My Day Before the GI Film Festival

September 25 - Flying to LA: It was planned for me to take a flight to LA for the GI Film Festival (GIFF) Road Show as I was commissioned to photograph the event. I was set to arrive the evening before the event to prepare and rest for the big GIFF day. The GI Film Festival is "the first film festival in the nation to exclusively celebrate the successes and sacrifices of the American military through the medium of film." I was also honored to have photographed the GIFF event in May of last year and this year when they hold their week long event in DC. The LA event was the first GIFF event taken on the road to a city other than DC.

I was anticipating my trip to LA because I enjoy visiting CA and because traveling always seems to bring about new adventures. While in the self check-in line for American Airlines at Dulles Airport I met a couple ladies that turned out to be actresses. They're on pic.tv and play Peggy and Lupe in the show the Diary of a Single Mom. It was great to talk with them on the way to the plane and along the way it felt like we were in a futuristic place with the way things were constructed at the airport.

I'm traveling much more these days compared to previous years. I still marvel every time I'm on a plane flight and look out the window. It is truly a wonder to me that we "fly" and how small we can seem in such a big world. Everything seems so much simpler in the skies and in space. The in-flight movie happened to be The Proposal so yeah, I watched it and had a few laughs. Time flew and I arrived at LAX and had a ride waiting for me with my name on a sign. That's never happened before. Brandon and Laura from GIFF made me feel welcome and took care of the arrangements, including the nicest "hotel" room that I've stayed in at Westlake Village Inn. They also had a gift bag for me in my room. I had to get ready for the next day, so I double-checked my camera gear and made sure I got enough sleep for the long next day.