Air 2 Air Photo Tours - The TEAM

David is a co-founder of McKay Photography Academy and McKay Photography Inc. He has been a professional photographer for over 30 years starting his first photography studio at the age of 17. Together with his wife Ally, and their team, they have led over 3000 people around the globe on photographic excursions. This includes over 70 countries and all 7 continents. 

He has always had a love for aviation and started with flying gliders in 1997 and then also obtained his single engine pilots license in 2000.  After a 20 year "break" from flying, David has gotten back in the pilot's seat once again. It was only natural to combine his love for aviation and photography when the  opportunity  arose. 

David has received some of the highest photographic awards in the world including the prestigious Master of Photography, Photographic Craftsmen degrees from Professional Photographers of America- the LEADING professional photography organization in the world. 

Having taught on some of the largest stages in the industry, to thousands of people, both professional photographers, and amateurs alike, he has a passion for photography and teaching. He believes just being a great photographer does not make you a great teacher and that the ingredients of both emotion and skill must be shared and taught. David shares his love and enthusiasm wherever he goes and many of you can attest to this.

You may also know David from his #1 International Best Selling photography book series, “Photography Demystified”.  Each of his 4 books in the series has shot to #1.  

David is a freelance Aviation Photojournalist residing in the American Southwest and has been fascinated about aviation and airplanes since he was a young boy. His passion for aviation was a contributing factor in joining the United States Air Force where he spent 20 years as a defender of freedom.

Over time, his passion for aviation grew stronger, and he decided to pick up a camera and began documenting aviation events in his local area. A chance opportunity afforded him his first air-to-air photoshoot where he was airborne photographing other aircraft flying alongside our aircraft for the first time. 

Over the years, David has photographed hundreds of vintage, classic and warbird aircraft, capturing the essence of aviation several thousand feet above the ground. 

David's aviation images have been featured on the covers of numerous aviation publications worldwide and he has authored many published stories about the exploits of the men and women who have become legends in aviation. 

Over the years, he has built bonds with these aviation legends, and it is these interactions that he treasures the most.  David says "because their influences can be seen throughout aviation, as it certainly influenced my path to document the many stories that aviation has to tell. My journey with camera in hand, documenting aviation’s history has been a journey of joy, and it continues today."

Keith is, quite simply, the Man, the Myth, the Legend around here. Growing up just beneath the Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) flight path, he spent his childhood looking skyward, tracking every airplane as it passed overhead. 

Aircraft became his obsession early on, and if Keith wasn’t pedaling his bike out to the nearest airport, he was convincing his mom to chauffeur him all across Southern California just to catch a glimpse of everything from vintage P-51 Mustangs to the latest military jets.

As the years rolled by, Keith became a well-known name across the Southern California and Arizona aviation scenes. He’s worked with an array of commercial aircraft and warbird sales outfits, and more recently, he’s dived into jet warbird restorations.

Back in 2008, Keith noticed a gap: rare, historic planes often flew by with no one around to capture the moment. So he bought his first camera and started shooting. What started as a hobby quickly took over. His first article, with photos, appeared in Air Classics magazine in 2010, and by 2011, he was shooting his first air 2 air photo mission.

Almost two decades later, Keith is considered one of the top aviation photographers in the country. He’s flown missions with the United States Armed Forces, documented a huge lineup of World War II fighters and bombers, and has basically become the default photographer for the Jet Warbird crowd. His work shows up regularly in aviation magazines across the U.S., Australia, and Europe, and he’s on contract with the globe’s largest warbird brokerage.

Keith is a crucial part of our team, always hustling to help us track down the perfect subject aircraft for our tours. In the airshow world, he’s the guy everyone knows—or wishes they did—thanks to the genuine respect he’s earned from aviators and performers everywhere.

Richard's  aviation images have graced the covers of hundreds of national and international magazines as wells as books and calendars during his career covering everything from light general aviation aircraft to the vintage and modern military aircraft.

For Richard, aviation photography has been a lifelong passion he has shared with others for years. Richard is a vital part of our operations both on the ground and in the air. 

On the ground, you’ll find Richard right in the mix, teaching, joking, talking shop, and showing everyone the tricks to nailing airborne shots. When the sun goes down, he becomes the lighting mastermind, orchestrating those night time engine run-ups where he somehow makes a metal fuselage glow.

Once we’re in the air, Richard’s is on the radios with the pilots  calmly steering and manuevering planes  into formation and making sure everyone gets the perfect shot. He’s just as much a part of each flight as the pilots and crews themselves.