Photographer's Mate mark question

[Justin B.]

As will be well-known here, in 1948 the specialty mark for photographer's mate was changed from an old-school bellows camera to rays of light being refracted through a lens. In the uniform regulations for many years this specialty mark was described as "A graphic solution of a photographic problem." To me this is about the strangest way of describing the design that I could think of. Does anyone have any idea of what that was supposed to mean or why that odd description was chosen?

Thanks!

Justin B.

 

[MastersMate]

An item from an old ALL HANDS magazine explaining the process for the new revised specialty marks. The article mentions that the mark should represent the specialty.. I recall one cartoon from a 1950s issue showing a nice grandmotherly type talking with a PH3.. She notes that he must have the same rating as her grandson. She said the little whisk broom on his rating must mean he is a compartment cleaner

 

 

 

[MastersMate]

In the 1948 changes to ratings the aviation photographers mate was established. May have to do with the design of a mark, with wings, to fit in the space available on the rating badge..

[Bob Hudson]

any idea of what that was supposed to mean or why that odd description was chosen?

 

 

 

 

It represents light being focused by a lens. It may have been that it was more generic than an icon of a still image camera, so it represented movie cameras too.

 

The Bureau of Naval Personnel must have been very bored after the big drawdown of force sizes following WWII, so they decided to mess with the ratings system.

[Justin B.]

An item from an old ALL HANDS magazine explaining the process for the new revised specialty marks. The article mentions that the mark should represent the specialty.. I recall one cartoon from a 1950s issue showing a nice grandmotherly type talking with a PH3.. She notes that he must have the same rating as her grandson. She said the little whisk broom on his rating must mean he is a compartment cleaner

 

That's great, I was just reading that!

 

In the 1948 changes to ratings the aviation photographers mate was established. May have to do with the design of a mark, with wings, to fit in the space available on the rating badge..

 

The specialty marks illustrated in "All Hands" March 1948 showed the lens with three rays on either side:

 

Then in July 1948 they announced a revised design.

 

 

I represents light being focused by a lens. It may have been that it was more generic than an icon of still image camera, so it represented movie cameras too.

 

Yes, I understand that. My question was about the wording of the written description.

[MastersMate]

A wild shot, if a copy can be located. The USN rating training manual for the photographers mate there might just be that wording.

[MastersMate]

The first chapter or two of the 1947 USN photography manual may give some verbiage that was used to come up with the quick explanation for the specialty mark..

 

 

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89053902607;view=1up;seq=29

[Justin B.]

The first chapter or two of the 1947 USN photography manual may give some verbiage that was used to come up with the quick explanation for the specialty mark..

 

 

 

https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89053902607;view=1up;seq=29

 

 

I didn't really find an obvious connection, but it was an interesting read!

 

Thanks,

 

Justin B.

[MastersMate]

"A graphic solution of a photographic problem."

 

The illustration visualizes the transfer of the image through either the camera pin hole or the lens mechanism. In making copies it would also visualize the position of the lens in establishing the reproduction scale. The picture makes sense from a rating badge perspective in being able to fit in the space allowed between the chevron and crow, especially with the addition of wings to the mark..

 

The written description, I'd think it is representative of the style or quality of the English language spoken 70 + years ago.

[MastersMate]

You posed an excellent question. Although the exact verbiage is not there, I think this illustration taken from a 1920s Kodak publication fits the bill. By measuring the length of the top horizontal line, you can determine the length of the bottom horizontal line, and determine the size of the enlargement..

 

 

[sigsaye]

So, I gotta tell you. You guys come up with some AMAZING stuff! I never thought about Why some rates have what they have/ had as a symbol. Except for Electricians Mate. My dad was an EM1. I asked why a Globe. He told me, that, he had been told, that the Navy told the Makets, A Hlobel, meaning a Light Globe (ie, Light Bulb, which they were called back then), and the makers made World Globes. The Navy had them I hand and said, pretty much, OK, Whatever

[MastersMate]

While chasing down the origins of the Coast Guard ratings, I kept coming across the 'closed clew iron' used as the specialty mark for the Sailmaker. Eventually found illustrations of the 'closed clew iron', looks like Mickey Mouse.. Great, still had no real idea just what it did. Had general suspicion about sail rigging. Finally had a guy in one of my licensing classes that had sailed on square rigged training vessels. When I described it and sketched it out he knew exactly what it was and gave me the rundown. Whenever the opportunity arises, like now, I post the information. Hopefully it will catch hold in someones gray matter and be kept in the field of knowledge..

 

The Closed Clew Iron

[Justin B.]

You posed an excellent question. Although the exact verbiage is not there, I think this illustration taken from a 1920s Kodak publication fits the bill. By measuring the length of the top horizontal line, you can determine the length of the bottom horizontal line, and determine the size of the enlargement..

 

 

Now that has a ring of sense to it, the geometry of photo printing and enlarging. It's still an odd description, but I think you are on to something, and something I wouldn't have thought of. Thanks!

 

Justin B.

[0bx]

While chasing down the origins of the Coast Guard ratings, I kept coming across the 'closed clew iron' used as the specialty mark for the Sailmaker. Eventually found illustrations of the 'closed clew iron', looks like Mickey Mouse.. Great, still had no real idea just what it did. Had general suspicion about sail rigging. Finally had a guy in one of my licensing classes that had sailed on square rigged training vessels. When I described it and sketched it out he knew exactly what it was and gave me the rundown. Whenever the opportunity arises, like now, I post the information. Hopefully it will catch hold in someones gray matter and be kept in the field of knowledge..

 

The Closed Clew Iron

 

Thank you for the Sailmaker's Mate rating explanation(diagram). This rating has always interested me, especially since it was discontinued and no CPO rate was authorized.

[sigsaye]

So, I gotta tell you. You guys come up with some AMAZING stuff! I never thought about Why some rates have what they have/ had as a symbol. Except for Electricians Mate. My dad was an EM1. I asked why a Globe. He told me, that, he had been told, that the Navy told the Makets, A Hlobel, meaning a Light Globe (ie, Light Bulb, which they were called back then), and the makers made World Globes. The Navy had them I hand and said, pretty much, OK, Whatever

. Its funny. I literally grew up in the Navy. By the time I went to kindergarten , I knew all the (then current Deck ratings, most of the Snipes, knew what the ratings were and many of the sland nick names. Never really got the whole math thing, or Air Force Enlisted insignia. I believe those were related ?⚓??