Cleared Hot

In 2005, the United States Air Force carried out a joint venture with a British photographer Nicholas A. Price to show the non-flying side of the air force. The main purpose of the photographic journey was to capture some of the most mesmerizing and memorable moments from the US Air Force bases, the airmen's life and day to day exercises as well. Mr. Price spent eighteen months from 2005 to 2007 shooting pictures of Airmen at Nellis and Creech Air Force bases in Nevada. He chose those two bases because of the training conducted there and the similarity to the desert environs of Afghanistan and Iraq.

Cleared Hot

Out of those 8000 photographs, 60 were selected and developed by Nichlos. These were published as 'Cleared Hot' and acquired by United States Library of Congress. For this project, Nicholas has been granted exclusive and unique access in order to photograph the human story behind the men and women in our Air Force. It was an eighteen- month project. Nicholas has deliberately embarked on this journey from the ground up, because without those men and women who secure the base, provide ground combat forces, embark on new technologies, take care of the military family and equipment, the wonders of flight and air supremacy would not be possible .

Shooting Equipment

Nicholas shot this entire project using three 35mm professional film camera's, a range of lenses and associated equipment along with a range of professional traditional black and white film's - without any image manipulation, to produce artistic and professional quality work. Every photograph is developed and printed by hand .

Fine Art Photography Exhibition

The “Cleared Hot” project, exhibition and national tour were concluded at the National Museum of the US Air Force in Dayton, Ohio on October 2007. Over 650,000 visitors saw the exhibition during the six months it was displayed in the Hall of Honor Gallery:

  • Combat Warrior
  • The Face Of The Airman
  • Hardware & Equipment
  • The Home coming
  • Red Flag - The Ultimate Game
  • The Battlefield Today - B-52 &F22
  • Deployment
  • Pride & Joy – The Military Family
  • Veterans/MIA

Ground Combat- The Combat Warrior

The 99th Ground Combat Training Squadron provides warrior skills training for all ACC security forces and combat support elements at Creech Air Force Base. This squadron provides advanced ground combat weapons and tactics instruction that enhance the combat capabilities of U.S.

Thousands of photographs were taken of men and women in ground combat training, including many "action" shots and as a point of note, the public was probably unaware that the Air Force personnel have a substantial presence on the ground in the current conflict including convoy support, EOD and other ground based missions. This project really goes to the heart of illustrating the brave men and women who commit to the Air Force and the reasons why they joined.

Red Flag- The Ultimate Game

Red Flag is an ultimate event on the USAF calendar. Nicholas was allowed to photograph the entire "mechanics" of this exercise. Photographing the briefings, flight line activities and individual personnel in black and white, the 2005 exercise was particularly important, as it was the first time in 25 years that the Saudi Royal Air Force had participated in the exercise. The photographs truly depict the reality of the event in demonstrating the story of Red Flag literally from the ground up.

It was a unique part of the exhibition, as most if not all the Red Flag books and photographs in the market place that depicts any element of Red Flag tend to show only the Arial activity of the exercise and not the true comradery of the allies coming together through this exercise.

The 20% Women in the USAF

Today, 20% of the Air Force is made up of women. Many of photographs depict the Air Force's dynamic female population from the combat warrior on the ground to the female pilots of the F16's. The women Price photographed in the USAF appeal to those interested in the new roles of women in the military and the historical significance of these increased numbers.

Achievements and Acknowledgement

Nicholas Price has been commissioned by and has collaborated with, many prestigious entities over the span of his artistic career, including Fortune 500 Companies. His work has been featured in numerous media outlets including The Boston Globe, L.A. Times, USA Today - Life, Unique Homes Magazine, National News, and KNPR- National Radio. Commissions include major public art sculptures and several private collectors. Notably, some of his works in other mediums were recently acquired by one of the world's most prestigious institutions - the United States Library of Congress. Nicholas Price's collections have been published in several different books; his work exhibited at key events and respected institutions throughout America including the Guggenheim Hermitage Museum, The Springs Preserve, National Museum of the US Air Force, Library of Congress, Lloyd D. George Federal Building, International House of Blues, and Neiman Marcus. His work is collected in more than 35 countries.