Boneyard: Night photography by Troy Paiva and Joe Reifer May 4, 2007

In the summer of 2006 night photographers Troy Paiva and Joe Reifer were granted access to photograph "Aviation Warehouse", a high desert airplane boneyard near El Mirage Dry Lake. This surreal location is a graveyard for every type of aircraft imaginable, from tiny Cessnas, to military fighters and transports, pre-war prop-liners, to wide-body jet airliners. Dead planes lay chopped and gutted amongst the Joshua Trees. Sheared-off noses reveal rows of empty seats and oxygen masks silently dangling. Clouds smear like ghosts and the stars arc across the sky during the long exposures.

All of the effects you'll see were created "in camera" at the time of exposure. In some cases colored flashes and flashlights were used to complement the light of the full moon. These are not Photoshop creations.

A legend in the world of night photography, Troy Paiva has been creating colorful interpretations of the abandoned roadside west for almost 20 years. His book Lost America and www.lostamerica.com website have been an inspiration to countless night photographers.

Joe Reifer is a fine art, portrait and editorial photographer who specializes in night and low light photography. His night work focuses on abandoned places. Please visit his website www.joereifer.com and blog www.joereifer.com/words/

Notes from the Curator

This is Joe’s 3rd show here at the Trans-View and he brings with him Mr. Night Photography himself, Troy Paiva. This is, simply put, Amazing! I have never seen anything that so completely captured my attention and mesmerized me. Full moon in the desert airplane junkyard. What else can I say? We are so lucky!

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