[Gemini XII] Astronaut-photographers Buzz Aldrin and James Lovell posing with the Hasselblad...

[Gemini XII] Astronaut-photographers Buzz Aldrin and James Lovell posing with the Hasselblad and Maurer space cameras. NASA, September 1966. Printed 1966. Vintage chromogenic print on fiber-based Kodak paper [NASA image S-66–62938]. 20.3×25.4 cm (8×10 in), with NASA caption numbered “S-66–62938” and “A Kodak Paper” watermarks on the verso, numbered “NASA S-66–62938” in red in top margin (NASA Manned Spacecraft Center, Houston, Texas).

A great photograph showing the importance of photography for NASA’s astronauts. Astronauts James A. Lovell Jr. holding the Hasselblad SuperWide camera (right), command pilot, and Edwin E. “Buzz” Aldrin Jr., pilot holding the Maurer space camera were the last crew of the Gemini program. Their crucial flight validated the techniques recorded for a flight to the Moon. They recorded wonderful photographs of the Earth and space activities.

“These men were not professional photographers, but they were professional observers, recorders, and interpreters of scientific phenomena, as well as human beings appreciative of natural beauty. Thus, [their] photographs represent a combination of scientific and esthetic interests. Each of the flight crews was selected for a particular mission several months before the flight and underwent rigorous specific-mission training during the period between selection and launch. The training included not only instruction and practice in the use of the cameras and film but also briefings on the scientific background and purpose of the photographic experiments planned for that particular flight, in addition to the engineering and pilot training required for the mission. [...] The photography obtained in the Gemini program will stand as a lasting tribute to the flight crews’ abilities and interest.” NASA Manned Spacecraft Center Director Robert Gilruth (NASA SP-171, p. 257).

Condition Report:Excellent condition.

Category:Photos ▸ Vintage photographs