Free Press photographer dead at 85

[Bill Sandford]

This obituary appeared in the Monday London Free Press. One of their photographers, Bill Smith, who spent his entire career with the paper, working his way up to become the chief of the department, and according to the writer, made it fun to be a Free Press photographer. The photo that with the obit shows Smith half way up a fire department ladder, wearing a jacket and tie.

http://www.lfpress.com/2013/08/11/london-free-press-department-head-known-for-keeping-his-cool-on-deadline

[Ken Gigliotti]

 Photography was  apprenticeship  , a member of a  very small group ,and fitting in was imperative .The news photographer  prior to the 35mm camera was a special breed .A generalist as well as journalist. Cooperation was needed and essential . The photographer was close and visible .
 Today photographers dress like they are off to the beach or a golf game , that sense of respectability has passed .
The 4x5 and Rolleiflex cameras had magical powers , people would open a door , allow them to look out a window , make a path , allow a ride on , sit beside , fly over , drive by or float past for the person carrying them .  
 The mechanical camera was the ticket to the greatest show on earth.  Those cameras gave the carrier a pass through a gate , across a line , up a ladder, under the ground , into the  boardrooms of power , backrooms of government , or a seat in an ordinary living room . The carrier of the camera was the one who  looked completely comfortable , in a suit , tie or blue jeans in every situation. With  cameras like those , there was always the look of belonging where ever it took them . As limited and intentional as those cameras were , their access was universal. To the Old Guard RIP .

[Fred Lum]

Yup, my first internship at the Free Press and I had the pleasure of working with the 2 Smiths...Ken and Bill. Ken who loved sweet onion sandwiches and Bill being the sailor who boated Lake Huron (I'm pretty sure...).

I remember Bill as a very soft spoken man who always made time to teach/encourage/correct this wet behinds the earsintern so this is very sad news to hear.


Fred