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News & Media Portfolio: John Fleck

Portfolio: John Fleck

Front-row seat

October 1, 2016
Photographer John Fleck assumed he’d follow in his father’s footsteps and become an architect, but a photography class in college changed his mind—and his life’s direction. “I think the sense of architectural design tends to impact my images,” he says.  “When I look back I am surprised I did not become a pilot; my dad always had an airplane or two. Most of my friendships and relationships have been formed with some connection to aviation. I love being airborne and have learned to trust others with the flying. They offer me the gift of flight. It’s a front-row seat to adventure.”

John Fleck

  • John Fleck
    Billy Werth flying his Pitts Special.
  • John Fleck
    On the road in Indiana. “I’ve always been fascinated with the wind energy farms in northern Indiana. I was traveling the backroads when I came across Haverfield Aviation doing power line construction. This has to be one of the more dangerous jobs in the world. No time to even scratch an itch.”
  • John Fleck
    John Fleck (on right). “My favorite phrase that reflects my life and photography is ‘along the way.’ Life is a journey, and the best way to retain and share the experience is visually or with words—or both. Most of us photograph to tell a story. And those fortunate enough to be able to make a living in photography are truly blessed.”
  • John Fleck
    NFL Super Bowl 2012 in Indianapolis. “As part of the Super Bowl in Indianapolis, I was contracted to document the aircraft activity at the airport. It was great having perfect weather, total access to the airport, and a boom truck. There were more than 600 private, charter, and military aircraft taking up every available space at Indianapolis International Airport and surrounding airports.”
  • John Fleck
    Indianapolis airport. “Winter storm advisory—we were doing a story on snow removal at the airport and there was a big storm coming in. This is one of the coolest shots I got that day. This is not a common view for me. I’m usually on the inside looking out when the deicing takes place.”
  • John Fleck
    Col. Paul “Max” Moga, USAF F–22 Raptor Demo Team. “It took many months to try and arrange the shoot, but it all boiled down to being at the right place at the right time, as well as the understanding pilot and crew chief. I wanted to try something different with the portrait. Not sure Max ever really liked the photo as much as I did.”
  • John Fleck
    Stearman over Omaha Beach. “As part of the press contingent during the 2014 seventieth anniversary of D-Day in Normandy, France, I had some opportunities of a lifetime. On June 7, after the airspace above the Normandy American Cemetery and Memorial reopened, Patrick Errant, Olivier Errant, Rick Ropkey, and I were allowed to fly over Omaha Beach in a formation photo flight.”
  • John Fleck
    MiG-17 owned by David Burdine. “Reach out and touch someone—I love the feel of this photo of David Burdine’s MiG–17, photographed during the Indianapolis Airshow in 2001.”

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