The Air Up There
Aviation photography from the 2025 Andrews Air Show in Maryland, featuring the Thunderbirds and Army Golden Knights parachute team.
The 2025 Andrews Air Show outside of Washington, D.C., Sept. 14, 2025
Every once in awhile it’s good to mix things up and try shooting something completely different. Nikon’s 180-600mm Z mount lens did the trick. While the camera, a Zf, struggled a bit with this honkin’ piece of glass on it, I was able to grab a few frames that I was happy with.
It’s always a nice change to be able to process these images in any style that I’d like, as opposed to fitting in with a client’s existing brand. My goal here was to create graphic images that also had some tension, hence the B&W for most of the images.
Wacipi
Photographing culturally important events can be daunting, especially when doing so as a spectator rather than hired professional. This was the case when the family attended the Shakopee Mdewakanton Sioux Community Wacipi (powwow) in Shakopee, Minnesota this summer.
My first goal when photographing any event is to be respectful to the hosts and to the event itself. In most instances where I’m hired, etiquette is straightforward–or at least familiar to me–at this point, having worked professionally for so long.
The Wacipi has something for all the senses–music and singing from the drum circle, the spectacle of the dances, the smell of the food. It was also unlike anything I had ever encountered, and I found myself hesitant to make pictures. Was it “my” place to do so? After some encouragement from a participant, I found my little spot at the side of the arena, in the shadow of a trash can, and started making pictures.
A New Corporate Brand
Every once in awhile we need to mix things up a bit–although in this case it’s more of a cleaving in two. After a bit of thinking about it I’m shifting most of my corporate, association, and client-direct work over to a new brand, Lux Umbra*.
Same company, same cameras, same goofy face. But, with an interface geared more towards communications and marketing professionals for Fortune 500 companies, law firms, associations, and non-profits. It will have a focus on “real people doing real things” and will also include a bit of video capture.
As you can imagine, there will naturally be some overlap. My approach to photographing someone building a campfire isn’t that different than documenting someone working on their computer so it stands to reason that some images might work well in both spaces.
Matthew Rakola Photography, which has always been registered as Lux Umbra, LLC, will become more focused on advertising, editorial and personal work. In the coming months you’ll find new work, but a more unified overall aesthetic.
Whether you find me here or there, you’ll still find a commitment to great imagery, attentiveness, and leaving the location cleaner than when I found it.
As always, hit me up with any questions or comments.
Matthew
* “Lux Umbra” is Latin for “Light Shadow”. These two elements are the basis for all of the visual arts.
Horseback Riding
A little spring break vacation at Pleasant Pines Stables in Columbia, PA.
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