Photo of the Day: First Lady Obama's Visit to the Suncoast

First Lady Michelle Obama made a stop on the Suncoast today for a Democratic fundraiser on the Sarasota Bayfront. Obama's SUV seen here was travelling through Sarasota on the way to the private residence on the bay. The Sarasota stop was the second of three Florida stops for the First Lady, sandwiched between Tampa in the morning and West Palm Beach in the afternoon. (Photo: January 26, 2012)

Photo of the Day: Wildcat

The Wildcat is one of eleven roller coasters at Hersheypark in Central Pennsylvania. Located in the Midway America portion of the park, it was built based on the parks original rollercoast by the same name that was popular in the park from 1923-1945. The new Wildcat opened in 1996 and features an 85 foot drop that helps the coaster reach speeds of 50 miles per hour. (Photo: August 29, 2005)

Wal-Mart Corporate Jet

A private jet owned by Wal-Mart departs Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. The corporate jet is a Learjet 45, a business jet manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace and costs around $11.5 million. (Photo: December 20, 2011)

Photo of the Day: Ellis Island

Ellis Island was the gateway for many of immigrants who sought a new life in America. Opened in 1900, Ellis Island served as the entry point for over 12 million immigrants. (Photo: August 28, 2005)

Photo of the Day: Netherlands Inn and Spa

Nestled in the heart of Amish Country, the Netherlands Inn and Spa is a quaint little hotel located in Strasburg. The rooms are furnished with handcrafted furniture, providing a local touch. (Photo: August 28, 2005)

Photo of the Day: Indianapolis Colts Gulfstream

Indianapolis Colts owner Jim Irsay's private jet departs Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport on Friday afternoon. The jet's visit to the Suncoast sparks interest amongst Colts fans as they are currently in the market for a new head coach.(Photo: January 20, 2012)

Photo of the Day: NYPD Museum

A retro NYPD blue patrol car sits outside the First Precinct in lower Manhattan. The historic first precinct is the home to the NYPD Museum. The museum houses over 160 years of police history within its walls. (Photo: August 27, 2005)

Photo of the Day: New York Brownstones

A row of brownstone homes line a residential street in New York City. Brownstone is a sandstone that was popular building block in early NYC history. Many of the popular residential neighborhoods are lined with rows of brownstone homes. (Photo: August 28, 2005)

Photo of the Day: Incredible Hulk

The big green Incredible Hulk towers over the entrance to Madame Tussauds NYC. The life-like wax figure is one of hundreds realistic figures located inside the Times Square museum. (Photo: August 25, 2005)

Photo of the Day: Jet Blue

A Jet Blue Airbus departs from Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport. Jet Blue operates a fleet of 169 aircraft comprised of Airbus A320 and Embraer 190. Each aircraft has a unique name and one of several distinct tail patterns. The jet seen here is named "Blues Just Want To Have Fun" and features the "Barcode" tail scheme. (Photo: December 13, 2011)

Photo of the Day: Martin Luther King Jr

The nation takes time to honor Dr Martin Luther King Jr today. Dr King's impact on the civil rights movement, helped shape the country into equality. At Madame Tussauds DC, you can see a life-like wax statue of Dr. King in a re-creation of the famous "I Have A Dream" speech on the National Mall. (Photo: February 15, 2009)

Aircraft Photography

As many of you that follow the site may have already noticed, there has been an increase in aircraft related photos on the website. This is response to my newest hobby, aircraft photography.

I was introduced to aircraft photography thanks to the excellent photos by a friend of mine, Craig Landefeld. (you can view his photos on his Facebook page “Gate to Gate”) Since then, I have been hooked. Aircraft photography is much different then my normal photos. It is challenging and the results are rewarding. I liken it to collecting baseball cards, while you know that what you have bought, you never know what’s inside the pack or what special edition card may be awaiting you inside the foil wrapper. Aircraft photography is the same way, the flight schedule may show an AirTran Boeing 717-200 landing at 10:00 but what you will not know is whether or not it will be a standard jet or a special livery jet such as the Ravens One. And don’t forget about the flights that don’t make the flight schedule such as military training missions by the US Coast Guard or US Air Force. Much like a collection of baseball cards, the gallery of aircraft photos take on a collection of their own as I try to get as many different airline, aircraft types and different liveries.

To showcase these photos, I will be posting an article and gallery for each airport I visit. I will also spotlight an aircraft photo each Tuesday as part of the Photo of the Day feature. Sometime in the future, I will do an article on my favorite spotting locations and show you where these photos have been taken.

I am still a beginner in the process, but I am enjoying it every step of the way. With each trip to the airport, I am getting better at it and the collection of photos continues to grow. The aircraft photography is just another chance for me to combine my love of photography with my fascination of flight.

You can click on the photo above to view my aircraft photo gallery.

Photo of the Day: Gulf Islands

The Gulf Islands dot the coast as our flight to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport comes to an end. The turquoise waters of the gulf gave way to the beaches of the Suncoast. This photo was taken during the final moments of our flight into SRQ, on approach to Runway 14 from the northwest. (Photo: August 31, 2005)

Photo of the Day: Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department.

The lime green trucks of the Nokomis Volunteer Fire Department have been protected the Nokomis community since 1950. The volunteers of the department staff two fire stations 24/7 and provide fire suppression service and EMS assistance to the residents of Nokomis, Laurel, Osprey and Casey Key. The NVFD also operates a fire academy that not only trains their personnel but is a training ground for many of the firefighters that are with the surrounding fire departments. (Photo: September 24, 2005)

Photo of the Day: SheiKra

Get ready to for the plunge as you take flight on SheiKra at Busch Gardens Tampa Bay. Built to resemble a bird of prey stalking its victim, SheiKra feature a 90 degree 200-foot drop to get you started. (Photo: July 24, 2005)