12/03/2025
Best drone pilot around!
A memory of a moment in time that art affected me would have to be my introduction to drone photography. I have always had a love for photography but kind of fell out of it shortly after college.
I was introduced to drone photography watching the news one evening after Sioux Falls had received a an immense amount of rain. They showed a video of a drone flying over the falls so you could see the water rushing. I was like, "what in the world is that?" So, watching the broadcast over I saw the person's name as they were crediting the photographer. I found the person on Facebook and reached out asking what it was.
Long story short, they told me and I purchased one myself. It ignited a flame inside of me for photography that I never knew I had. The perspective you get from up in the air is one that is rarely ever seen by us. This brought my passion back to "ground" photography and in the end I ended up starting a little side photography business, Josh Phillips Photography.
I took the time to learn all sorts of things about cameras that I didn't know and how to use lighting and producing my own unique art pieces. I would have to say this was definitely a moment that art really impacted me.
As a former board member of the Arts Council I would have to say the part that I enjoyed the most was being able to bring art to the youth of Aberdeen.
When we'd bring artists, it wasn't big name artists people know. These people were just doing it because they love to perform and want to teach others. Some of which were not even from the United States. Most of the time these artists would have performances in schools around Aberdeen before they performed for the public. When doing so, they would teach the youth about where they came from or about the instruments they were using that most of the children probably had never seen or heard of.
So, being on the board was very fulfilling in that aspect. Something I will forever cherish.
Josh's final term as a board member ended just this past summer. We miss having him, but we know he'll always be connected to the Arts in Aberdeen.
Thank you Josh!!