Brian Grubb bomb drop
Subject: Brian Grubb
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Juice, Pages 7-8
I think Brian Grubb is the king of the bomb-drop photo. It’s kind of a photo that never gets old. How could it? Drop a ten-foot dock, great photo. Finger flip off a parked bus, great photo. Jump off the wingtip of an Albatross airplane, pretty priceless.
We were in Charlotte, North Carolina when I got in touch with the local Red Bull team rep. We did have some other things in mind to do with the plane, but it got scrubbed at the last minute. Trying to figure out how to get the plane in the shot, Grubb and I talked over the idea of starting from the wing. The wind that day was pushing the plane around like a sail making it difficult to line up the sunlight, much less calm water.
Once the plane was somewhat anchored, we then had to deal with the audience that was flocking to get a closer look. There were boats everywhere. They all wanted to get an up-close look at the plane. I don’t think anybody expected to see Grubb jump off the wing to start his wakeskate run. I cleared everybody off the top of the wing so it wouldn’t look so cluttered with extra people. Both pilots had their heads out the cockpit window to get a glimpse, but you can’t see them with the angle I’m shooting from. One, two, and three successful attempts in a row, we got the shot we were looking for.
-Meddock
