Rob Fox is one of Australia's most recognised photographers and arguably this country's foremost aviation photographer. Rob's cross-disciplinary photographic career has spanned three decades and numerous continents.

Rob's media experience began as a photographer on the Melbourne Herald Newspaper, and then as the Chief Photographer and later the Picture Editor of Australasian Post Magazine. Before going freelance, Rob also managed the picture desk for the leading magazine group Pacific Publications. Rob's clientele has grown to include advertising agencies, graphic designers and an impressive list of multi-nationals and media outlets.

Via his artisan approach and commitment, Rob has continually produced a wealth of powerful imagery. His easy working manner has seen him create many memorable images. Based in Melbourne, Australia, his recent assignments have taken him to Great Britain, USA, Vietnam, France and Prague.

Rob is also the Editor of the international renowned and respected Australian aviation publication Flightpath Magazine. His passion for aviation began well before his professional career commenced in 1970.

Since 1997 as the Editor, Rob's photojournalist skills have taken the popular aviation magazine Flightpath to record levels of subscription and sales. Flightpath is 17 years old this year and Rob has been a contributor from its formative years. His vast network of contacts in the aviation industry ensures he is abreast of the industry's latest news via his personal "following"! His work and outstanding aviation photography has been published world wide.

Aviation Clients :

• Raytheon Australia
• AirBP/Castrol
• RAAF
• CASA
• QBE
• Temora Aviation Museum [Westfield's]
• Combined Flight Training.

Corporate Clients:

• ANZ Banking Group
• Nextage Systems
• Wagner Australia
• RACV

Media Clients have included:

• New Idea
• TV Week
• The Herald Sun
• The Australian
• Independent Newspaper Group
• FlyPast
• Aeroplane Monthly
• Janes
• Popular Flying [UK]
• American Warbird Digest
• EAA
• Australian Flying
• Aircraft
• Aerospace
• AOPA
• Aero Australia
• Classic Wings [NZ]
• CASA's Flight Safety Australia

Throughout his professional career Rob's work has been recognised with many awards and citations. In 1983 he was awarded the Cannon Press Photographer of the Year for his coverage of the tragic Ash Wednesday Bush Fires.

To many the sky is the limit to Rob Fox it is home. Rob is a pilot and has restored his own Vietnam Veteran Cessna O1-G Forward Air Control aircraft. A highly versatile combat aircraft, the Birddog is ideally suited to the demanding world of aerial photography.

Rob has taken Air to Air photos from, WWII North American Harvard trainers, CAC Wirraway, T-28 Trojan, C-47 Dakota and even the HARS Lockheed Neptune maritime & anti submarine bomber. For one series of images Rob was actually and voluntarily, strapped into the Neptune's bombay! More modern camera ships include Westwind jet, Piper Chieftain, Beechcraft Bonanza and Barons.

Various models of the popular Cessna breed of high wing aircraft, even the aerobatic Extra 300 was used to capture the spectacular shots the A-37B Dragonfly jet. For air to air shoots involving the military, he has used the RAAF's Caribou and C-130 Hercules, Macchi jet and Pilatus PC-9. At times various helicopters of the Army and Navy have been made available.

Recently several high performance aircraft have been specially modified for Rob and his camera work. One was a special camera hatch cut into a spare glass canopy of a North American T-28 Trojan. The most common platform is the rear seat of either the T-6 Harvard or similarly designed CAC Wirraway. With the canopy out of the way, little surpasses this as a camera platform. However, both aircraft can be marginally too slow for high performance fighters and jets coming onto the warbirds scene. This is were the T-28 is utilised. There are several critical areas.

1. Clear vision: it is preferable to shoot through an open window or with the canopy back or an access door removed. The up to 200knot slip stream and is the big enemy here along with vibration from the camera ship and one has to constantly bare this in mind.
2. Comparable speed and performance to the subject aircraft is critical to a successful mission. You can't successfully capture a Tiger Moth from a Canberra bomber and vice versa.
3. It is essential to have formation endorsed pilots of all aircraft involved. The air is an unforgiving medium and when two or more aircraft are occupying the same patch of sky, things can go wrong in a heartbeat. The medium is three dimensional and fluid, it is not for the inexperienced.
4. All participants must be thoroughly aware of what the planned mission is aimed at achieving , you can't wing it on the run. Safety is the paramount consideration and overrides all other factors.

Rob was the Airshow Director of the internationally renowned 2001, 2003, 2004 Tyabb Airshows and airshow display co-ordinator in 1997. For the 2005 Airshow show Rob bought together every airworthy Mustang fighter in Australia.

For this event "The Great Mustang Round-up he was presented with the Australia Day 2005 Community Event of the Year Award, from the Mornington Peninsula Shire Council. As Airshow Director he had the added responsibility of media liaison and public relations. He produced and edited the airshow programs for all 4 airshows. He has taken the airshow from a crowd draw of 4,000 to over 10,000. He Co-produced a Tyabb Airshow video documentary Other Airshow Involvement Rob was the Airshow Director of the Victorian Bicentenary Air Race - Echuca Airshow 2003.

In his self restored 1953 Viet Nam veteran Cessna O1-G Birddog, he has flown numerous airshow displays. These include, West Sale, Temora, Echuca, Tyabb and the RAAF Point Cook airshows.