chuckography

Picture this....

So, as often happens, it all started with a camera.

First, there was strictly film in the camera - a Kodak Duoflex - when I was in Middle school. Long before digital.


 It used a roll of Kodak film, of course. Probably 12-shots.

These dozen experiments would be unveiled a week or so later when Walgreens returned my black & white prints. 

Oh, the suspense!

Quickly I learned to make sure to carry it with me to record things, events, and people. Mom even tried snapping some family photos...usually with the sun over her right shoulder as we squinted.

To capture a moment that could be shared later... even many years later.

I had discovered Time Travel when in my early teens!

In Bishop England high school, the whole adventure was bumped up to a new level..someone donated a large camera that used a sheet of film sized 4 x 5 inches.

Little did I realize the history that the gift Speed Graphic press camera and I would have together.


After a year of using the large-format camera, I joined the Marines right out of high school.

It was 1957 and the world was at relative peace, breathing a sigh of relief after 3-years of bloody battles in Korea.

My older brother had joined the Air Force and had spent some time there. 

My younger brother was still in high school so not in harm's way.

I joined the Marines on a curious basis - 6 months active duty and then 7.5 years as a member of a local Marine Reserve. 

After boot camp at  Parris Island, I was finishing advanced infantry training up in North Carolina at Camp Lejeune.

The first 6-months were the worst - and the roughest  - time as a Marine and I looked forward to receiving my MOS (Military Occupational Specialty) assignment.

The first 25 fellows who came out were headed to MP (Military Police) School and I knew I would make a terrible MP.

At 6' tall and 129 pounds, I was in great condition but was not a big husky Marine.

During the interview, I brought up my photo training and the Captain said "OK, you'll go to the Base Photo Lab"

(It was a bit more involved than that... with me claiming to have my photos published in LIFE Magazine. Oh, and TIME News magazine. 

(Hey, why the hell not, at that point?)

The Warrant Officer at the Photo Lab had a laugh when I explained what I had done to be assigned there and, once he found I did indeed know how to use a large-format camera, I was accepted.


My six-month active duty was about up, and I was told I could re-enlist for 3 years and not have to attend Reserve meetings. I was in a happy place and gladly signed up and extended my tour of active duty.

Peacetime was a great time to be designated as a Marine Combat Photographer!

Traveling with the Camp Lejeune football team to other bases to compete meant now I was doing Sports Photography. 

While in San Diego to play the MCRD team, I met some friends at the relatively new University of San Diego and was offered a photo scholarship to start a few months later when I finished my enlistment!

I accepted, packed all my darkroom gear and cameras and headed West.

I set up a terrific darkroom in a small room  with a long sink and running water downstairs in the main classroom building 


My first year there in San Diego, we produced a yearbook for the College for Men. 

That may have motivated the College for Women to start thinking about doing one of their own in the 9-year old college. 

When I was a rising Sophomore, I was hired by the daily metro papers to work in the Union-Tribune Photo Lab. 
We tried split days off and working weekends,  but I eventually took a time-out from college.

In six months, I was promoted to Staff Photographer and was out on the street....carrying a 4x5 Speed Graphic camera.

I eventually went back to USD in 1966 and graduated in 1968.

Oh, I was still working at the paper but, by then, the paper had down-sized to the much lighter Mamiya 330, a medium-size format camera of 21/4 x 21/4 images.


Later we started using a complete line of Nikon cameras and lenses. So the long transition was done


My aching back from the heavy and bulky Speed Graphic became a distant memory. 

Until just a few days ago!


First, a buddy had touted me on a Speed Graphic t-shirt he had bought online 

He and I had lugged these cameras all over San Diego a long time ago.

So. I bought the shirt.



A few days ago a fellow photographer who is leaving town was selling off lots of cameras and other gear so I stopped by.

I bought a vintage (non-working but repairable)  Bronica medium-format camera for $20. As we talked, I mused too bad you don't have a Speed Graphic.

