For a guy born among the cornfields of Illinois, raised on the edge of the Ozark Mountains in SW Missouri, and spending practically all his adult life in the wonderland of Florida, Bill Kilborn has been privileged and blessed to experience more of life than most people.

Bill became interested in airplanes in high school and ended up with his first pilot’s license in 1957.  That went on to become a Commercial Pilot Certificate with most of the ratings, even including glider.  Most flights included a camera as a prime passenger.

He worked in aviation full time in Ft. Lauderdale, Florida for most of the 1960s as an aviation mechanic, co-pilot-mechanic, simulator instructor, ground school instructor, and pilot, flying mostly in the Bahamas and various islands, much of the time in seaplanes (Shades of Fantasy Island!) a camera always in hand.

A love of photography from childhood (had a darkroom in his room at 12 years old) started Kilborn Photography full time in the Melbourne, Florida area in 1971 while aviation took a back seat for awhile.  It didn’t take long before Aerial Photography became a prime part of the business lasting to this day along with Commercial Photography for advertising and marketing all around the country.  Also being a certified scuba diver since the late 60s, Bill’s career has included underwater photography as well as on the land and in the air.

About 90% of Kilborn Photography’s clients were in the development, housing and Florida tourism industry.  Still are…………

Bill has amassed awards in professional photographic competitions locally, statewide, regionally, and nationally many times. often being asked to be a judge.  This dedication to the profession has led to being very active in organizations of peers:

• One of the founders and past-president of the Professional Photographers Society of Central Florida – Orlando.

• The founder and past-president of the Atlantic Professional Photographers Association – Central East Coast of Florida.

• Past-president of the Florida Professional Photographers, currently the largest state photographers organization in the country – still active in this group as a Past President.

• Has earned the Florida Service Award and the Florida Degree of Photographic Excellence from the Florida Professional Photographers.

• Has been awarded the coveted Service Award both from the Southeastern Professional Photographers and the Professional Photographers of America. Only one per year ever given.

• Has earned the Master of Photography Degree and the Photographic Craftsman Degree from the Professional Photographers of America.  The highest honors possible in this, the largest organization of professional photographers in the world

As part of the requirements for the Master’s Degree and to give back to the profession, Bill has given professional photographic seminars all over Florida and a few other parts of the country.  He’s also written many illustrated articles for The Professional Photographer, Studio Photography and The Rangefinder, all internationally published professional photography magazines.

• Even a stint as President of the Florida Sport Aviation Antique and Classic Association and winner of their #1 award, Antiquer of the Year.  This goes along with a long love of and working relationship with Antique and Classic Airplanes. He’s currently a director of that group and participates in a number of Fly-ins throughout the year  Bill does not have an airplane at present but has owned 3 throughout the years. Starting with the newest one, a 1957 home built sailplane, a classic 1951 Cessna 170 (the aerial photography workhorse for many years) and a restored antique 1941 all wood Navy Trainer.

ill made the transition to digital photography as soon as it became viable, having already been in computers and the digital world long before that.  The long hours of sweat and smelliness in the darkroom soon gave way to long hours before a computer.  Just as long, mind you, and as much work but the possibilities of what can be done are now endless.  He’s also become a master of Adobe Photoshop after about 15 years experience and is quite competent in most other layout and graphic design programs such as Adobe Illustrator and Adobe In-Design.

Web site design and maintenance became a big part of Bill’s life in the early 90s when the Internet became a viable form of advertising and communication.  He has gone on to working on hundreds of sites, currently leasing his own server in one of the world’s largest tier 1 server centers in the Dallas area on the backbone of the Internet.  Check out www.journey1.net for client examples.

Bill does not only basic HTML websites but likes to bring in complex programming and databases to achieve the ultimate in website design, now known as Web 2.  He’s fluent in several web specific programming languages.

All this has been combined with involvement in the graphic design and advertising industry for many, many years.

Now living and working from home in the Suwannee River Valley area of North Central Florida, the REAL Florida of many people’s dreams and memories of days long gone, a place that has been a love and retreat for many, many years.

Life experiences make one what one is today.  Isn’t this the kind of experienced and dedicated person you want working on your photographic, website and graphic design projects?

Member of:    Gilchrist County Chamber of Commerce
                        Greater Chiefland Area Chamber of Commerce
                        Fanning Springs Chamber of Commerce
                        Suwannee River Chamber of Commerce
                        Cedar Key Chamber of Commerce
                        Representative to the Tri-County Tourist Development Coalition
                        Director of Pure Water Wilderness, a Tri-County tourist                              development council
                        Member of the Original Florida Tourism Task Force
                        Partner of the Suwannee River Wilderness Trail

Oh yes, one more little thing — In 1978 a collection of Bill's "Best of Lifetime" work was accepted for the permanent collection of the International Photography Hall of Fame and museum in Oklahoma City as part of their constantly rotating exhibits.