Imagine That: No boundaries,
limitless space. You enter a tiny bubble and quickly rise above the
ground with nothing to hold you down. You float into a cloud not knowing
left or right, top or bottom, until suddenly you break out into a
beautiful sunset against the Chicago skyline at 1,000 feet above the
ground, staring at one of the world's most beautiful cities.
Collectors Series thrives by setting
incredibly high standards, achieving superior results with a unique
vision and quality images that have become our watermark on every print
we produce.
We pride ourselves on our award-winning
lithographs and custom creative ideas that set us apart from all the
rest. Fortunately, some things never change.
Flying High
With Michael Gustafson of Collectors Series.
Michael Gustafson has been
photographing ballparks and arenas from a helicopter since taking his
signature shot of Wrigley Field during the first night game played there
on August 8, 1988. Since that game, the North Riverside, IL resident
has captured 160 ballparks and arenas during his travels that have
covered over 28,000 miles. He has photographed nearly every baseball
facility in the major leagues.
His most recent project was the Rebirth
of a Legend: Lambeau Field in Green Bay, WI on Sept. 7, 2003. The
stadium is the newly remodeled home to the Packers. See
our Special Offers page for details on the
Limited Edition lithograph associated with this project.
Quick Facts On Gustafson:
Aircraft frequently used for photo
shoots: Helicopters, Jet Rangers and Robinson R22s.
Height at which most photos are taken: 350 to 450 feet
above the park or arena.
Cameras most frequently used: Nikon 35 millimeter and
Hassleblad medium format.
Favorite ballparks photographed: Wrigley Field, Camden
Yards, Gator Bowl, Coors Field, Joe Robbie Stadium.
Most Difficult Shot: Beaver Stadium (Penn State). Forced
to land on a highway en route to the photo shoot because of low cloud
cover. Continued on via a bus, boarded another helicopter in Happy
Valley, PA, and got his photo.
Most Bizarre Shot/Angle: Direct overhead shot of Dodger
Stadium in Los Angeles.
Most Challenging Shot: Shea Stadium. Dodging New York
air traffic at nearby LaGuardia Airport.
Near Miss: Waiting at BWI Airport to take the opening
game at Camden Yards. President Bush was in attendance, but left in
the 9th inning, allowing Gustafson to get his shot.
Favorite Backdrop for Photo: Cleveland, OH, when
photographing the first Browns game played at the Cleveland Browns
Stadium in 1999.
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