![]() Ralph Morse received credit for his work via the pages of LIFE. ![]() Pickering: LIFE magazine was a big part of the American landscape back in the Mercury era. Why do you think Bill Taub is not as well, if not better known? If people are aware of a photographer's name associated with the Mercury astronauts, they probably know LIFE magazine photographer Ralph Morse. (Image credit: Purdue University Press)ĬS: J.L., you mention LIFE. Related: The Mercury 7 astronauts: NASA's 1st space travelersĪmerica's first two astronauts, Gus Grissom and Alan Shepard, are photographed by Bill Taub in 1961. It's also apparent that the astronauts and others became quite comfortable around him. It's his behind-the-scenes opportunities only he had. It's true that LIFE magazine featured far more family photos, but Bill was constantly around the astronauts, traveled with them and photographed them "in the office" on a daily basis.īisney: Right. As NASA's first staff photographer, Bill had essentially unlimited access to the Mercury astronauts. Pickering: Obviously, a big part of that answer is access. And we cut about 75 additional images we loved, but would have made it too long for most publishers, including Purdue.ĬS: What is it about Taub's photography that set his photos apart from others and therefore merited its own book? Pickering: Simple answer - there's no duplication! Although many of the photos in "Spaceshots" were also by Bill, his archives have provided completely new material, and a lot of it.īisney: The Mercury section of "Snapshots" was 80 pages total our new book is more than three times longer. "ĬS: How does the collection of photos in "Photographing America's First Astronauts" compare or differ from your previous book about the Mercury program imagery (" Spaceshots and Snapshots of Projects Mercury and Gemini (opens in new tab)")? If readers already own a copy of that book, why should they buy this one, too? (Image credit: Purdue University Press)ĬollectSPACE (cS) exchanged emails with Pickering and Bisney to learn more about Taub and " Photographing America's First Astronauts (opens in new tab). Bill Taub's portrait of Gordon Cooper appears on the cover of the new book, "Photographing America's First Astronuts: Project Mercury Through the Lens of Bill Taub" by historian J.L.
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