My passion for aviation photography began in childhood, growing up near Moffett Field in California's Bay Area. Living directly in the landing pattern meant I watched P-3 Orions fly overhead daily, their distinctive silhouettes etched into my earliest memories. But it was my first airshow at Moffett Field that changed everything.
Seeing aircraft perform was incredible, but watching the Blue Angels fly their F-4 Phantoms in perfect precision formation was simply breathtaking. I was hooked. From that moment forward, I've been captivated by airshows and military aircraft, drawn to the raw power, precision, and artistry of aviation.
In 1985, the unthinkable happened—the Blue Angels had a mid-air collision. How could pilots so skilled, so precise, possibly collide? This question haunted me. Years later, I met someone who had photographed that exact collision. Seeing that sequence of photos—from moments before impact through the aftermath—was truly amazing photography. I knew then that someday, I wanted to capture moments like that.
I started shooting aviation events with a digital camera at the Reno Air Races in 2013 and various other airshows, but it remained a passionate hobby. The turning point came in 2018 while working as a broadcast engineer at ABC10 in Sacramento. After covering an airshow, I showed my photos to co-workers who suggested posting them on the ABC10 website. We did—and that was the moment aviation photography became serious for me.
Since 2018, my photos have been featured on three of the four major network TV stations in the Sacramento area: ABC10, CBS13, and Fox40. Each publication validated my work and pushed me to capture even better images.
I currently work as a broadcast engineer at CBS Sacramento (KOVR/KMAX duopoly), where I maintain and operate critical broadcast systems including running network and SDI cables, installing equipment like Harmonic encoders, and ensuring seamless on-air operations during the 1pm-11:30pm shift.
My technical expertise and deep understanding of military aircraft stem from my service in the United States Marine Corps, where I worked as an aviation maintenance technician on F/A-18 Hornets. This hands-on experience gave me intimate knowledge of these incredible machines—knowledge that informs every photograph I take today.
Over the years, I've been fortunate to photograph some truly rare and historic aircraft:
My aviation photography has been featured on major Sacramento news outlets:
WOLF10851 represents my callsign in the aviation photography community—a name that's become synonymous with high-quality airshow and military aircraft photography in Northern California. Each photo in this collection represents not just technical skill, but a deep passion for aviation that began as a child watching those P-3s overhead and continues with every shutter click today.
With over 9,000 photos captured across 10+ years of serious aviation photography, this collection offers:
Thank you for visiting WOLF10851 Photography. Clear skies and tail winds!