Paul Wellman

If a picture is worth a thousand words, Indy Big Shot Paul Wellman’s photos are worth millions. Our favorite photographer heads to all points of the county, often on the same day, in search of just the right image for our stories and always comes back with trophies. A sunny fall Friday found him in Pt. Mugu with the Breitling Jet Team, squeezing into the copilot’s spot — complete with control stick, rudder pedals, emergency hatch release, and live ejection seat — of an Aero L-39 Albatros that ripped along doing stunts at 500 mph. A GoPro documented the trip, but, ironically, no SLR or even iPhone use was allowed in flight. “All the controls and levers are live,” his pilot said. “It’s best to just hold onto your straps and enjoy the ride.” Which really is good advice for most everything.