Q1. What is "CLOUD 9 PHOTOGRAPHY.US"?

CLOUD 9 PHOTOGRAPHY.US is a convenient place to buy excellent, large, high resolution, pictures of a variety of subjects, taken by excellent photographers from around the world.

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Q2. Does Cloud 9 Photography offer a money back guarantee?

Yes.

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Q3. If Cloud 9 offers a guarantee, what are its terms?

The sale is not final until after you see the print. If you are unhappy with a Cloud 9 print for any reason, if I get it back from you within 30-days of when I mailed it to you, with the postmark, in perfect condition, I will give you a full refund for the print [minus postage and handling] or full credit toward another Cloud 9 print.

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Q4. How many people have asked for their money back?

CLOUD 9 PHOTOGRAPHY has been selling prints on the Internet for about three years. To date, no one has asked for a refund.

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Q5. How good is Cloud 9's quality?

Uncompromising. It might be second to none.

CLICK HERE to read testimonials from some of Cloud 9's customers.

Our quality control is stringent. Our colors are realistic. Our prints are, from a reasonable viewing distance for their size, sharp.

I use the best professional technology known to me for every link in the photographic chain under my control. I am committed to delivering the best print possible.

I want Cloud 9's customers to have a high degree of confidence that when they order from CLOUD 9 PHOTOGRAPHY they will receive a superior product, every time.

About 98% of CLOUD 9's images are made from original film or digital capture, and they lack technical problems. I do the best I can, painstakingly, to fix or to minimize all flaws, if any, in an image. I do everything possible to deliver a superb print.

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Q6. Do Cloud 9 Photography's prints have the look and feel of real photographs?

Yes.

Many prints look better than true custom photo lab prints.

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Q7. Do Cloud 9 Photography's prints have the look and feel of real photographs?

Payment must be in U.S. dollars. Payment may be made in threu e ways:

1. Mail us cash, check, or cashier's check;
2. Wire transfer; and
3. Use our convenient, secure, PayPal ECommerce check-out system, on line. PayPal accepts Visa, Master Charge, American Express, Discover, and E-Check.

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Q8. What is the delivery time?

A reasonable range for delivery time in most instances will probably be approximately one to six weeks from date of receipt of an order.

Delivery time is a function of:

1. Your form of payment. [Personal checks delay delivery time. The product will not be shipped until I have notification that your check cleared my bank.];
2. What you ordered;
3. How much you ordered;
4. Constraints on my time dictated by my law practice and other responsibilities;
5. My health;
6. Whether I am off chasing airplanes or other subjects to acquire new images for Cloud 9; and
7. Time required to fill previous orders.

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Q9. Is “rush delivery” available?

Maybe. It depends on variables. There might be an additional “rush delivery” charge. To find out, call me to discuss specifics. (707) 824-1884.

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Q10. What can a Cloud 9 customer do to minimize mistakes and delay?

Do the following [where appropriate]:

1. Use PayPal and pay by credit card over the Internet or pay with cash or cashier's check or money order;
2. Make payment in U.S. dollars;
3. If you order by sending me a letter, communicate accurately, thoroughly, and legibly. Be careful with your penmanship. “869 Avendale Street”, when scribbled, can look like “304 Ave. N. Date Street.”;
4. Give me your telephone number and email address, legibly and accurately!;
5. Communicate in English.

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Q11. What are the odds that a print will be crushed during transit?

Slim.

I use United Parcel Post tested and approved, expensive, industrial strength mailing tubes that a friend, with substantial prior experience, recommended. In his experience, the odds of a mailing tube being crushed are small. In my experience, after 3-4 years using the same tubes, no customer has reported a crushed print.

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Q12. Are Cloud 9's pictures prints or posters?

Prints.

If poster means a mass produced, inexpensive, thin paper, large image, of mediocre quality, Cloud 9's pictures are not posters. Cloud 9's prints look and feel like high quality custom photography printed on thick, fine art paper.

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Q12. Are Cloud 9's pictures prints or posters?

