The sun was shining. Big puffy clouds filled the sky. Excited family members and colleagues stood on the ground staring up into the air, waiting for the familiar sound of the F-16. And then it happened. A 4-ship formation flew overhead, followed by a 2-ship one. Cheers erupted, a few tears fell. And six pilots who hadn’t seen their families in months landed at JB Andrews.

Air Force Deployment Homecoming at JB Andrews

The moments that followed were some of the most emotional ones I’ve ever photographed. Kaden and Audrey jumping up and down while waving their signs and flags as their dad taxied. Their sprint to him as soon as he got out of the aircraft. The look on James’s face as he walked towards Kim and then dipped her as he kissed her. So much joy, excitement and relief all wrapped up in a few seconds.

In the midst of all the emotions, I couldn’t help but feel privileged to be a part of such a special moment. Kim is a fellow milspouse photographer and often finds herself behind the camera during homecomings. To say it was an honor to be chosen by someone with such experience to document her own family would be an understatement. It was a day in my photography career that I’ll never forget… and I think it’s safe to say their family won’t either. Welcome home, James!

If you have an Air Force deployment homecoming on the horizon, please reach out to me. I would love to discuss availability and chat through the details of documenting the big day for you.

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