Q: Who am I?

A: My name is Todd Vorenkamp. I am a 37 year old naval aviator flying in the United States Coast Guard, freelance writer, and amateur photographer.

PHOTOGRAPHY:

Q: What do I photograph?

A: My photography is all over the map. I simply photograph what appeals to my eye – whether it is the inspiration of an instant or an inspiration allowing me time to get a tripod and set up a shot. Most of the time I photograph what is around me at a given time. It is rare that I travel somewhere to get an image.

Q: Where do I live?

A: I currently live in Eureka, CA and am stationed at USCG Air Station Humboldt Bay.

Q: Why do I photograph?

A: Hobby.

Q: How do I get the images you see?

A: I have had no formal schooling in photography. Everything I have learned about taking photos I have learned through trial and error or from a few books on the subject.

Q: How did I get started in photography?

A: My grandmother gave me my first camera, a point-and-shoot Kodak that took 110 film. For high school graduation I asked for a SLR camera and got a Nikon 6006 with a Nikkor 50mm F1.8 lens. My father, an excellent amateur photographer, took me to Cotton Hollow park near our home in CT and showed me the basics of photograph - shutter speed, aperture, ISO, etc.
I shot with film until 2002 when I switched to digital. I was exposed to digital SLRs on board the USS Nimitz and I felt that the new medium made the most sense for me being stuck on ships for months at a time with no printing/developing capabilities.

Q: Who are my photographic inspirations?

A: My father would be my first. My favorite aviation photographers are Charles "CJ" “Heater” Heatley and Brian Shul [https://galleryonepublishing.com/sleddriver/] and many National Geographic photographers.

Q: Are the images for sale?

A: Sorry, no. I do not sell my photographs. I would like to eventually produce a photo book. Currently I photograph for pleasure and not to make a living. It would be nice to subsidize my investment in equipment, but I am content in knowing that I am pressing the shutter release to make an image that excites me and not a profit.

Q: What equipment do I use?

A: I shoot with Nikon digital SLR cameras. My first D-SLR was a Nikon D100. [D100 story coming soon…]
I then purchased a Nikon D1x and then a D70. I now shoot with a Nikon D300 and my D200 is a back-up body.
I use only Nikkor lenses. I currently have a 10.5 mm F2.8 fisheye, 17-55 F2.8, 50mm F1.4, 70-200 F2.8, 85mm F1.8, 105mm F2.8 macro, 105mm F2.0 DC, and a 500mm F8 mirror. I also have several Nikkor teleconverters.
Additionally, I have a Leica Televid 77 APO spotting scope with SLR adapter which is the equivalent of a 1000mm F11 lens.

The photographs on my site were captured with all of the above digital cameras with the addition of the Leica scope and Nikon 6006 film camera.

I hope you enjoy the photographs and images and snapshots.

Thank you for stopping by.

Todd Vorenkamp
Updated Jan 2011
Trvphoto.com