We’re here on O’ahu working on a project but managed to squeeze in some time to reflect on our history. Jake had never been to the Arizona Memorial so while we waited for our time to sail over to it, we took in the pretty new Pacific Aviation Museum. We actually love visiting new museums for many reasons, one is the business side of photography.
The PAM is on Ford Island, where the first bomb from the attach on Pearl struck on 07 Dec, 1941. This is the old tower which that survived the attack and still stands over the field. You look south and go 100yards, you come to the USS Missouri and go a few hundred yards east and you come to the resting place of the USS Arizona. Hangar 37 the is the primary portion of the museum was right in the thick of it that fateful morning. That’s what the museum in part is all about.
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How do you bring that story across photographically? When you have bus load after bus load of visitors cruising through, how do you even make a photo to begin to tell a story to meet that challenge? That’s what was going through my mind as I made my clicks. I wanted to tell the story of this museum and its mission in just three clicks. And at first, the hoards got to me but then I just started to read more and be patient. As I cruised I came to this SBD Dauntless and as I walked around the plane I noticed the cool display lighting. And that was it, the light!
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When I came around to this side and looked through the lens, you couldn’t tell I was in a museum or this was an exhibit. They’ve done a marvelous job making it feel and appear as if you are in a hangar during WWII prior to the attack. All I had to do was frame up the photo taking advantage of the lighting, finish with Nik Silver Efex Pro and keep on looking. The Pacific Aviation Museum is really worth your time and support. And any photographic challenge you can set for yourself in which you find solutions and success is especially always worth your time to explore. It’s how your move your photography one more step down the road!
Photos captured by D3x, 14-24AFS on Lexar UDMA digital film