Prints.

If poster means a mass produced, inexpensive, thin paper, large image, of mediocre quality, Cloud 9's pictures are not posters. Cloud 9's prints look and feel like high quality custom photography printed on thick, fine art paper.

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Q13. How long will Cloud 9 Photography's prints last?

Henry Wilhelm is recognized as one of the top authorities in the field of print archival longevity research. I encourage anyone who wants detailed, current, objective information on answers to questions like these to visit Mr. Wilhelm’s website at www.wilhelm-research.com.

My layperson's understanding is this: The reasonable expected life expectancy under normal conditions for the stability of the color and of the paper of Cloud 9's prints should be equal to, and perhaps better than, traditional wet chemistry prints. This stability can be increased by keeping the prints inside, free of moisture, away from extreme heat or direct sunlight, and framed under glass or in closed, clean, acid free, boxes, or inside archival grade presentation portfolio binders.

These representations are based on my understanding of what the manufacture of the paper and inks that I use to make Cloud 9 prints has reported. My supplier is a major, well established company that is committed to catering to the photographic fine art industry.

I do not offer a warranty as to the longevity or durability of Cloud 9 Photography's paper, inks, images, or any combination of same. Each customer or potential customer should make his or her own independent investigation and take responsibility for same.

I do truthfully represent, however, this: I have a relative who has had framed Cloud 9 prints hanging in a room that gets a lot of strong direct sunlight on them for the last few years and the prints still look brand new. Also, I have had Cloud 9 prints in a garage, for a few years, that gets very hot in the summer and fairly cold in the winter, and these prints still look new and are not brittle.

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Q14. Is text printed on Cloud 9's prints?

There is a small amount of small, professional looking, text printed on the image side of all Cloud 9 prints. The size of this text is scaled [in proportion to] the size of the print.

Text is printed in a place that does not compete with the image, normally at the bottom of the print, to the extreme right or left side.

The color of the text varies, to contrast with the image's colors. The most commonly used color is black.

The text identifies the subject, contains a photographer credit or a source credit or both, Cloud 9's Internet address and product number.

I will not sell prints without such text. This text is there to give the photographer credit and to keep the photograph from entering the public domain.

Prints are not sold with the watermark that is on them when seen on the Internet.

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Q15. Can a Cloud 9 print be bought with customized text on it, such as for a birthday or
        a retirement present?

Yes.

Depending on how extensive that text is, there might be an additional charge. Call (707) 824-1884 to discuss.

Since the print would be customized, our normal money back guarantee would not apply. However, the print would be as perfect as I can make it.

All requested text would have to be emailed to me, and the customer will have to take responsibility for me adding text 100% faithful to the text sent to me. We will accept responsibility only for our deviation from what the customer sent.

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Q16. What size prints does Cloud 9 offer for sale, and what are the prices?

When you click on the image of a Cloud 9 print to buy one, a drop down menu appears with the size and price information.

Prints are offered in the following sizes at the following prices, unframed and unmounted Image Size [Approximate in Inches]. Price in U.S. Dollars:

11.5 x 17.25 $75.00

17.0 x 25.5 $135.00

20.0 x 30.0 $200.00

23.3 x 35.0 $275.00

35.0 x 52.5 $375.00

50.0 x 75.0 $625.00

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Q17. What is sold at these prices?

Excellent prints made to exacting standards for personal use only. Personal use is distinguished from
commercial use. Prices for commercial use are higher. Those prices are dependent upon the use. For more information regarding commercial use, please go to the “Legal” button on the Navigation Bar on our Homepage or CLICK HERE.

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Q18. Why do you not sell smaller sizes, such as 4 x 6, 5 x 7, 8 x 10, 11 x 14?

I want to bring out the magic—and the fine detail—of our images and the only way to do that is to print our pictures big.

I have some 5 x7, 8 x10, 11 x 14, and 16 x 20 color prints of airplanes–a wide variety, for sale that I can make available. If interested, please call (707) 824-1884 to discuss.

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Q19. How can you justify these prices?

