Behind the Lens: Physicists as Photographers
Our collection is named in honor of Nobel Prize-winning physicist Emilio Segrè, who is best known for his work in nuclear and high-energy physics. He can be seen on our homepage banner displaying his favorite hobby. Segrè was an avid photographer, as were many other physicists that have donated their photographs to our repository. It’s rare that we get a behind the scenes glimpse of the photographer in action, and that’s why we’ve chosen to highlight some of our well-known physicists behind the lens – including Segrè. Not only does this featured selection include John Archibald Wheeler taking an early “selfie”, it also shows how physicists used their cameras in and outside the work place. Try searching for others on our website with our Quick Search feature, using the keyword “camera.”
A young John Archibald Wheeler smiles as he holds his camera in a room in Copenhagen.
AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Wheeler Collection
Wells, who will operate the “atom-smasher” in Westinghouse’s Research laboratories at East Pittsburgh, PA, photographing high voltage insulator bashings, before they were lifted into the center of the huge pear-shaped shell of the structure.
Westinghouse Photo, courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives
Peter Rentzepis using photography equipment and dark glasses in a laboratory experiment.
Bell Laboratories / Alcatel-Lucent USA Inc., courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives
Edwin Kemble stands outdoors looking at his camera.
Photograph by Samuel Goudsmit, courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Goudsmit Collection
Jeanne Ting, daughter of Nobel recipient, Samuel Ting, takes photos of the Queen of Sweden during the Nobel dinner reception, 1976.
Photo by Leif R. Jansson/Svenskt Pressfoto, courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Gift of Eleanor Dahl.
L-R H. Casimir, E. Fermi, Mrs. Uhlenbeck, P. Ehrenfest, H. Kramers, Mrs. Fermi (in white) G. Dicke, A.J. Rutgers, and Mrs. Goudsmit conversing at Ann Arbor Railroad Station. Photo date: 1930
AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Uhlenbeck Collection
Caption courtesy Bell Labs: Dr. J. S. Courtney-Pratt, Head, Applied Physics and Exploratory Systems Department, Bell Laboratories, adjusts an early version of his high-speed cameras. Dr. Courtney-Pratt, a pioneer in the field of high-speed photographic instrumentation, was honored by the Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers with the Alan Gordon Memorial Award. Dr. Courtney-Pratt’s cameras have been selected by the Smithsonian Institution for display because of their contributions to the basic technology of high-speed photography. Photo date: August 1974
Alcatel-Lucent/Bell Labs, courtesy AIP Emilio Segre Visual Archives, Physics Today Collection
