WIX dream Photo assignment outline
As a Kiwi photographer (New Zealander) my ultimate WIX dream
photo assignment would be a documentary photo shoot covering the action over
four weeks aboard the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), a Nimitz-class, nuclear-powered
supercarrier based at the United States Navy base in Yokosuka, Japan, as it
takes part in a major navel exercise out in the Pacific Ocean.
A nuclear Aircraft Carrier is a closed environment, only for
a select few photographers from outside the US Navy world, it would be a blast
and of major interest to all subscribers of WIX as we (WIX and I) document
visually ( on both Still and Video) the journey out to the carrier, the life
and action aboard the vessel during an intensive training period of deployment
and its return to port in Japan.
While many others will offer suggestions about their dream
assignments being top fashion shoots, expeditions, off the wall activities,
motorsport and travel scenarios, I am sure you will agree that one of the most
exciting photo assignments one could imagine would be to document the action
aboard an aircraft carrier.
The time of year for undertaking this dream assignment would
be up to the control of the US Navy Public Affairs Department but I am sure
there are plenty of exercises one can choose from.
The USN PAO would also need to vet the pictures )security
etc) but as I still at times work alongside armed forces so for me this isn’t a
problem, the goal is to produce a large body of visual work which will highlight
the dedication and solid work of the USN carrier fleets and at the same time
drive unique visitors to a major WIX site detailing the journey I am
undertaking though daily uploads, comments, videos and pictures, then following the assignment the compilation
of all the visual materials into a video documentary showing how the WIX Dream
photography assignment was undertaken and completed.
There is also a market for this story in photo magazines around the world further increasing the WIX media profile.
There is also a market for this story in photo magazines around the world further increasing the WIX media profile.
Life will be hard aboard a ship of this size, access will be
tough and the weather will play a major part in it all, but it can be done and
it is a very, very unique photo assignment.
All the main Bits
required: return airfares, accommodations and transfers from Dunedin NZ to Yokosuka
US Navy Base in Japan. Then in the hands of the USN PAO transfers to the USS Ronald
Reagan (CVN-76), Rations and Quarters for four or five weeks aboard the USS Ronald
Reagan (CVN-76), USN clearance to photograph as a foreign national media aboard
the USS Ronald Reagan (CVN-76), assistance from the USN PAO aboard the USS Ronald
Reagan (CVN-76) for internet access and assistance from their on-board PAO and
photo department staff,
Equipment bits required:
From Canon Japan, a MEDIA LOAN SET of 2x EOS 1 DX MKII camera bodies, 2 x EOS 4D MK4
Cameras and batteries chargers etc, a suite of lenses from 16mm zooms up to
600mm telephoto, to be picked up during transit in Japan.
From SanDisk: a good number of SanDisk 512Gb Extreme Pro
cards and card reader
A good brand lap top high spec (chase up HP for one) with
external multi-TB storage devices
Adobe software package suitable for image and video
production OR software support from Corel (Adobe hardly ever sponsor but Corel
would)
Internet access
Tripods and go pros to record my daily activities.
