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The history

Photo: 1987

Flying Focus was set up in 1984. In the early years we mainly took aerial photographs of land objects such as bungalow parks and industrial estates. Our maritime specialisation began to take shape in the early nineties and Flying Focus now owes its reputation mainly to this specialisation, although we still regularly photograph land objects.

We became very well known through our images of ships in bad weather conditions taken during freelance storm flights. Most of the Dutch shipping companies and shipbuilders are clients, meaning that we make several flights a week over the Northsea.

Over the years we have extended the business to include a framing department and a colour darkroom. So nearly all our work can be carried out in-house, meaning that we can ensure both quality and delivery times.

In 1993 we started to publish our annual photo calendars – the shipping and the fishing calendars. Flying Focus now sells both photos and calendars throughout the world.

In 1999 we bought our first aircraft, a single-engined Cessna 172, stationed at Rotterdam Airport. In 2001 the second single-engined Cessna 152 was bought and based at Den Helder Airport. To fulfil the growing demand for photoflights at large distances the third aircraft was bought in 2004. This twin-engined Cessna 337 is also based at Den Helder Airport.

Photo: 1989

Photo: 1987

In 2001 a digital department was started. A large professional negative scanner was installed for digitalising the 10×12 cm colour negatives.

From 2005 nearly all the aerial photos are made with professional digital cameras. In 2007 the company moved to a new location in Bussum, with an enlarged digital studio. The same year we stationed our new Piper Cub PH-FLH at Hilversum Airfield, nearby our office in Bussum. We can be airborne in less than half an hour!

From 2007 Flying Focus is publishing photobooks that are sold worldwide via our website. The same year we also started building a large database with stockphotography. We expect this database to go online medio 2009.

In 2008 we bought another Piper Super Cub, to be stationed at Den Helder airport, replacing the Cessna 152, which was sold to France. All four aircraft are specially equipped for aerial photography, with large photowindows, marine-VHF and survival equipment.

In 2011 our own hangar at Texel Airport was delivered and flying operations were concentrated.

In 2014 the office moved from Bussum to the hangar at Texel. One piper Super Cub was sold and the remaining 3 aircraft were all stationed in the own hangar at Texel.