Has Mark Fallen Off the Face of the Earth (?)..........

No ladies and gents, Mark has not fallen off the face of the Earth, nor was he mobbed by the crowds at the Royal Wedding.  He in fact has been HARD at work capturing amazing imagery.  For almost a month and a half Mark has spent many days (and long nights) creating portraits of  Alberta STARS VIP's (Very Important Patients) or being “on call”.  As the "Mission Photographer", he was tasked with capturing candid, accurate and artistic med evac photos for the 2012 STARS Calendar.  In order to accomplish this task, Mark has been riding along with the crews in the aircraft and staying on base in Grand Prairie, Edmonton and Calgary, where he continued to be considered part of the STARS family. Unfortunately all of his images are regarded as UBER confidential and will have to debut with the Calendar 2012 release in July of this year.

Don’t worry though, it has not been ALL work and NO play for Mark.  He has found some time to work (two weekends) with the Calgary Stampeder’s cheer team.  Considered as "grueling work", Mark spent time documenting the Outriders tryout process.  I know poor guy!  Mark also took a time out and traveled to Vancouver for a weekend to attend his long time friend Waldy Martens’ photography show opening "Private Parts" at the Lumen Gallery.  The price of admission for Mark was assistance lighting and hanging Waldy's show,  and as you can see the two buddies did a fantastic job.  Below you will find shots of both the tryouts and the opening.  Enjoy and more to come as Mark is a man of the go and is off to his next big adventure as we speak.
Until then…

Charli

Abu Dhabi Adventure.....

On Mark’s latest trip to Dubai, he had the privilege of photographing the Abu Dhabi Police Department’s Agusta Westland 139. They do have more than one AW 139 at the department, but for security reasons Mark cannot disclose just how many or where they are kept*.  This is a follow up mission from 2009 when Mark first photographed their newest AW 139 after meeting with the police department at the 2008 Dubai Helishow.

*In case you did not know already Mark is quite the “Secret Agent Man”!  As last week he was photographing security operations at an undisclosed Canadian Airport.  That project unfortunately cannot be illustrated here, but lets just say your checked bag WILL always be x-rayed thoroughly at the airport. He's not quite as smoothe as James Bond though, as his heart did eventually re-start after a siren started screaming in a secured area; he thought he tripped the radioactivity alarm...Yikes!

The first shoot in 2009 was with only one aircraft so there were no aerials.  Mark wanted to obviously shoot the aircraft on its own in one of his famous “sunset” shots that have become the essence of his style.  The police department  threw a wrench into Mark’s plan by requesting that helicopter be featured in front of the Emirates Palace Hotel.  Mark reluctantly agreed to this as the "hotel" in all it's splendor would most certainly block the sunset! 

It was not long after they arrived at the Palace Hotel and Mark started taking pictures on the manicured helipads as well as capturing a couple of group shots, when hotel security suddenly motored out- explaining that hotel “had specifically owned the rights to the view”.  All Mark knew was Major Mohammed greeted the guards and in no time they drove away.  Guess National Security trumps any copyright infringements!
 
From what Mark describes, the crew included a couple af skeptical pilots. When the sunset behind the hotel and Mark asked to be flown to a non descript - "clean horizon" not far away to sneak in a few more end of the day shots, he was greeted with some Arabic grumbles and puzzelment (but not from his friend Major Mohammed).  It was either the fact that they thought he was crazy or that it was currently the Muslim observance of Ramadan and everyone had been fasting ALL day, waiting for sunset to arrive.  Mark really showed them and you will see below a shot of Major Mohammed holding the flash. At the conclusion of the shoot and sunset, they all flew back immediately to the base where the Base Commander was  hosting “Iftar” feast that night. A reward after a long day of coordinating one final image.

Technically speaking these photographs utilize only the equipment Mark can put in his flight suit pockets or around his neck. Weight for a civilian passenger in most Med-Evac situations limit him to approximately 225lbs including his camera, flashes with booster batteries, steel toed boots, flight helmet and his belly. These two projects were shot with a Canon EOS 1Ds Mark III and one Canon 580 EXII flash with an infrared trigger. A sunset filter is partially utilized, but the sunset has a 90 second window that makes the elements of filtration, the power of the flash, recharging time of the flash, the intensity of the sun, and the ideal shutter speed of 125th for the rotors to look in motion to make it all come together. Alot of elements to coordinate, especially when you are dealing with a very hungry crew.
 
Now flash forward to 2010, and Mark finds himself back above the Emirates Palace Hotel.  This time of course there were no altercations with hotel security and Mark was able to complete his shoot with the ADPD Airwing.  And with two aircrafts involved, Mark was able to capture shots of the AW139 flying in front of the hotel.  You will see some of these images below.  A repeat performance out at the original island from 2009 was also achieved. Also included are some amazing views of the city.  Note the fact that is very hard to find any signs of “recession” in Abu Dhabi.  Mark would like to send a special “Thank You” to Maj. Mohammed and Maj. Ali for their assistance with this project.
 