Quality and rarity, individually, and together, command a premium. Cloud 9 is for those who have discerning taste, who value perfection, and who can afford perfection.

Everything has a context. If you think Cloud 9's prices are pricey, compared to what?

Almost anything can be made cheaper—and ruined. I am obsessed with the pursuit of perfection. One either appreciates, and can afford perfection, or not.

To offer Cloud 9's product, all of the following steps had to occur:

1. Someone with skill, knowledge, and the right equipment, had to be at the right location at the right time, to make the picture;
2. Someone had to incur the expense, and make the effort, to make the image, which is often not an easy task, and is often done in nasty weather and sometimes under conditions that are dangerous and life threatening;
3. Often, photographic opportunities are fleeting. It takes skill, and equipment, to capture these fleeting, decisive moments. Someone had to capture the image at the decisive moment to make a pre-conceived zinger [excellent] photograph. [Most full time, veteran, professional photographers of action subjects are of the opinion that if one can average—on a sustained basis—one or two zinger photograph per every 50 exposures, one is doing exceptionally well. It costs a lot of money in terms of effort, gear, travel expenses, and time, etc. to get one zinger photograph;
4. Someone had to take the time to preserve, find, and get permission to sell these prints to the public;
5. Someone had to learn how to do everything in the chain of production to print that image to standards that approach perfection;
6. Someone had to acquire high end printing equipment and learn how to use it, to make big prints with true color, free of blemishes, etc.;
7. Someone had to spend the time printing;
8. Someone had to do uncompromising quality control;
9. Someone had to incur the expense of high end, professional quality equipment for each link in the chain of production. The quality of the final product is only as strong as its weakest link;
10. Someone had to bring all of these steps together to make the final product possible; and
11. Someone had to offer the images for sale to the public.

Take away any of the above steps and Cloud 9's product does not come into fruition.

I am also supplying the image, and I print it–big–approaching perfection.

Cloud 9 is also a convenient one source supplier for a huge image bank of rare images.

Cloud 9 also offers a "No questions asked money back guarantee." To do that, I have to maintain high quality. High quality drives the price up. But this adage is true: "Quality is remembered long after price is forgotten."

To summarize: I supply the image, the skill, the service, uncompromising high quality control, and an excellent print of an excellent image, which is hard to find, in an industrial strength mailing tube, with a money back guarantee.

When one gives due weight to these considerations, I wonder why the prices are so low.

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Q20. How accurate is the color in Cloud 9's prints compared to the colors on my monitor?

Without seeing what your monitor screen shows, it is impossible to compare your monitor’s colors to the prints’ color.

I have expensive equipment that controls the color on the equipment I use so that each piece of equipment sees the same color the same way. When I recorded those perfect images on a CD-ROM and played them on different computers that I own, as a test, on one computer, the color was the same—excellent!; on two others, the color was too pastel.

There are technical variables between the production of Cloud 9's prints on our equipment and how a low resolution digital reproduction of those prints displays on your monitor screen. Human eyes also see colors differently, and human beings often prefer different degrees of color saturation.

Odds are high that the accuracy of the color or the saturation of the color or both that you see on your monitor screen may vary up to 30% or more on either side of normal or reality from the colors on Cloud 9 prints.

Cloud 9's prints are as accurate in color as I can make them; however, I tend to print them with a bias toward color saturation.

I recommend that you assume that the colors on all Cloud 9 Prints are faithful and accurate in terms of reality, with the understanding that I have a bias toward saturation.

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Q21. How accurate is the color in Cloud 9's prints compared to the real colors on         airplanes and other subjects?

Accurate. I achieve realistic color most of the time. Sometimes, I manipulate color with a bias toward color saturation for dramatic effect.

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Q22. How sharp are Cloud 9's prints compared to what I see on my monitor's screen?

Sharper. I reduce the sharpness of many images posted on the Internet to frustrate those who would use them without paying for them.

