April 2019

Million Air is a luxury FBO (fixed-base operator) with US and worldwide locations. I recently had the distinct pleasure of photographing their new facilities at the White Plains Airport, NY - built by the talented team at Jacob White Construction based in Houston, TX.

Photographing a complex project like this requires great planning and communication - choosing the time when there is not much airplane traffic but that would give us the best lighting; working around the last minute construction touch ups; clearing the surrounding area form tools and machinery - these were just a few of the challenges. Luckily, the cooperation with Sean Mickler, President of Jacob White, Niles Miller - senior project manager and Lauren Rones-Payne, the Million Air general manager, was flawless - including the whole staff at the Million Air who were super friendly and accommodating.

Every airport terminal is an extremely complex building - it has to display architectural proficiency and identity without any loss in functionality and passenger comfort. Jacob White Construction and architect Benjamin Notzon overcame these challenges with great success by creating a seamless synergy between the drop off area, the concourse and the lobby.

The Million Air’s beautiful palette of local granite and bluestone, wood and glass elements combined with fireplaces reflect, in the words of its designer, architect Benjamin Notzon, “one design language - that of an Adirondak lodge - which speaks directly to the regionalism and climate of Westchester”.

The lobby, through its light and airy form, “recalls the feeling of takeoff and flight, directing the visitors eye upward, drawing the spirit skyward, through its graceful, gently curving roof”. 

To capture Million Air in all its glory, I used my trusted Fujifilm GFX 50S medium format camera - in tandem with Fujinon lenses, by far the best glass in the market today - it has the resolution, clarity and unparalleled color rendition that translate into breathtaking images. This was by far one of the most enjoyable photographic assignments that I have had. There were so many beautiful design elements that I ended up taking many more images than initially planned.

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