Until next time…"Enshala"
Charli

Original sunset shot 2009

Sunset shot revisited 2010

On the lawn of the Palace Hotel

The crew with their aircraft

Capturing some aerial shots in 2010

I survived my first helicopter convention.....

Wow a week later and I am still trying to recover from Heli-Expo in Orlando, FL.  Not because (as you might be thinking since I was traveling with Mark) of late nights and too many exhibitors' parties, but because there was just SO MUCH to learn and take in.  My head is still spinning…and I am still marveling at the magnitude of the convention and the aircraft that sat center stage and stole the show.

To the Heli-Expo, Mark and I were guests of the Dubai 2012 Heli Show.  Julia Cuthbert (co-owner) and Ahmad Abulhoul (organizer from Dubai) rolled out the red carpet for us and made us feel so at home. We also got to know Lumi Hilchey, from the Dubai Government Tourism Office, who also shared the booth with us. A big thank you to all of them for all their hospitality and support! I eventually want to visit Dubai and see for myself what is it that has inspired Mark to keep going back...
 
By day on Sunday and Monday, Mark and I pounded the pavement, meeting and greeting as many people in the industry as we could.  Again I spent the majority of that time trying to wrap my head around everything….debriefing, debriefing, debriefing seemed to be all I was asking for from Mark.  One thing that was not a surprise to me though was how respected and known Mark was throughout the helicopter community.  EVERYONE seemed to know him, and have a funny story to share of some kind of adventure.  It was great unique moment at one point to be sought out by Elena and Sergei Sikorsky; as his Dad- invented the helicopter...and Sergei always gets one of Mark's other "community based calendars..."
 
By night we dined with our Dubai team, and continued to laugh harder than we all had in a very long time.  We all met up and dined at the Peabody hotel on Sunday.  In case you are not familiar with the Peabody (which most of us were not) they are famous for a “troop of ducks” that entertain guests in the lobby fountain from the hours of 11:00am to 5:00pm, 7 days a week. After their “shift”, the ducks “parade” themselves with an escort in a red jacket - up to their $100,000 plus palace located on the hotel’s observation deck. After visiting their “castle” we were all a bit dumbfounded on what exactly cost $100, 000 as it was not much more than a 6x6 pond, but who are we to judge and it provided us with quite a chuckle.  Back at the restaurant after our tour, Mark was again puzzled as to why there was no “duck” dish on the menu. We all had to muzzle him from inquiring with our waiter.  Only Mark!!
 
After the conclusion of the conference on Tuesday…Mark made his way back to YYC and on Thursday headed to Edmonton to shoot some VIP (very important patient) portraits for Alberta STARS. More details in upcoming posts as to how that adventure turns out.  As always Mark is a busy guy that does not seem to stay put for more than a couple of days.  This activity puts him in yet another state or country (and weather conditions) over the past 4 weekends. At least now I think he does indeed have his wallet…or at least I hope he does.  Let’s just say I have not gotten a call to bail him out yet and like I said I am still trying to recover from last week’s festivities; so that is good!
 
Until next time…
Charli

Our Dubai Team (minus Mark) at the booth. 
Lumi, Ahmad, Julia, & Charli

Mark snapped a shot of myself with Sergei & Elena Sikorsky. 
What an honor!

This is it?  A $100,000 Duck Palace!

Dubai Team (again minus Mark) posing in the Duck Palace.

The Famous Parade of Ducks!

Packing my bags....

Well as we speak I am packing my bags to meet Mark tomorrow morning in sunny Orlando, FL or MCO, for the 2011 Heli-Expo at the Orange County Convention Center.  As his publicist I will be meeting all of Mark’s treasured colleagues & friends, networking and probably making sure Mark does not over sleep!  Looking forward to meeting everyone and getting the lay of the land.  Many more details (and stories I am sure….) to come Tuesday when I return.

Until Next Time…….

Charli

And the Oscar goes to......

So after an action packed, whirlwind weekend of amazing events and fanfare, our celebrity photographer extraordinaire Mark Mennie says “when the Academy says NO PHOTOS! They mean NO PHOTOS!”  Despite the tight security though, Mark was in the thick of the action…starting on Thursday morning and captured amazing moment after amazing moment.

Thursday, Mark and his buddy Steve Gregory for Clearchannel (You can hear him on KFI AM640 in LA) headed down to Hollywood to pick up their press badges (and sign away their first born) for the event.  They then headed over to the red carpet to sneak a peek at Wolfgang Puck’s Food Review for the Governor’s Ball (which is a famous dinner that takes place on Sunday after the awards). They were only allowed to nibble a few crumbs of the tasty fare and see how the tables would be set up, so Steve and Mark had to grab lunch on the way home...but they would get a second chance...

