A Unique OLDSKILLZ Perspective
by Cate Murway
Bristol born Michael Thomas Mallon is not just a “fly by” photographer who takes brilliant, awe-inspiring shots. He is part of the Airborne Revolution with his high flying cameras that enable him to capture unique viewpoints and churn out consistently profound imagery. He is most competently able to showcase any subject and its surroundings; in a spectacular fashion no crane could ever achieve, using unmanned aerial systems, commonly known as drones. No limitations to inhibit his creativity while converting his hobby into a money-making venture.
There has always been a general fascination with wanting to make something fly and have complete control over it.
Mike’s late grandparents, Robert and Flora [Tyrell] Boyle lived on 238 Cleveland Street and his mother, Frances Marie [Boyle] Mallon graduated from Bristol High.
Interestingly, her senior yearbook quote in 1976 was “For eyes can speak and eyes can understand” and two of her children, the eldest and the middle of her three are certainly making the most of their vision!
Mike’s sister, Jennifer owns the “Best in Bucks” Baby Duck Photography, LLC on Mill Street and produces amazing baby pictures with elaborate backgrounds and their sister, Melissa works in child daycare.
During his High School years, he always “gravitated toward” and was interested in “graphics and the darkroom, screen printing and developing black and white pictures. It was a passion with me and kept me out of trouble. A Bensalem graphic design teacher inspired me.”
Mike designed tee shirts and sold them to his friends. “We all were in little bands. I played bass guitar [he owns an Ibanez guitar] in my group ‘Denial’”. His cousin John VanCleve played the guitar and inspired Mike to play. “He hurt his hand and gave me all his equipment.”
Mike was also “super heavily into skateboarding but no soccer or organized sports”. He belonged to BSA Troop #108, led by Robert Borton. “I learned wilderness survival, a little bit of everything! I was a Life Scout, almost an Eagle Scout.”
Right after graduation, Mike worked at a 250-slip marine dealership, the G. Winter's Sailing, Inc. located in Riverside, NJ, installing electronics and launching boats. A family friend owned the Marina and he had worked there while still in school during the summer months.
The heavy workload took a heavy toll on him.
“It destroyed my back and I was operated on a couple times.”
It was then that he started focusing more on graphic design when “I became laid up.”
Progress, adventure and opportunity are apparently key driving forces for this entrepreneur.
“I have a lot of support from my family.”
Mike met his future wife, Claire Michelle [Leal] in 1989 during their freshman year of High School.
Claire is an Archdiocesan social worker but it is his mom who works with him every day. Mike considers his mother, Fran his “right hand [wo]man”!
Their two sons “help out from time to time at events and when I do projects” in their customer oriented/family owned and operated business. Quinn [19] is a Temple University computer science major and 17-year-old Caleb, BCTHS ’18 is avidly pursuing a culinary degree in baking.
His all encompassing business is prepared to help with social media and marketing, aerial views, business and postcards, just about everything.
“I can take a customer’s idea, their design, take their concept even on a napkin, and make it happen.”
He creates interesting unique compositions with a different perspective and has been serving the community since May 15, 1998. Mike began his career as “Oldskool Produxions” in a 500 square foot building in Croydon and worked his way up to a 5,000 square foot storefront.
“I incorporated into ‘Oldskillz Graphics’”.
Mike masterfully produces real estate fly-over pictures, marketing shots, event coverage and much more with his TJI Phantom 4 drone, Canon DSR 40D camera and an Osmo 4K video camera, "kind of like a camera drone without the flying part". He is FAA Certified, registered, and insured; and ready to make your idea a reality.
He laughed, “It used to be a miracle to just keep a nice level hover going.”
His goal is to build a big company with a fleet of pilots. “I would like to do an FPV [First Person View] Drone Racing program in a STEM class.”
Progress lies not just in enhancing what is, but in advancing toward what will be. ....
All of his creations are completed in-house [no middlemen] and he works very closely with his customers, wholeheartedly respecting their deadlines.
“I do the design from the beginning to end. I was using Photoshop and Illustrator from the beginning. We had one machine in the whole school. I was there every study period.”
He is also a top level sponsor for Team 5401, The Fightin’ Robotic Owls, a FIRST Robotics Team based out of Bensalem High School. The student-run team builds and programs robots to perform prescribed tasks against a field of competitors.
His stencil spray paint/ acrylic piece with a political slant titled “Winning” was featured in the NY Times in April.
He mixed spray paint/stencils, screen printing and acrylic and “made a bunch and put them up mainly in the city and around the time of the RNC & DNC conventions. Then with that Times article, I ended up selling everything I had left and got random requests from all over the place. The canvas is in Chicago now and was in a Huffington Post Art round up.” He donated every cent he earned from that artwork to a few different causes.
“All of that art is something I mess around with but don't take too seriously. That piece was the first and only of that sort of art I ever sold and I never intended on selling it in the first place. The times and political atmosphere prompted me to do that rather than to argue with friends etc., on social media.”
Aside from real estate promo photos and business marketing, Oldskillz Graphics can produce utility type projects for inspections or storm damage assessments, including aerial photo mapping and 3D mapping.
Commercial property projects can show land improvements.
Mike offers expert custom screen printing, embroidery, design/layout work, digitizing, athletic numbering/lettering, vinyl signs/banners/vehicle lettering and more with a fast turnaround, competitive pricing, one on one customer service and unbeatable quality.
Tees, sweatshirts, jackets/warm ups, team sports jerseys, work clothing/uniforms, public safety/protective wear, hats, cold weather gear, backpacks/bags, [and that is just the apparel], become more high quality threads with his personalized touch.
He makes it happen, in a timely, expert manner; custom cut or printed vinyl signs and lettering of all kinds: from concept to finished product.
Oldskillz Graphics will put their years of experience to work for you, taking aerial footage and turning it into stunning video productions.
RUSH printing services are available with personalized local delivery and they will ship anywhere in the USA. Visit them on the web from the convenience of your home or office.
Incorporate Oldskillz Graphics into your flight plan and delight your audience!
Contact Mike for more details.
Michael T. Mallon
Oldskillz Graphics
1921 Park Avenue
Bensalem PA 19020
215.852.7549
oldskillz@aol.com
www.bristoldrone.com
Recommend a “Spotlight”. E-mail vjmrun@yahoo.com
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