Most of our images will appear to be crisp and pleasing to most reasonable viewers who view the image at a reasonable viewing distance relative to the size of the prints. It is common to be able to read the names and rank of aircrew painted on canopy rails in our action shots.

A small percentage of our images are not pin prick sharp.

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Q23. Are there black or white specs, lint, or “grit” marks on Cloud 9 prints?

No. Cloud 9's prints are not dirty. Almost all Cloud 9 prints will be 98-100% free of such defects—no matter how closely anyone looks at the prints, even with a magnifying glass. I am obsessive about maintaining extreme high quality control to eliminate [or minimize] such defects.

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Q23. Are there black or white specs, lint, or “grit” marks on Cloud 9 prints?

No. Cloud 9's prints are not dirty. Almost all Cloud 9 prints will be 98-100% free of such defects—no matter how closely anyone looks at the prints, even with a magnifying glass. I am obsessive about maintaining extreme high quality control to eliminate [or minimize] such defects.

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Q24. On what type of paper are Cloud 9's images printed?

Fairly thick, heavy weight, fine art paper.

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Q24. On what type of paper are Cloud 9's images printed?

Fairly thick, heavy weight, fine art paper.

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Q25. How delicate is a Cloud 9 print?

Our paper is resistant to physical damage when handled carefully. It is well suited for large format photographs.

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Q26. Are Cloud 9's prints glossy, luster, semi-matt, or matt?

Luster, which is a cross between glossy and semi-matt.

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Q27. How susceptible to showing finger prints are Cloud 9's prints?

Our paper is finger print resistant. It is not finger print proof. It is best to handle these prints with clean hands [washed and dried thoroughly immediately before handling, preferably while wearing clean cotton gloves.] It is also best to handle the prints by holding then outside the print image, which is why each print is provided with excess paper around the image.

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Q28. I am a collector who intends to acquire many Cloud 9 prints. I do not want to
        have my prints framed. What do you recommend I do so I can protect my prints,
        display them, and handle them frequently without damaging them?

Here is what I recommend you do, before you receive the mailing tube from me.

1. Decide in advance how you want to store and display your prints.
2. Do what I do: Get some Itoya “Art Profolio Evolution Presentation/Display Books”. These are perfect for fine art and photographs. Put your prints in one or more of these books.
1. Go to www.itoya.com for more information.
2. Itoya’s 13" x 19" size Presentation/Display Book, Itoya Product Number EV-12-13, is perfect for Cloud 9's 11.5 x 17.25 inch prints, with a small white border around same.
3. These Itoya products have desirable features: Durable cover; crystal-clear, top-loading, abrasive resistant, pocket sheets; thick, black, acid-free, mounting paper; 24 pages for 48 prints; lie flat with open; and low cost! You can also stack many of them on top of each other without damage! I love these things. They are functionally perfect and cost effective.
3. Cost effective ways to store—or display—prints are:
1. Put them in a box with a lid, preferably an acid free box;
2. Put them in a “Presentation Portfolio Book”;
3. Put them in hinged, pre-cut, photo-ready mats;
4. Put them in thin, flexible, see through, sealable and re-openable, protective plastic bags; and
5. Have the print laminated with thin or thick lamination. Thick lamination is better to reduce bubbling. You can get these storage materials at better photography stores and via the Internet.

Here is what I recommend after you receive your mailing tube:

1. Before opening up the tube:
   1. Prepare a clean, dry, smooth, flat, large area to lay the print on when removed from the tube;
   2. Seal and put away all liquid containers; and
   3. Clean, wash, and dry your hands and forearms thoroughly.