Saturday was filled with more excitement for Mark, as he headed down after the afternoon rains to capture some inside photos of the set up.  He was able to get around the hordes of tourists and "inside the fence" with his accreditation to get a closer look at all the technical crews feverishly laying equipment and plastic wrap to protect everything from the elements and outsiders with cameras.

SaturDAY quickly became SaturNIGHT and here is where the details seem to get a little hazy.  Steve and his guest "Mark" were formally invited to attend the Governor’s Ball Preview Party.  After a few "Silver Screen Punch(s)" (which was a mixture of pink Grapefruit and exotic liquors and then topped off with a drizzle of Moet and Chandon Champagne-the recipe is on their website...) and much more to eat than the teeny samples of Thursday morning- everyone in attendance was invited to take in the “saturday night rehearsal”.  All who entered unfortunately had to check their cameras and cells phones before entering the Kodak Theatre - again the Academy is very protective of their image, art direction and cameo appearances of their show- or any hint of winners. That being said Steve and Mark watched for about an hour as Anne Hathaway and James Franco ran through their lines, while stand-in actors took the places of Hollywood’s royalty. The catch phrase of the evening seemed to be “and the winner is-for this rehearsal only...”.  After this wrapped up, the two headed home for some crucial r & r before the BIG EVENT!

Oscar Sunday finally arrived and Mark and Steve headed down early to set up cables and placement in the interview room and inspect their red carpet real estate. Taking his spot two risers from the ground, nestled behind the Good Morning America interview station, Mark said the stars began saunter in as early as 2:15pm.  It was like the damn holding a river of fashionistas broke though and the carpet quickly became a whirlwind of activity and VERY crowded.  Mark sometimes had a hard time snapping clear shots, as paparazzi row to his right was given just enough space to get full length-but as you will see below he was still able to get some amazing close ups of Annette Benning, Warren Beaty, Robert Downey Jr., and Natalie Portman, just to name a few. (...and some unknown people- that is until they became very known as they were crowned by the Academy) And then as quickly as it began, around 5:10pm the river of fashion waned to a trickle and everyone made their way into the theatre.

Both Mark and Steve made their way backstage- to the Press Interview room- where Steve then went to work editing his interviews for his Monday morning station interview, taking in the winners' comments, and tweeting the news to his followers. Mark went to the buffet... Unfortunately for us, they were not allowed cameras, once again, so there are no pictures of the winners or any other “happenings” that indeed went on.  But they did indeed see them and we will just have to take their word on it. But if it makes you feel any better folks I think we will have to tell them what actually happened at the Oscars,  as being backstage they could not hear or see the full telecast- as it was muted on the overhead monitors as the winners entered the interview room. I guess celebrity status does have a price.  Or at least this is what I am telling myself since I watch the whole thing on the couch in my pjs. (with no buffet...)

As a sidebar-and a dose of reality- and as advised by Steve (As Mark is in no position to argue with one of LA's most recognized radio reporters...) regarding "journalistic integrity"..it ain't all glory sometimes, as to his horror- Mark discovered that his wallet was missing- after he came back from the buffet. Somewhere between checking in at the TSA style security (empty all your pockets sir...) or on the red carpet- and an iPhone in his tuxedo pocket "feeling like" his wallet , as he was completely in autopilot-concentrating on the task at hand. So- perhaps as most of the world was watching acceptance speeches- Mark was actually following with security, solely walking the very quiet red carpet and a bit worried about what the rest of his current trip would be like- sans Mastercard. He did take a few minutes from his search to rapidly edit a few frames to post on his FB page for his friends-as it's all about timing...Unfortunately- at the time I have posted this- no luck. His spare Amex is now taking him to Orlando for the Heli Expo this weekend.


Mark would like to Thank The Academy for the wonderful experience and his good Buddy Steve Gregory at KFI in Los Angeles. (After all that glory- now Steve's next assignment is to get an interview with Charlie Sheen...)

Until Next Time…..
Charli

Hitting the gym....

Perhaps many of you may have been wondering..where in the heck has Mark been? I haven’t heard from him in ages??  Well ladies and gents, he has been hard at work getting RED CARPET READY.  Yes you read that correctly, Mark has been training at the gym, snacking on seaweed and hitting the spray tan in an attempt to be in tip top shape for the 83rd Annual Academy Awards Ceremony in Hollywood. Even Boo Kitty is gearing up for her big flight from YYC to LAX and ironically- staying close to the ever so popular “dog beach”.

