Time to meet another talented KelbyOne member. Introducing Tom Prezkop. He shoots landscapes, portraits, and more.

Can you tell us a little bit about your photo, “Imagine”?

The title came after I took the photos.  I sat up on the floor and looked closely at the planes interior for several minute.  Yes, the machine guns are impressive, so was the bombarders station at the very front.  Then I looked at the skin of the plane and it looked like an oil can as far as thickness and strength.  I thought about the 18, 19, 20 year old men who flew in these planes.  IMAGINE what they thought and felt knowing they were flying into enemy territory where fighter planes and anti-aircraft weapons were trying to shoot them down and kill them.  IMAGINE what it was like when you survived today’s mission and you knew that tomorrow or the next day, you had to face the same thing again.  I can’t imagine the thoughts and feelings, however, with this photograph, I try to honor all the men and women who have been placed in similar situations.

What gear or software did you use to create this image? 

This is the interior of an actual World War II Boeing B17 Bomber.  It’s nickname is the Flying Fortress.  The plane was parked on the tarmac at Scottsdale Airport in Scottsdale, AZ.  I took the picture at 11:30 AM in the middle of June, the worse time to take most photos with natural light – no flash or other lighting was used.  The light coming in the windows and hitting parts of the plane is what caught my eye.  When I stepped into the plane and looked thru the forward window, all I could see was asphalt, other planes and hangers.  I had to laid on the floor of the plane to eliminate all the “junk” and only have sky in the windows.  Laying on my side, I handheld my Sony A99 with a 24 to 70 lens set at 24mm and fired off several shots with varing exposures and framing.

How long have you been a KelbyOne member and what made you decide to become a member?

I have been a member of KelbyOne for 4, maybe 5, years and have truly learned a great deal from Scott, Matt K. and RC and  as well as the many guest instructors. A few of my favorites are Rick Sammon, Moose Peterson …”a moose in Africa,” Cliff Mautner, Dave Black, and Bill Fortney.  I’ve attended both of Scott’s road shows which came to Phoenix.  I even lead a local Worldwide Photo Walk in Phoenix last year.

To see more work from Tom, check out his website!