2. Avoid moisture. [The ink on these prints is water soluble.]
3. Ideally, wear clean cotton gloves when handling the print [available at most better photography stores.]
4. No one with a cold, running noise, or who sneezes a lot, should handle the print.
5. Peel off the scotch tape that holds the plastic end caps to the tube.
6. If a plastic end cap will not come out easily, use pliers to grab the tab on the cap and pull the cap out.
7. Once a plastic end cap is removed, gently tap the open end on a clean, dry surface to nudge the print toward the opening.
8. Once the print is near the opening, carefully pinch the white margin around the image and carefully slowly pull the print out of the tube.
9. If you feel like you are going to sneeze, turn your head and sneeze away from the print and cover your nose.
10. If you sneeze, clean your hand(s) and leave the print inside the tube until the droplets in the air from your sneeze disappear.
11. If a droplet gets on the print, let it dry. An attempt to remove the droplet will smear the ink.
12. Carefully put the print into whatever storage device you selected. If you follow this advice, a CLOUD 9 PHOTOGRAPHY print should give you decades of enjoyment.

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Q29. What does CLOUD 9's owner do with his prints?

I follow my own advice, as stated in my answer to Q26, above.

I am a collector. I put the vast majority of my prints in archival Itoya “Presentation Portfolio Books”. I love to look at these prints frequently, and I want to avoid the cost of framing. These Itoya “Presentation Portfolio Books” are an excellent, high quality, low cost, convenient, easy, affordable, method and a real joy to use. They let me savior great prints and I can handle them and look at them often without damaging them.

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Q30. I intend to have my CLOUD 9 PHOTOGRAPHY print framed. What do you
        recommend I do when I receive my order?

Here is what I recommend you do after you receive the mailing tube from me:

1. Do not immediately take the print out of the tube, look at it, put it back in the tube, and take it to the frame shop to have it framed. Such handling needlessly risks damaging the print.
2. Be patient: Leave the print in the mailing tube, unopened, and take the tube to the frame shop, unopened.
3. At the frame shop, do what follows in this order:
1. Whomever is going to open the tube and handle the print should wash their hands and dry their hands and forearms thoroughly;
2. Leave the print inside the tube and prepare a large, flat, smooth, clean, DRY, LIQUID-MOISTURE FREE area. Seal up and put away all containers of liquid;
3. Avoid liquids. The ink on these prints is water soluble;
4. Make certain the surface the print will be placed upon is dry. CAUTION: If the print is placed down on a moist surface and rolled up, the moisture might leech through to the front of the print or be transferred to the front when it is rolled up, and that moisture will cause the water soluble ink to dissolve;
5. [Ideally] Wear clean cotton gloves when handling the print. [These are available at most better photography stores and frame shops.];
6. No one with a cold, running noise, or who sneezes a lot, should handle the print;
7. Peel off the scotch tape that holds the plastic end caps to the tube;
8. If a plastic end cap will not come out easily by pulling on it with one’s fingers, use a pair of pliers to grab the tab on the cap and pull the cap out;
9. Once a plastic end cap is removed, gently tap the open end on a clean, dry surface to nudge the print down toward the opening;
10. Once the print is near the opening, carefully pinch the white margin around the image and ultra carefully slowly pull the print out of the tube;
11. Do not touch the image itself. Touch only the white margin. I leave it there to help you handle the print without damaging it;
12. Once the print is out of the tube, proceed calmly, slowly, carefully;
13. If you feel like you are going to sneeze, turn your head and sneeze away from the print and try to cover your nose;
14. If you sneeze, clean your hand and leave the print inside the tube until the droplets in the air from your sneeze disappear;
15. If any droplet of any liquid gets on the print, LET THE DROPLET DRY. ANY ATTEMPT TO REMOVE THE DROPLET WILL SMEAR THE INK, which will damage the print;
16. Let the framer handle the print;
17. Have the frame shop person use archival [acid free, long lasting] materials and UV [ultraviolet] resistant glass or acrylic to protect the image from UV light.

I am told by well informed persons that if you follow this advice the print should last for years.

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Q31. What are your favorite Cloud 9 print sizes? Why?

