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Paul Bowen: Aviation Photographer Extraordinaire

Artist is quick to remind that ‘pilots are the heroes’ of his aerial photo shoots.

[Credit: Paul Bowen]
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Key Takeaways:

  • Paul Bowen is a highly acclaimed commercial aviation photographer, active since the 1970s, renowned for his artistic air-to-air images featured on over 1,000 magazine covers and recognized as an influential figure in aviation.
  • His success stems from meticulous preplanning, clear communication, and a strong emphasis on teamwork with experienced pilots to safely execute complex formation flights from various specialized photo platforms.
  • Bowen's artistic and problem-solving approach involves optimizing shooting conditions, such as utilizing first and last light for contrast, and adapting to challenges, always prioritizing safety in every shoot.
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If you have ever seen an aviation magazine cover that looks more like a carefully composed work of art rather than an image of an aircraft in flight, you may have seen the work of Paul Bowen, a commercial aviation photographer based in Wichita, Kansas. Bowen’s career as an aviation photographer began in the 1970s.

“As a commercial photographer in Wichita, eventually you’ll see an airplane through your camera,” Bowen quipped.

Meg Godlewski

Meg Godlewski has been an aviation journalist for more than 24 years and a CFI for more than 20 years. If she is not flying or teaching aviation, she is writing about it. Meg is a founding member of the Pilot Proficiency Center at EAA AirVenture and excels at the application of simulation technology to flatten the learning curve. Follow Meg on Twitter @2Lewski.

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