International photographer (Jan-Dec 1935)

Twentx-tzvo The INTERNATIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER May, 1935 A HOLLYWOOD CAMERAMAN IN THE LAND OF A BILLION FACES (Continued from Page 5 ) Mr. Herrmann holding Old Glory left at Little America by the first Byrd expedition. would bring out from the snow vaults, where he stored it, the film to be used in the program for that night, for it required at least that long to thoroughly dry before using. The temperature in the snow vaults usually stood at about 60 degrees below zero and there was never any trouble with it in the projector after it was dried twelve hours. Lighting Equipment The lighting equipment consisted of two 1000 watt portable generators ; two Cargo lights and one strip light of six Fotoflood lamps. For shooting exteriors magnesium flares were used and these flares put on a gorgeous show against the dark background of the Antarctic night. Transportation The cinematographic department had for transportation a train of seven dogs, belonging to Mr. Herrmann. These served during the fall of 1934 and the spring and summer of '34 and '35. This team was all lost and then Edward Moody, a regular driver with a team of eleven fine dogs was assigned to the photographers. Shooting in the Air "We spent quite a bit of time in the air," said Mr. Herrmann. "We made twenty-six flights for pictures, one of them being a jaunt to Rockefeller Mountains — far away from Little America. We took off at 10 P. M. December 31, 1934, and arrived at the mountains at one minute past midnight. I flew in the 'Pilgrim' and we took pictures of our sister ship, the 'Condor,' while passing over the mountains near midnight. We landed, January 1, 1935, at 3 A. M. Peterson was in the 'Condor.' Herrmann's Scenario "As we photographed our regular program, I put it together with a sort of impromptu scenario and it worked out satisfactorily. Such a device is helpful when the theatre of action is so great as that of the Antarctic." Flashes from Aurora Australis The boys had no fresh fish to eat and only two kinds of canned fish. The penguins were edible, but were not very popular — it was too much like killing human beings to butcher those Emperor Penguins. "I didn't have a shave for fourteen months," said Mr. Herrmann, "but the whiskers were mighty useful and we got along pretty well. They saved a lor ot time, too." Widely different light conditions caused by the passage of time brought about almost insurmountable obstacles to perfect photography. Conditions, right for December, were all wrong for April, etc. Filters used to perfect satisfaction were Eastman Wratten Aero No. 2. It was a temptation to wander away from headquarters and the rule was to be gone no longer than four hours, but one time Mr. Herrmann was absent nine hours on a camera quest and caused a bit of anxiety when he was absent at mess. He was not shot at sunrise, but was bawled out by the entire personnel. There was much activity in Mr. Herrmann's camera shop. The movie cameras always had to be baked, thawed and dried. The Akeleys were always in danger of frost even from the breath and when film would break because of the cold all re-threading had to be done with bare hands or with silk gloves. Besides there was a variation of 80 degrees in the camera shop from the floor to the ceiling and this caused lots of grief. To touch the metal parts of a cold camera always meant that a patch of skin would adhere to the metal, not only a painful, but dangerous thing to happen. The Spell of Antarctic A lengthy sojourn in the Antarctic does something to the men who are fortunate enough to go there. In their eyes is something that is different from the weary, hunted look that one sees among the city dwellers every day. Perhaps it may be that the great, unutterable silences, the soul resting peace, the far flung horizons and the endless panoramas of glittering white and blue, like the waters of Lethe, bring to these adventuring pilgrims glimpses of that eternity of which we hear so much, but know so little. The Motion Picture Relief Association is the best friend the cameraman has in time of distress. Don't forget your duty to the M. P. R. A. when you are prosperous. Please mention The International Photographer when corresponding with advertisers.