My favorite sizes are: 1, 3, and 4, especially 1 and 4. Size 1 [11.5 x 17.25 inches] is a great size for a collector. This size has these advantages:

1. It is large enough to make it different, to make detail larger and more appreciable;
2. It is manageable—it can be held in one's hands without damaging the print and positioned easily while maintaining its rigidity;
3. Large numbers of them can be stored securely in a relatively small space;
4. It is affordable for many in large quantities, which makes building a unique collection possible;
5. This size is large enough to frame and it is a great size to look at while avoiding driving up the cost of framing;
Since the degree of enlargement is modest, the resolution [sharpness] of the image remains tight for most images—even if one examines the image up close with one's nose almost touching the print; and
6. One can spend many hours experiencing exhilarating joy closely looking at Cloud 9's prints at this size and emotionally drooling over the detail and clarity. For these reasons, I strongly recommend this size for the serious collector who wants to acquire many images as a collection. The only down side to this size is this: Since it is not larger, it lacks the full impact of what I call "the magical effect" of the larger sizes.

Size 4 [23.5 x 35.5 inches] [and larger] has a hard to describe, powerful, magical effect. For our aviation prints in this size, I love to look at them up close, especially in the area of the cockpit and the power plant [engine and afterburner, etc.] and ordnance [weapon] load, if any. At this size, when the image shows aircrew or afterburner or a turning prop, etc., when I look at these images up close, I feel a spontaneous natural bonding with the aircrew shown in the picture. It is as if I am transformed to "flight" and I am "flying." When I look at the power plant, I can hear the engine, and I can feel the ground shudder. I awe at the power, at Man's engineering feat! I get wonderfully lost in how individual colors, shades, and minute shapes and detail come together and make a needle nose, a screw, a vent, a tongue of flame, or a nob on a pilot's helmet, etc.

For our animal prints in this size, I love to look at the detail in the animal’s face, eyes, mouth, teeth, fur or feathers, etc.

For our pictures of people in this size, I love to look at the detail in the people’s faces and clothing, etc.

The downside of the larger prints are these:

1. They are more expensive;
2. They require more careful handling to avoid physically damaging the print; and
3. Framing costs will be approximately the cost of the print. On the plus side, the larger prints are superb for framing—they make a powerful statement that commands attention.

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Q32. Can prints be ordered, and delivered, with a change in color saturation or
        cropping or both?

Within reason, in most instances, probably yes.

Cropping tighter [closer] to make the primary subject bigger, is normally not a problem.

Cropping looser, to make the primary subject smaller, depending on the original, may or may not be possible. If possible, there would probably be an additional cost because of the substantial time involved for that change.

Changing color saturation will be almost always doable. If that is done, the money back guarantee is cancelled because the print is made to a specific requirement that might not be acceptable to others.

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Q33. How many images do you expect to offer for sale? Over what time frame?

I have approximately 5,000 color images good enough to be posted at www.cloud9photography.US . I personally also make approximately another 500 or more zinger images per year. Excellent photographer friends also routinely send me more zinger images. These new zingers will be added to Cloud 9's inventory as quickly as possible.

We also have excellent B&W images to add.

CLOUD9PHOTOGRAPHY.US will become one of the best, and most comprehensive, single sources for excellent photography for a variety of subjects that offers excellent large prints with a money back guarantee.

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Q34. Do you get tired of looking at Cloud 9's images?

No! I love to look at them ... and I do so often.

I once heard a fellow photographer say this: A friend gave him a special gift: Thick parchment paper with this saying in Old English script, “God does not count against Man's time on Earth time spent photographing airplanes!” Objectively, I know that with every tick of the clock I am older; however, subjectively, I feel that to a certain extent time spent photographing airplanes—or looking at excellent pictures of airplanes—is suspended. That is not hype. That effect, that pure joy, is a wonderful by-product.

Furthermore, the animal pictures are, in many ways, far more enjoyable than the airplane pictures, even though the airplane pictures are wonderful.

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Q35. Why do you sell airplane prints to the public?

I love airplanes. Looking at high quality images of airplanes makes me happy. It is a waste to make the image and then to put it away and to look at it again infrequently. In that sense, the image might as well not even exist. I simply want others to enjoy the images and to become more aviation minded and appreciative of good photography, air crews, and support personnel.

I cannot give the product away, but I can make it available for those who want it and can afford it.

