Get to know Jennifer Alderman
If you attend any large RC gatherings in the US or check out event coverage, you will likely see photos and stories from some of the same photographers and authors. I’m proud to be one of the people in the RC industry who has the privilege of shooting hundreds of photos and meeting great pilots at events across the country.
The people who cover events tend to not only be at the same places, but know each other and share friendships. This month I want to highlight a woman who takes photos at events and shares them to help the hobby in general.
Jennifer “Jenni” Alderman works for Model Aviation as the associate editor and is the person to whom I submit my columns. You might have seen her at flying events such as Joe Nall Week and the International Radio Controlled Helicopter Association (IRCHA) Jamboree. I usually find that if I’m at an event, Jenni is also there with a camera in hand. You can see her photos in Model Aviation and Park Pilot magazines, and
on social media.
Jenni and I get to share photos and shine a light on events that you might never have heard of. We put faces to names and show amazing RC aircraft in the air. Many people refer to this as “living the dream.”
I thought it would be great for readers who follow Jenni to learn about her RC origins and find out why she does what she does, so let’s get to know her.
Jim Graham: Where are you from?
Jennifer Alderman: I grew up near Muncie, Indiana, in a small town called Daleville. I’m a farmer’s daughter; my dad farmed full time as a grain and hog farmer until the 1980s when the recession hit and everything was auctioned off. He then went to work for a livestock yard, and later a tomato-canning plant. He recently retired and has gone back to his roots as a hobby farmer. Agriculture and supporting
farmers has, and will always be, an important part of my life.
JG: How were you introduced to the world of RC?
JA: When I began [working] at AMA in 1999, I knew nothing about aviation—whether full-scale, RC, Free Flight, or Control Line. I didn’t really become interested until I was taken up in a full-scale airplane during an event that also had EAA Young Eagles flights going on at the airport south of AMA. After that, I was hooked on all things that fly.
JG: How did your job at the AMA come about, and what do you do there?
JA: Just out of college, I applied, although I knew nothing about AMA or that it was even in Muncie! I wanted to work as an editor or proofreader at a book publishing company in Indianapolis and was ready to go in for a second interview when AMA called. I feel lucky [that] I was given the opportunity with AMA because the book publishing company closed six months later!
I worked as the editorial/production associate of Model Aviation for the first 12 years, designing column layouts and working with our advertising rep and the printing press. I interviewed for the
associate editor position when Jay Smith took over as editor-in-chief.
Beyond taking photos and covering events, I work with the columnists, gather their materials each month, and make sure they are paid. I edit and proofread, take care of the “Focal Point,” “Viewfinder,” and “Plans Showcase” sections, and work with the printing press to make sure that members receive their magazines.
JG: What was the first RC event/show that you attended?
JA: I believe the first that I attended was the AMA Grand Event/Homecoming in 1999. I remember taking photos of Greg Hahn’s B-17 for the magazine. My first trade show was the 2005 AMA Expo (then known as the AMA Convention) in Ontario, California.
JG: When did you start taking photos of RC events?
JA: For work, since the beginning of my AMA career. I started with a Pentax K1000 manual camera—we were still using film and it had to be developed—then acquired my first digital camera, a Panasonic Lumix. I eventually became friends with pilots and competitors and began going to RC events, taking photos for both work and fun and uploading them to my Facebook for everyone to enjoy. I stepped up to my first DSLR (Nikon D3100) and telephoto lens and I was hooked, trying to take the best photos I could. I now shoot with a Nikon D7100 and 18-300mm f3.5 lens.
JG: What is your favorite part of the hobby?
JA: The people. I never imagined, as a small-town farm girl, meeting so many people from all around the world. Hobbyists from Germany, Israel, Britain, Vietnam, Mexico, Australia, and countless other places are my friends, as well as pilots I’ve met from across the US.
Many International Miniature Aerobatic Club (IMAC) and IRCHA members are my second family because my husband, Greg Alderman, and I have become so close to them. I also enjoy when the Nats start up during the summer and I see many familiar faces return to Muncie.
One thing that stands out to me is that the people who participate in model aviation rally around their own when they need it the most. It’s comforting to know that if I ever needed support or help, there would be many people asking what they could do.
JG: Do you fly RC?
JA: I haven’t flown anything in almost a year, but I had a Goblin 500 helicopter in the past, a DJI 550 multirotor, and I have a Sensei trainer airplane. I’ll admit that I can only hover or fly Figure Eights—I’m better behind the camera!
JG: What is your favorite part of your job?
JA: I like it all! I enjoy working with the columnists for Model Aviation and Park Pilot, and have gotten to know many of them throughout the years. I also enjoy proofreading and making sure everything reads correctly or looks great in the layouts for the magazines. Getting out and meeting members at events is always fun.
JG: What events do you cover each year?
JA: It varies. This year I helped cover the National Electric Fly-In, the RIOT MultiGP International Open, the AMA Foundation for the Future Jet Rally in Ottumwa, Iowa, and the U.S. Scale Masters.
I also wrote about the IRCHA Jamboree last year and am covering it again this year for Model Aviation. Many of the AMA Nats photos that appear on AMA’s Flickr account were taken by me.
JG: Do you have a favorite event?
JA: I like them all! Greg flies turbine jets, so I really enjoy them and going to jet events. I love the intricate builds at Scale and warbird events, and I love watching the younger generations throw down with 3-D IMAC airplanes and helicopters.
JG: When you are shooting an event, are you after certain photos or themes?
JA: Sometimes, but most of the time not. My goal is to capture the essence and atmosphere of the event. I don’t like posing people; I’d rather catch someone off guard, in a natural, candid way. I also like the challenge of catching a great photo of an airplane or helicopter in the air and getting the propeller or blade blur with everything sharp and in focus.
JG: What drives you to take photos?
JA: I think it’s just a passion. I always say that taking photos is my way of supporting the hobby. I don’t fly much, but I’m so ingrained in it that I need to do something. People love seeing themselves and their aircraft in photos, and I enjoy providing it. Photography was a passion before I started at AMA though; I love taking photos of landscapes or old farms. I just don’t get to do that much anymore.
JG: How has the hobby affected your personal life?
JA: I met Greg through the hobby. I was introduced to him in 2010 at the IRCHA Jamboree, where he was working as an event sponsor representative. He is the technical manager of Prestige RC and HeliDirect. He thought he was only going to see me that one weekend—little did he know! Greg moved here in 2011 and we married in 2015 while in Georgia for a Navy submarine reunion. (He retired from the Navy before we met, after 24 years of service.)
Our vacations are spent going to events, and I don’t think either of us can see ourselves in any other industry or hobby. Our lives completely revolve around the hobby—we live and breathe it.
Now you know how Jenni came to be in the hobby! I want to not only thank her for taking time to answer my questions, but also for the time and effort that she puts into covering RC events. I know the amount of work it takes not only shooting photos, but to get them out there for people to see. She is a great ambassador for our hobby, and we should be thankful to have someone like her spreading the word.
Did I mention that she is always smiling and having a good time? If you see her at a show, say hi and thanks!
Fly it like it’s a rental car!
SOURCES:
Model Aviation
www.ModelAviation.com
Park Pilot
www.TheParkPilot.org
AMA Flickr
www.flickr.com/photos/modelaircraft
