57 years a Photographer

Our speaker for our August Meeting is Jim Robertson.  The title of his presentation is ’57 years a Photographer’ .  Everyone is welcome to attend and hear Jim speak about his varied experience as a photographer.  Our Program will be on nature photography.

The following is a history of Jim’s accomplishments.

In 1961 while a student at MTSU I bought an Argus C3 Camera and started photographing cave formations and Civil War relics in Tennessee Caves. Between college I worked at Dury’s camera store in the professional division. In August 1966 I was drafted into the army and served for 2 years as a photographer. Later I was hired by Tennessee Conservation Department to serve as their only staff photographer photographing for State Parks, Conservation Education, Archeology, Water Resources, State Forestry and The Tennessee Conservationist Magazine.

Five years later I was hired as a Federal Civil Service photographer photographing for engineers, scientist and researchers Illustrating what ever they were working on. The before, during and after and the problems they couldn’t always see. We shot high speed 5,000 plus frames per second and other unique equipment to solve problems.

I photographed 32 years as a research photographer but I never stopped being a nature photographer.

Accomplishments:

1.    Photographed Big South Fork River and Recreation area before it was created. My 16×20 black and white photo was taken to Congressional hearings by Bob Lantz and Dave Shupe and helped convince them it was worthy of park status.

2.    Photographed the Buffalo River in Tennessee for the environmental impact statement for US Forest Service that led to it being designated a Wild and Scenic River..

3.    Photographed the live snail darter endangered fish that held up the construction of Telico Dam and was published in National Geographic book called Wildlife Alerts.

4.    Lived among the Navajo and Hopi Indians at Tuba City Az. At an Indian Health Service site for 2 years caring for my 2 and 4 year old sons.

5.    Photographed smallest butterfly in North America.

6.    Photographed smallest bird in North America.

7.    Walked with wild horses in Utah for 7 years.

8.    Lived and worked in the Great Basin Desert in Utah for many years.

9.    Still photographing nature at age 77.