As a kid, I wrote to all the aircraft manufactures and asked for free pictures, which most of them sent. But the range of offerings was limited. I had an insatiable appetite for more and better pictures. The only way to get them was to make them. Once made, it is a shame to sit on them, to hoard them.

I know serious collectors of various ages who hoard their images and will not make them available for others to enjoy under terms that are reasonable and amicable. These photographers have unrealistic expectations about their images, and will part with them involuntarily only when they die. Their hoarding attitude, to me, is immature, unenlightened, and sad.

The U.S. government also has a track record of burning most of its image bank of an airplane type once it is retired on the premise that since the type is not longer in inventory the government needs less images of it. The government spends a huge sum for dedicated photo flights, etc., but, when it withdraws an aircraft type from the inventory, and, as a result, the opportunity to make more photographs of that type disappears--forever, the government purposefully burns up to 80% of its accumulated images of that type!

Cloud 9's approach is to make more images, acquire more images, and preserve this history on film and digitally, to the best of our ability, and to share high quality prints of excellent images of these airplanes, giving the public “good value”.

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Q36. What do you think about when you look at airplane pictures?

I think about the following [not in any particular order]:

1. What makes the picture excellent—why does it work?;
2. What can I do to make the next opportunity better, e.g., to be more original? To be more effective?;
The engineering marvel that airplanes are;
3. The changes in technology;
4. The political significance. [The history—and politics—of the modern period could be explained using airplane pictures.];
5. The extreme cost of the airplanes and their operating expense;
6. The danger of flight;
7. The designers, manufacturers, machinist, aircrew, support personnel [the guys who pack the parachutes, life support, all of the technicians, etc.,] and their contribution to national security and the advancement of manned flight;
8. The U.S. Constitution and Mankind's greatest achievement—the Bill of Rights. All of this military hardware is suppose to protect "the American Way of Life," under that Bill, which is suppose to separate governments’ powers from the peoples’ rights, and keep the governments from abusing their powers;
9. Whether a treasonous senior civil authority will ever order the U.S. Armed Forces to attack U.S. civilians, and, if so, when, why, and how the U.S. Armed Forces will react to such an order from their civilian superiors . . . and how U.S. civilians will react to such an order;
10. Changes in color schemes;
11. The minute detail in the pictures;
12. The skill required to make the picture;
13. The future of manned flight; and
14. The maturity of the photographers who cooperate with me, who gave me their permission to use their wonderful images commercially so that others might enjoy them.

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Q37. Why are you so obsessed with airplanes? With perfection?

I love airplanes. They fascinate me. I love the challenge of trying to photograph them well. I enjoy being around aircrew and support personnel. I appreciate what they do and their service to the nation. They are true national assets.

As to perfection, since it is worth doing, I simply aspire to do it to the best of my ability.

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Q38. Are you available for special assignments for compensation?

Yes.

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Q39. Will you sell copy negs or copy slides of your images?

No.

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Q40. Will you sell original slides, positives, and/or negatives?

Perhaps.

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Q41. Will you sell limited license rights to your images? Digital files of your images?

For a fair price, yes.

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Q42. If I send you a negative or a positive would you make a print of it and sell
         me the print?

Maybe. It depends on the following considerations:

1. Do I like the image enough to be willing to invest my time working on it? If the answer is "No," then "No.";
2. How do I feel about it compared to other images I want to bring into production?;
3. Will you give me written permission to market it commercially? [If the answer is "No," that reduces my interest in working on the image.]

If it is a great image and if you authorize me to use it commercially, I would probably make you a print for free or let you select a different image from Cloud 9's inventory for a free print.

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Q43.What can I do to support Cloud 9 Photography?

Buy the product. Display the product: Show it to people. Encourage people with Webpages to do a Cloud 9 Photography on line review or to provide a link to www.cloud9photography.US or both. Give us candid, brutal, constructive, feedback. If you write us a testimonial, please include written permission to use it [with your name and city and state, etc.] on our Webpage. If you have one or more images of the quality we are trying to sustain, please share it with us and allow us to use it commercially.

