Navy Photographers & US Naval Schools of Photography: Any of ya'll who are former Navy Photographer's Mates or attended the Navy School of Photography at Pensacola there are a couple...

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

Any of ya'll who are former Navy Photographer's Mates or attended the Navy School of Photography at Pensacola there are a couple of facebook pages you might be interested in. The National Association of Navy Photographers has their own website as well as a facebook page. The school facebook page is for folks who are/were MC, PH, or JO types. Good group of folks on both pages.

RayF Loc: New Jersey

My Dad was a Navy photographers mate in WWII.

Jerry G Loc: Waterford, Michigan and Florida

Thanks for the information.

Morry Loc: Palm Springs, CA

I was a LI3 (that means Lithographer 3rd class petty officer) on board the USS Boston CAG-1 which was the very first active duty guided missile cruiser in the world . . . from 1955 through 1957. Our print shop and the ships photo lab were next door to each other. To get to the photo lab one had to pass through the print shop. I grew very buddy, buddy with the photographers on my ship and would often help them out in the darkroom. If I had a chance to serve again I would like to be a photographers mate. I understand that today Navy Photographers, Lithographers and Journalists have all been put into the same rate designation . . . which would serve me well. I'm just kidding about serving again . . . as i'm going to be 89 on May 2 . . . so you can see that is just wish full thinking on my part.

pgiraudin3

Thanks for the information. I was at Pensacola in 1971, and went from there to the Naval Photographic Lab on Bolling AFB. That was an intermediate step before being assigned to the White House Communications Agency.

CPR Loc: Nature Coast of Florida

Enjoyed stories my dad (Marine Photographer in WWII) told about the times flying in the pod of planes and being on IWO and in China during the war. Some of the photos are interesting. When I went in the Navy (61) the Photography school was in Anacostia across the river from Wash DC.

gwilliams6

nicksr1125 wrote:

Any of ya'll who are former Navy Photographer's Mates or attended the Navy School of Photography at Pensacola there are a couple of facebook pages you might be interested in. The National Association of Navy Photographers has their own website as well as a facebook page. The school facebook page is for folks who are/were MC, PH, or JO types. Good group of folks on both pages.

I was once a colleague of a fellow newspaper photographer that had been a Navy shooter and had won Military Photographer of the Year honors. When his name comes back to me, I will add it here. His last name was Preston I am sure.

Cheers and best to all you military photographers.

gwilliams6

gwilliams6 wrote:

I was once a colleague of a fellow newspaper photographer that had been a Navy shooter and had won Military Photographer of the Year honors. When his name comes back to me, I will add it here. His last name was Preston I am sure.

Cheers and best to all you military photographers.

His name is Jim Preston, a former Navy Photographer of the Year ,and also a former Military Photographer of the Year.

Jim is now the Supervisory Photographer of the National Air and Space Museum:
https://airandspace.si.edu/multimedia-gallery/jim-preston-bwjpg-0

Cheers

george19

I had a Photographer’s Mate manual from 50s or 60s. Lots of great info, but I don’t know where it went.

pendennis

While I wasn't a PH or JO, I did extensive photography for the public affairs unit while on active duty. I was in the Seabees, and the PA office didn't have PH's or JO's to spare, so since I had some previous experience, the task fell to me to get pictures of the Seabee Drill Team and Band when we performed gigs around the country. I also had a spot in the drill team line, so I kept fairly busy.

The PH gear locker didn't have a lot of spare gear, but I did get my hands on a Mamiya C3, and I had my own Pentax Spotmatic with some decent prime lenses. I had access to the base photo lab and to the one at Quonset Point NAS. I also got the chance to use those labs for my own "government work". Film was free, so...

It looks like the PH, JO and DM's were all folded into Mass Communications Specialist (MC) in 2006.

On the lighter side of the old PH rate, here's a book which is hilarious, and if you've ever been around a camera in the Navy, you'll enjoy!!

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001D1EU5Q/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_d_asin_title_o06?ie=UTF8&psc=1

RCJets Loc: Virginia

pendennis wrote:

While I wasn't a PH or JO, I did extensive photogr... (show quote)

When I was in Viet Nan in 1967 I bought a Topcon RE Super 35 mm camera. It cost me $400.00 then in the PX! I was told it was equal to or better than the NIkon F, and was the camera issued to Navy pilots for their photography. It had a 1.4 50 mm lens. Are you familiar with this camera and if so, do you know if it was used by any photographers in the Navy? I still have it but the diaphram leaves have gotten too slow for some reason, so no way to get a proper exposure..

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

RCJets wrote:

When I was in Viet Nan in 1967 I bought a Topcon RE Super 35 mm camera. It cost me $400.00 then in the PX! I was told it was equal to or better than the NIkon F, and was the camera issued to Navy pilots for their photography. It had a 1.4 50 mm lens. Are you familiar with this camera and if so, do you know if it was used by any photographers in the Navy? I still have it but the diaphram leaves have gotten too slow for some reason, so no way to get a proper exposure..

The Topcon RE Super was marketed in the U.S. as the Besler Topcon Super D and adopted as the Navy's combat camera. It was the 1st SLR to have a light meter incorporated in the body rather than as an attachment. I got to use it while assigned to VP-30, the East Coast VP training squadron. Three of us were assigned to the squadron although we worked out of the base photo lab. Part of our duties was to teach basic photo techniques to the aircrew members. Here's a link to a short history: https://casualphotophile.com/2017/06/30/topcon-re-super-35mm-film-slr-camera-review-the-greatest-loser/

pendennis

nicksr1125 wrote:

The Topcon RE Super was marketed in the U.S. as th... (show quote)

I did get to see a Topcon Super D in about a thousand pieces, after it made a hard landing in the middle of a runway at Quonset Point NAS. Seems the photographer, who was taking some aerials, forgot to secure the camera as safely as he was. The pilot of the small aircraft hit a small air pocket at about 3,000 ft, and the Topcon, motor drive and telephoto lens all ended up on the runway.

Of the Topcon, there were numerous photos of a "Navy PH" in Popular and Modern Photography advertising that the Navy had selected it for use.

nicksr1125 Loc: Mesa, AZ

The Topcon cameras were highly regarded & many of their features (putting the meter cell behind the mirror) were copied by other makes. They just got buried by Nikon & Canon advertising & eventually disappeared from the market. You can still find Topcon bodies/lenses in good condition on ebay for higher prices than other SLR's of comparable vintage from Nikon & Canon.

Real Nikon Lover Loc: Simi Valley, CA

Morry wrote:

I was a LI3 (that means Lithographer 3rd class pet... (show quote)

Thanks for your service. If world conditions keep deteriorating, you and I may both be drafted up to serve. I am retired and just young enough to be your son. Salute to you for continuing to plug along! Never surrender. 👍🏻👍🏻👍🏻🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