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killagee

Air Force Photographer

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Hey All.

I am thinking about 'packing it all in', ie: quitting the Freelance Audio Engineer business, and joining the New Zealand Air Force as a photographer. It seems like a good way to mix my passion for Aeroplanes with my passion for photography. They have a world class 2 year photography course, then i would have to do 2 years active service after that.

http://www.airforce.mil.nz/careers/force/tradesheets/Photographer.pdf

What do you think guys?

How hard is basic training in the airforce? Will my age be a problem? (30)

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It'd be a dream job in my opinion. I love photography too and airforce as well , combine both and you got a knockout punch biggrin_o.gif .

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You mean they have an Air Force? tounge_o.gif

Hell yeah, don't pass that up! There won't be any planes to photograph much longer.... wink_o.gif

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awesome opportunity, being paid for what you really like to do must be the greatest biggrin_o.gif

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They always have the Kiwi's who act as reserve warplanes , destroy the enemy by sh@ting on their planes/carriers tounge_o.gif .

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Do it. You might regret it if you don't. Sounds like a great way to kill off a few years if you've got the time. And it's the air force, so it's not like it's a difficult life or anything. wink_o.giftounge_o.gif

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Sounds good Killagee. Personally, if/when I enlist in the Marines, Combat Photographer is going to be one of my top choices too.

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I would advise against it. The military (and in my experience, this is pretty much the same everywhere) is an incredibly inflexible organization ruled for the most part by morons. As a soldier, you can accept the necessity of that kind of structure. For a civilian or semi-civilian working for the military it is pure hell. You can forget about any creativity or artistic expressions.

Most likely you will be ordered by a captain to take a very specific type of pictures, with a very specific composition - in a manner that the captain thinks will please his superiors. Ass kissing up, shit floats down.

In addition there's a significant chance that you'll be yelled at and treated like shit. Now while that might even be character building for a 19 year old, are you sure you want to subject yourself to that?

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I thought you was talking about getting into PLC at one time Harnu?

Not that I remember tounge_o.gif

Pretty much had my head set on Combat Engineer for a #1 for a while now.

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Quote[/b] ]I would advise against it. The military (and in my experience, this is pretty much the same everywhere) is an incredibly inflexible organization ruled for the most part by morons. As a soldier, you can accept the necessity of that kind of structure. For a civilian or semi-civilian working for the military it is pure hell. You can forget about any creativity or artistic expressions.

There's plnety of that in the civilian world too. I've experienced it working on both sides.

And I know there's plenty of room for artistic expression if the basic mission is being taken care of. Cooks feed people, and yet manage to make the food appealing.

While in the Navy, I knew people who were combat phtotogs. Their work was always featured in the ships newspaper, and decorated the department walls onboard. It wasn't grainy, black and white, low resolution work. They had decent equipment, and knew how to get excellent work out of it.

They saw amazing things, and met hundreds of exciting, interesting people. I was always quite jealous of them actually.

Quote[/b] ]Most likely you will be ordered by a captain to take a very specific type of pictures, with a very specific composition - in a manner that the captain thinks will please his superiors. Ass kissing up, shit floats down.

Like a newspaper, or magazine photrapher? Oh man, what a downer. The degredation of it all is apalling.

Quote[/b] ]In addition there's a significant chance that you'll be yelled at and treated like shit. Now while that might even be character building for a 19 year old, are you sure you want to subject yourself to that?

Well perhaps he's tough enough to handle a little discipline, and survive the experience just as millions of men all over the world, and throughout history have done. In bootcamp, I had a company commander kick me in the face with a steel-toed boondocker for folding a raincoat wrong.

I survived that.

Somehow I don't think the worst that New Zealand's Air Force can dish out in training could be all that bad. wink_o.gif

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Hey, Killagee. After seeing various photos you've taken and posted here on the forum, I think you should definitely pursue it.

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I say go for it smile_o.gif I've seen ya photos and there very good.

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Thanks for your advice guys. I think the main thing that i am afraid of is the lifestyle change. I have been self-employed for 10 years, and in rock and roll you dont have to get up at 6am very often...

But the sort of technical photography training offered is possibly un-matched... After the four years i am sure i would be very employable yes?

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and in rock and roll you dont have to get up at 6am very often...

No but you normally go to bed then in Rock n Roll wink_o.giftounge_o.gif

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If you think you're prepared for such a change in lifestyle, why not give it a go, and good luck to ya. smile_o.gif

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Thanks for your advice guys. I think the main thing that i am afraid of is the lifestyle change. I have been self-employed for 10 years, and in rock and roll you dont have to get up at 6am very often...

But the sort of technical photography training offered is possibly un-matched... After the four years i am sure i would be very employable yes?

You'll definately be better equipped to take on anything you want to pusue, because what doesn't kill ya, only makes you stronger.

Here in the 'States, you'd become part of the "Old Boys Network." The military takes care of it's own, and you'd probably recieve some preferential treatment from future employers because of ( posistive ) past military experience.

It's worked for me.

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Changing career is always a risk, and at 30 years old a decision must be well though, i reckon a career in the air force will give you more in long term future benefits than the music business.

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Hmm dont take this the wrong way, it seems like a nice job but .... Doesnt NZ have a rather spartan airforce? Just some rotary wing A/c and some Orions ? I remember you guys having A-4's which are cool but those were phased out. Also outside of cargo aircraft you are pretty outside of the "Shipping lanes" as military A/C from allies go. How many times can you take a picture of a chopper and not feel dirty? wink_o.gif It would get you lots of chances to fly along though which is cool smile_o.gif

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