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Q44. Do you offer photographic workshops? Private consultation? Why?

No.

Long ago, a youthful, enthusiastic, supportive, Cloud 9 customer called me frequently and picked my brain. He said he wanted to become an accomplished aviation photographer, and he wanted to make pictures good enough to be included in the Cloud 9 inventory. He said that would make him thrilled, and, when he “arrived” he would give me permission to market his pictures commercially. I allowed this person to pick my mind—often, which consumed substantial chunks of time. I told him a great deal which accelerated his growth and reduced his learning curve. Before doing so, I exacted three verbal promises from him:

1. Pass on to others what he learned from me so that others may enjoy what we do;
2. Once he got good to the point that I wanted to use his pictures commercially, give me written permission to use his images; and
3. Make extra originals and always trade his better original spares with me first so that I could use them commercially.

This relationship turned out this way:

1. I gave this person my authorization to use one of my pictures in a book he did;
2. I did not get paid anything for the picture he used; and
3. When I asked him to give me written permission to use his improved images commercially, he refused!

When I reminded him about his promises to me, and when I told him as far as I was concerned “a promise is forever,” he reneged and gave me his non-meritorious rationalizations to try to justify reneging on his promises.

I still taste a bitter residue from that person. I have no desire to experience a repeat of that.

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Q45. Why is there such a range of styles in the Cloud 9 image bank?

The images were produced over a wide range of time by different photographers using different equipment with different approaches who had different levels of cooperation from aircrew or public affairs personnel or both.

The two main styles are:

1. The rigid side profile, static [preferably in sunny weather] and
2. The action style with a wide variety of lenses in all kinds of weather and lighting conditions.

Long live the difference!

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Q46. Which style(s) and lighting conditions do you prefer?

I prefer the following:

1. “Complex simplicity”—a 100% clutter free portrait of a static airplane, using a tripod and intense depth of field, from a pleasing angle with pleasing light;
2. “Arty”—silhouettes, wide angle, extreme telephoto, nasty weather; head-on; and
3. “Action”—true air-to-air, take-off, landings, roll-out, afterburner lit, etc., in a wide variety of lighting and weather conditions.

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Q47. Do you want high quality images from others to add to Cloud 9's image bank?

Yes.

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Q48. What kinds of images do you want the most?

Clutter free. Arty. Action. Looking down on the airplane. Directly head-on. Line-ups. Airto- air refueling. Afterburner. Aircraft carrier scenes. Rare paint schemes. Extremely colorful. Pretty clouds. Soviet Union. Modern superfighters. Stealth. Ordnance release. Experimental. Older. Military. Liners. Warbirds. Helos. Anything that matches our Non-Aviation Galleries.

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Q49. Do you need to keep a film image?

No.

Loaners are welcomed! I can make a digital copy of any image from a 35MM format up to and including a 4 x 5 inch format. Once that digital copy is made, I can—and will—return the loaned film to the owner, if so requested.

If the image is a 35MM slide in a mount, I have to remove the image from the mount. I have done this thousands of times without damaging anything. The image can be returned remounted in cardboard or plastic. Any information written on the original mount can be written on the new mount and the old mount can be returned with the new mounting, or the image can be returned unmounted.

Upon receipt, all images, whether loaners or keepers, are promptly placed in individual protective archival sleeves or protective boxes and labeled in an envelope with the owner’s name on it.

The digital image serves as a back-up to the original loaned to me: In case anything happens to a loaner after it is returned to its owner, the original continues to “live” and “survive” in its digital form. This new digital form, after I work on it, is almost always meaningfully better than the original. In this sense, it is prudent to loan images to me. If I like the image well enough, I will make a digital copy of same for free and return the loaner to you, promptly, in good condition. My digital version of your image is a prudent back-up for you should anything happen to your original.

For more information, please CLICK HERE.

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Q50. Will all of Cloud 9's images enlarge to your larger sizes and still look good?

No. Most will, however.

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