"I have two, he responded. One just the camera that I am keeping and the other is the complete 4x5 kit with camera, lens, flash with two heads, a dozen film holders, etc in the original fiber case for $200."

I left with my old friendly workhorse, the heavy "repairable" non-working BRONICA film camera, and a $20 Kodak photographer's vest.

Well, I already had a photo vest that was too small and another that was way too large. His was medium-size. Perfect fit.

Now it is mine.

(Click on the photos and links for more details).

Whenever you go "shopping," it's a good idea to leave credit cards and checkbooks at home. 

Otherwise, you've gone "buying."

Labels: 2-sided 4x5 cut film holders, 4631 combat photographer, 4x5 Speed Graphic, Bronica, Citadel '61 yearbook in San Diego, Mamiya 330, Photographer's med. size vest, T-shirt filled with memories

posted by chuckography @ 8:14 PM 0 Comments

Dress to suit the job..get it? "Suit."

 As I've mentioned before, I receive a daily newsletter from San Diego.

It's written for and by former editorial employees of the Union-Tribune newspapers, where I worked for most of the 1960s.

The topics bounce all over the place as writers are wont to do.

The focus the last few days has been on the "dress code" of the paper, back in the time frame I worked there as a staff photographer.

Not only was I sporting an impressive LARGE format 4x5 Speed Graphic camera, we drove around in distinctive red and white camera cars.

We were highly visible and dressed the part.

We eventually switched to a smaller (21/4 x 21/4 format)  square image camera and that lightened the load. but we kept the "uniform" we were required to wear.

I have not sent this mid-sixties coat and tie outfit I basically wore every day -yet - but I do plan to respond to the current newsletter topic.

I still have some of these very thin ties in my closet, even after all these years. I found a few skinny knit ties that have been ignored by moths.

Retired, I seldom dress up (Uh, my suits shrank while hanging in the closet) but I do recall feeling pretty sharp looking as I sauntered along on my way to take some society photos.

Yes, that is a cigarette in my hand.

In those days, actors dressed as doctors endorsed smoking in ads as "good for you." Cough, Cough.

Hmmm, now and then you didn't spot an ashtray in sight. An empty 35mm film canister often was used to knock off an ash or even to snub out a cigarette when needed.

Actually, the dress code was a good plan.

You could always slip off your coat, loosen your tie and roll up your sleeves if need be. Easy to "dress down."

 I mean, each day you had no idea who you might meet and greet and take their photograph.

It might be San Diego shakers-and-movers or sometimes it was a well-known out-of-towner on the campaign trail.

One day I was sent to what sounded like a massive car crash.
When I got there, I doffed my coat and start focusing on at least 6 or 7 badly crushed cars!

The police and I finally realized a truck carrying junked crashed vehicles had flipped on an overpass, dropping cars in every direction.
Good pictures for the paper and, best of all, zero casualties.

But, nowadays, as a retired guy, I tend to dress less formal.

I still carry a camera with me (a small pocket-sized digital Canon about the size of a deck of cards) and have been known to be in shorts,  wearing a t-shirt.

Did not buy this one though.

It seemed too complicated and I would have to be explaining it too often.

I did buy one that featured a Speed Graphic mage on the front.

Just a simple image of a type of heavy camera I carried in high school, for almost four years in the Marines and for my first several years at the San Diego newspapers.

Mainly for the memories, I added it to my "dress code" here in sultry South Carolina.

(Click on the photo and links for more details.)

For anyone keeping score, this is my 998th posting on my 12-year old blog.

Inching closer to that 1,000 entries mark.

Thanks for stopping by. Come by often. Thanks.



*Her's a few more U-T Photographer's photos from the 1960s.

We were a well-dressed bunch of guys.




 We did FINALLY begin using 35mm film cameras!

Here are three fellows I worked with "back then."

Labels: #5 and #11 flashbulbs, 2-sided 4x5 cut film holder, 4x5 Speed Graphic, ISO vs ASA, Presidental presence, wating for a President, well-dressed photogs.

posted by chuckography @ 6:08 PM 0 Comments