Collage of photos captured by Norman Kent. Photo Credit: NORMAN KENT
Norman Kent, a Hollywood photographer and aerial cinematographer with over 30,000 skydives under his belt, recently took his talents to St. Croix for STX BOOGIE, an international skydiving event held from February 15–22, 2025.
Organized by Fyre Parachute, this gathering brought together Red Bull athletes, world record holders, and top skydiving pros for a week of high-energy jumps, with landings at Leatherback Brewing Company and select beaches. Kent, known for his work on films like Godzilla, Eraser, and Cliffhanger, found plenty to capture through his lens.
Kent didn’t just stick to photographing the action—he made time to connect with St. Croix’s kids. "The children are the future so it's great to feed their little minds with options and excitement and they were full of questions which is great, so I really like talking to the kids," he said. This tied into the event’s youth program with the Air National Guard, aimed at sparking interest in aviation careers. Kent’s own path began at 19 with his first jump, and he’s keen to pass that excitement forward.
The event itself thrilled Kent, who’s spent over 40 years blending skydiving and photography. "I'm happy to be here on St. Croix having a great time. The views are amazing from the air so I'm happy to be here. I have a straight passion for skydiving so I love shooting these kinds of events and people having fun, especially in a new area as beautiful as this one," he shared.
Born in El Paso, Texas, and raised in Mexico City, Kent picked up a camera at 14 before skydiving hooked him five years later. By his 24th jump, he was strapping cameras to his helmet, and in the late 1970s, he pioneered the full-face helmet design for skydiving photography. His career has since ballooned—think aerial sequences for Hollywood hits, documentaries like From Wings Came Flight and Willing to Fly, and a 10,000-foot jump to the North Pole. In 2006, the United States Parachute Association gave him a Gold Medal for Meritorious Achievement for his impact on the sport.
Kent’s time on St. Croix left him eager to return. "I hope to be back, not only hopefully in future events and we're hoping that this would be a yearly event, but also I would love to come back and just relax, get into some island mode relaxation," he said. He saw the island as more than a work spot—it’s a place for both adrenaline and downtime.
Reflecting on his St. Croix experience, Kent couldn’t get enough of the scenery and the people. "It's been great. Not only are the people amazing, but also from the air, the aerial views are just completely amazing, and that's to me very important," he noted.