Mark will be sporting his tux on February 27, as he stands elbow to elbow in the interview alley with his pro camera (and his iPhone...) - snapping priceless and amazing photos of all of Hollywood’s royalty as they enter the Kodak theatre- awaiting Oscars' glory...  Stay tuned for a further (in depth) wrap of the “he said, she said” or "what she wore, what he swore", how the backstage buffet was like this year, and as well photos and much much more. And by all means be sure to watch the red carpet broadcast leading up to the Oscars as you just might see our friend. (Boo will stay home- and maybe go the beach...)
Until next time…
Charli

A Cowboy in Dubai

On Mark’s latest trip to Dubai for the 2010 Media Show, Mark brought with him an invaluable traveling companion….. COWBOY DAVID!!  Mark met David Heydlauff and his brother Ralph almost 20 years ago, while capturing his infamous Altawan series and they both quickly became an inspiration to the timeless personal photography project. Recently deciding to formally print and display this intriguing collection in 2009 in Washington DC, Mark was motivated to share it with the Dubai Media and Marketing Show again in 2010.  And what better way to bring the photographs of the prairie, nestled in the southern corners of Alberta, Saskatchewan, Canada and the international border of Montana, alive then to bring a beloved piece of it with you……COWBOY DAVID!

David a born and bred cowboy, had never been more than 500 miles from home much less ever boarded a plane or even seen the ocean.  Dubai was going to be an adventure for all to say the least!!  But at the risk of sounding cliché, David saddled up his horse and rode away into the sunset- (or the sunrise- as “Do-buy” is way east of da’ ranch- and into a good story at the VERY least)

All of Mark’s apprehensions quickly faded when David arrived in Calgary in a bright magenta shirt, which would become a beacon of light for Mark in the coming days.  All and all a fairly uneventful trip from YYC to DXB, as David only got lost once on the 15hr flight on the Emirates 777.  Luckily a kind flight attendant helped him back to his seat. (David also noted Mark’s appreciation of Emirates’ flight attendants...) It was during their short layover at IAH, that I had the privilege of sharing a cup of joe with the traveling cowboy and I instantly envied UAE for the gem of a soul they were about to receive.        

Ok so let’s be honest here folks…. at times….yes there was a bit language barrier, but David’s “get-up”(s) always seemed to speak in Arabic or Indian- “I got to meet this guy...” everywhere he went that he seemed to fit in instantly. Everybody addressed him as “Taux-zez”.  When David lost his fearless leader at the Dubai Ikea (DAY 1), a local Emiraty couple let him borrow their phone after inquiring about his “hat” which lead to an interesting conversation about the mis-understood mystique of the Abayya and local Emiraty culture. And once the convention started he was an instant sensation donning chaps, spurs, and cracking his bullwhip (don’t worry security was of course informed beforehand so it was not to be mistaken as gun shots…could you imagine??), which seemed to mesmerize and draw interest to take a picture of perhaps Dubai’s very first Alberta Cowboy.  David was an overnight sensation, handed the “ribbon cutting opening VIP” a set of  real spurs and even made the local Arabic News one evening.  I think Mark probably really wished he could start charging for autographs…..next time!

It was not all business while in Dubai though, Mark eventually unhitched his show stopper for a chance to take in the sights.  Stop # 1 the old shopping district of Banniyas Square, where David quickly sniffed out the only “TEXAS” store (no cowboy boots- just tourist stuff...) and popped in, to give shop keepers their first and possibly ONLY glimpse at a REAL LIFE COWBOY- they were surprised. Quickly fitting in with the locals, David followed Mark around town and even to Abu Dhabi…..I think it is safe to assume again that he was the first “Alberta Cowboy” that had visited the Grand Mosque. The most anticipated stop for David was Burj Khalifa, the tallest building in the WORLD (over a half mile high)!!  Just missing Tom Cruise, who just recently filmed a scenes for Mission Impossible 4 (releasing in 2012- just wait for the un-nerving scene where our hero is sitting on the mast...)  Mark and David quickly rose to the 124^th Floor in a 55 second elevator ride to witness the breath taking views.  I can only imagine what “David Heydlauff or Tom Cruise” was feeling as they both gazed out over this city of the future ….. Dave most certainly a long way from Wildhorse Alberta and Mark’s Altawan. 

When David’s journey was over, he never skipped a beat as he slipped on his signature magenta shirt and quietly boarded his flight to IAH and ultimately YYC.  (Special thanks to EK for your most amazing help/service from Dubai- Air Canada-please note...) Almost as if he was returning home from a trip to the store Cowboy David returned to his much-loved Canadian home not necessarily changed but with one heck of a story to tell the neighbors.




Until Next Time,




Charli

 

Portrait of David Heydlauff some 20 years ago as a part of Mark's Altawan series.




David's first flight.



Day 1 at  MMS 2010

David posing with his instant fan base.

David manning Mark's booth.

David outside the "Texas" Store.

David in the Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi.

View from Burj Khalifa.

David leaving Dubai and heading home.

Sunset in Dubai