Well, last week was my birthday and Katie (my girlfriend) got me pretty much the best present ever. A helicopter ride over Philadelphia. I have always wanted to fly in a helicopter so it was the perfect gift. The best part is that it was a small three seater with no doors!!! Which let me hangout the side!!! Unfortunately it was kinda a hazy and a overcast day, but here are a few pictures i snapped on the way. We took off from the northeast and flew down to Center City and back. It was awesome!!!!

Katie looking Silly! (I think she was a bit nervous at first)

The lovely NorthEast

Brooke (our pilot) has been flying since she was 16. Her dads down the company.

Its fun flying over rush hour. Suckas!

My foot, then about 600ft down to an industrial plant.

Gotta pay respect to Temple University.

The Philadelphia Skyline (with the parkway and city hall visible).

Logan Square (yes square, not circle).

Flying by the building reminded me of the Old Action News opening. Very cool.

City Hall.

Ben Franklin Bridge.

Tug boat on the Delaware river.

I just return from a two week trip covering both the DNC and RNC. It was a very tiring but worth-wild two weeks. Seeing history in the making was worth the lack of sleep, delayed flights and typical airport security hassles. Here are a few pictures I managed to snap off in-between my duties as Director of Photography for the Independent Film Channel. Also, noticed how these photos are water marked with a copyright? Well thats because I have discovered that various people have been ripping off my photos, including major publications such as the National Review Online. Not Cool.

The highlights/interesting events of the DNC included Obama’s acceptance speech, Bill Clinton’s speech, meeting Ted Koppel and Charlie Rose, staying in a really hooked up house. The downsides to the DNC was lack of good coffee available, having to lug my gear 1/2 mile each day because of the security barriers and far away parking lots, having to have three different kinds of press passes just to get onto the floor of the DNC, staying in a hooked up house but pretty much only being there while sleeping.

The highlights/interesting events of the RNC included interviewing Joe Klein (TIME), Ralph Nader, Howard Wolfson, and also being denied several times by Karl Rove. The RNC had much better media logistics then the DNC and also better coffee. The downside to the RNC was having to hear the “U-S-A” and “Drill Baby Drill” chant a hundred times. Oh, and also Palin’s speech.

This photo is made up of about 30 images total to give a very wide view of Invesco Field. This was shot shortly before Obama took the stage.

This was shot while Biden was speeking.

This is a panoramic from inside the Pepsi Center.

Although we were fully credentialed for the DNC, it was still one of the most difficult media events I have ever shot.

CNN was fully present with their own restaurant.

Like said, one of my highlights of the trip was meting Ted Koppel.

Oh, another highlight was seeing history in the making.

Obama on my LCD screen.

American Flag at the DNC.

RNC RNC RNC

Panoramic of the RNC stage right before John McCain took the stage.

Excel Center.

The RNC had the best signs out of both conventions.