<strong>Cabin fever: </strong>Virgin America air steward and part-time photographer Molly Choma has been documenting behind-the-scenes shots of her colleagues for the past eight years.
Cabin fever: Virgin America air steward and part-time photographer Molly Choma has been documenting behind-the-scenes shots of her colleagues for the past eight years.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Family footsteps:</strong> "My mom was also a flight attendant," Choma tells CNN Travel, "She used to work for Pacific Southwest Airlines -- and it was that cool, hot pink, retro era of flight attendants -- but there are no pictures of it!"
Family footsteps: "My mom was also a flight attendant," Choma tells CNN Travel, "She used to work for Pacific Southwest Airlines -- and it was that cool, hot pink, retro era of flight attendants -- but there are no pictures of it!"
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Behind the scenes:</strong> Choma's atmospheric images capture the little moments that define working on board a plane -- offering the public a glimpse behind the cabin curtain.
Behind the scenes: Choma's atmospheric images capture the little moments that define working on board a plane -- offering the public a glimpse behind the cabin curtain.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>A slice of history: </strong>Because of her mother's lack of photos -- and her own passion for photography -- Choma decided to bring her camera to work. "I like taking pictures of my friends and the thought that their kids will have pictures of them," she says.
A slice of history: Because of her mother's lack of photos -- and her own passion for photography -- Choma decided to bring her camera to work. "I like taking pictures of my friends and the thought that their kids will have pictures of them," she says.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Passion project: </strong>The photo series has become popular on social media -- playfully hashtagged #TheSecretLifeOfVirgins -- but it remains a passion project for Choma.
Passion project: The photo series has become popular on social media -- playfully hashtagged #TheSecretLifeOfVirgins -- but it remains a passion project for Choma.
Courtesy Molly Choma Photography
<strong>Challenging conditions:</strong> "It's definitely been a learning curve," says Choma of photographing in the airline cabin. "It's a very dark space, with really limited light." Choma embraces these restrictions, adopting unusual perspectives and innovative uses of light.
Challenging conditions: "It's definitely been a learning curve," says Choma of photographing in the airline cabin. "It's a very dark space, with really limited light." Choma embraces these restrictions, adopting unusual perspectives and innovative uses of light.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>A slice of history:</strong> The series has taken on a new momentum since Virgin announced its merger with Alaska Air. "When our airline got purchased it just kind of drove it home for me to preserve the culture that we grew up with," says Choma.
A slice of history: The series has taken on a new momentum since Virgin announced its merger with Alaska Air. "When our airline got purchased it just kind of drove it home for me to preserve the culture that we grew up with," says Choma.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Futureproof:</strong> Choma's photographs will serve as a time capsule once Virgin America is no more. "We are like a family, so when they made the announcement that it was going to dissolve into nothing, it became kind of a priority to bring my camera to work and preserve images before it's gone," says Choma.
Futureproof: Choma's photographs will serve as a time capsule once Virgin America is no more. "We are like a family, so when they made the announcement that it was going to dissolve into nothing, it became kind of a priority to bring my camera to work and preserve images before it's gone," says Choma.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Candid camera: </strong>Sometimes the pictures are impromptu, other times Choma attempts to recreate moments she's seen earlier on the flight.
Candid camera: Sometimes the pictures are impromptu, other times Choma attempts to recreate moments she's seen earlier on the flight.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>On camera:</strong> "A lot of it is taking opportunities [to photograph] when things are a little bit slower, based on things that are happening when it's a lot faster," Choma explains.
On camera: "A lot of it is taking opportunities [to photograph] when things are a little bit slower, based on things that are happening when it's a lot faster," Choma explains.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Documenting the crew:</strong> After several years of air stewarding, Choma's skill with the camera was noted and she was brought into Virgin HQ to take photographs.
Documenting the crew: After several years of air stewarding, Choma's skill with the camera was noted and she was brought into Virgin HQ to take photographs.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Flying visit: </strong>But recently Choma returned to air stewarding -- she likes the flexible schedule and the opportunity to explore travel and sports photography during her time off.
Flying visit: But recently Choma returned to air stewarding -- she likes the flexible schedule and the opportunity to explore travel and sports photography during her time off.
Courtesy Molly Choma Photography
<strong>Exploring opportunities: </strong>"The flight benefits and the work schedule has lead me to pursue these opportunities that I would never have thought I'd be so passionate about," Choma says.
Exploring opportunities: "The flight benefits and the work schedule has lead me to pursue these opportunities that I would never have thought I'd be so passionate about," Choma says.
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Flying high: </strong>Plus, she's still enthusiastic about the job. "I signed up to serve people because I felt like I'd been in college and just been absorbing and taking and taking," she says, "I really wanted the opportunity to give back and serve and reverse the process a little bit."
Flying high: Plus, she's still enthusiastic about the job. "I signed up to serve people because I felt like I'd been in college and just been absorbing and taking and taking," she says, "I really wanted the opportunity to give back and serve and reverse the process a little bit."
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>In the public eye: </strong>Surprisingly, Choma says travelers never stop and ask her what she is photographing: "I can tell that people notice that I'm carrying a large camera along the aisle -- rather than, say, a ginger ale or something!" she says. "But no one has ever asked what I'm doing."
In the public eye: Surprisingly, Choma says travelers never stop and ask her what she is photographing: "I can tell that people notice that I'm carrying a large camera along the aisle -- rather than, say, a ginger ale or something!" she says. "But no one has ever asked what I'm doing."
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Plain sailing:</strong> Air stewards have to be ready to deal with anything, but that doesn't mean they can't have fun. Choma loves the viral air steward videos on YouTube: "It reminds me of so many of my friends, stuff that we do is very similar to that, or even the exact same things -- just not on video -- during delays."
Plain sailing: Air stewards have to be ready to deal with anything, but that doesn't mean they can't have fun. Choma loves the viral air steward videos on YouTube: "It reminds me of so many of my friends, stuff that we do is very similar to that, or even the exact same things -- just not on video -- during delays."
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Viral sensibility:</strong> "The guy doing the Britney Spears one was so cute," Choma laughs. "If people only knew that we were dancing to Britney Spears while we were waiting for the front tire to get fixed or something, maybe they would join in on the fun too!"
Viral sensibility: "The guy doing the Britney Spears one was so cute," Choma laughs. "If people only knew that we were dancing to Britney Spears while we were waiting for the front tire to get fixed or something, maybe they would join in on the fun too!"
Courtesy Molly choma photography
<strong>Family values:</strong> It's this ability to smile in a crisis that defines life on board an airplane cabin. "It just goes back to being a family and making the best of bad situations," Choma says.
Family values: It's this ability to smile in a crisis that defines life on board an airplane cabin. "It just goes back to being a family and making the best of bad situations," Choma says.
Courtesy Molly choma photography