1000 at f4.5, EV -1.7, ISO 200

To license image, click image. To see our collection of fine art prints, click here.

My new life adventure

December 12, 2008 by John L. Dengler

Today was my last day at the Springfield News-Leader. Like many in the newspaper industry, I decided to take the opportunity of a voluntary “buyout” to start a new career. Major cuts to staff were being called for and I figured it was a good opportunity to move on. After 13 years as a staff photographer at the St. Louis Globe-Democrat, and 21 years at the News-Leader as a graphics editor, design editor, and magazine art director I will start a new life adventure. The focus of my new adventure will be devoting myself full-time to marry my passion for photography with the outdoors.

I’ve had a great time at the News-Leader getting to work with some real pros. I’ve always been amazed that I was responsible for leading a team of artists when I couldn’t even come in last place in a stick-figure drawing competition. I guess it is testament to my belief that visuals, no matter what the medium, can be used to tell a story, whether it is an infographic, illustration, or a photo story. The same principles for good story telling hold true for all these mediums and that was my test in what we accomplished — tell a story and make me smarter.

John’s Rules:

Let the people doing the actual creating of the work be involved in the idea process
Outline a box and stand back and be amazed what others will build in the box
You’re a journalist first, artist second, report what you need yourself
Reward good work with the right tools for the job
Read the manual!
A wack from a bowling pin is a good motivator (inside joke)
It’s all about your staff, not you
Treat people with the same respect you would want from others
Never settle for “good enough”

I never would have been able to accomplish what I did without the help of my colleagues who at some point in their careers made their home in the graphics playpen AKA “the cave.” To them I owe a big thanks, no make that a gigantic thanks!

Finally, to the countless newsroom staff whom I said “Oh my god!” (as if it was something incredibly bad, when in reality was just the opposite). I’m not really sorry. It was too much fun to pull.

ABOVE: The St. Louis Globe-Democrat city room in 1938 — no, I’m not that old! But I did work with quite a few of the folks pictured. The man to the right of the door in the background is Howard Vogt. Howard was the manager for the photo department for many of the years I worked at the Globe. The chief photographer at that time is Pete Hangge (man with hat in the center of the photo). The man in the hat to the left of the calendar is rumored (but not confirmed) to be George A. Killenberg. George was managing editor of the paper when I worked at the Globe and was the person who took a chance on hiring me when I was only 19 years old.

This photo comes by way of former Globe-Democrat reporter Margaret Sheppard who passed the image on to other Globe staffers via her email list. Former Globe-Democrat feature writer Susan Fadem obtained the actual photo from Herb Waeckerle.

International Harvester photojournalism book on press

August 27, 2008 by John L. Dengler

It’s hard to believe that after what has seemed like an eternity, the book that Angus McDougall and I have been working on the past several years has finally gone to press. “Pacesetters in Corporate Journalism: International Harvester magazines–reaching readers through photojournalism” is a 294 page book that gives insight to the editorial philosophy of the International Harvester magazines and firsthand knowledge as to how they operated. The book has reproduced pages from the magazines that are accompanied by background information on them by “Mac” who was the associate editor and photographer for the magazines during the 1950s and 1960s.

The back cover blurb: “… The compelling, storytelling lessons learned by the International Harvester magazines are applicable to any media. Few corporate magazines connected with their readers like those produced by International Harvester in the 1950s and 1960s. With content that rivaled mainstream magazines like LIFE magazine, International Harvester World and IH Today took readers into the lives of International Harvesters employees from CEOs to factory workers, from behind the scenes at hard-nosed union negotiations to tender moments with employee loved ones. The magazines set standards for visual and corporate journalism. Under the direction of editors Gerald D. Hurley and Angus McDougall, International Harvester World and IH Today soon became pacesetters in corporate journalism. They became known for text that was tightly integrated with candid photography in clean, uncluttered layout. They set standards for visual journalism in their commitment to unbiased reporting.”

Yesterday, I met Mac and David Rees, head of the photojournalism sequence at the Missouri School of Journalism at the Watkins Lithographic printing plant in Kansas City to oversee the initial printing (which will take several days). Dave Mullies, and Tom Daniels were most gracious to allow us to pepper them and the press crew with questions and comments during the printing.

My advice to anyone doing a book project is to make sure you attend the starting of the press. There is no question in my mind that showing up for the press run, asking questions, and asking for tweaks in the presswork helped Watkins Lithographic highly skilled press staff ensure they were giving us the best possible printing.

Yes, you might get a better deal on the printing cost by printing in China, but I can guarantee you that if you show up at the plant, talk with the pressman, work with them with what you are looking for in reproduction and just show that you care, you will get a much superior job. Showing up as we did is something you can’t do (or at least easily) if you offshore your printing.

ABOVE: John L. Dengler (left) and Angus W. McDougall (center) review a press proof with an unidentified pressman at Watkins Lithographic in Kansas City, Mo. McDougall and Dengler were at the pressrun to oversee the printing of their book “Pacesetters in Corporate Journalism: International Harvester magazines–reaching readers through photojournalism” – Photo by David Rees

LINK to story on Angus McDougall:
Angus McDougall to Receive Missouri Honor Medal

UPDATE – Where to purchase the book: Pacesetters in Corporate Journalism, published by the Missouri School of Journalism – Photojournalism, is available directly from the School of Journalism by contacting the Missouri School of Journalism photojournalism department, 573-882-4882.

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Thunderbirds spotted in Ozarks skies

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International Harvester photojournalism book on press

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