- Talbert Abrams
Talbert "Ted" Abrams (
August 17 ,1895 –August 26 ,1990 ) is known as the " father ofaerial photography ".Born in
Tekonsha, Michigan , Abrams learned to fly at theCurtiss Aviation School while working as a mechanic forCurtiss . He served in theUS Marine Corps duringWorld War I , and was assigned to theUS Navy flying school at Pensacola. Following the war, his squadron took photos of rebel activities onHaiti , and Abrams became interested in the potential of aerial photography.In 1920, he left the military, purchased a war-surplus
Curtiss JN-4 and founded a small airline,ABC Airline (Always Be Careful!) but remained more interested in photographic work. In 1923, he purchased aStandard J-1 , fitted it with cameras, and founded theAbrams Aerial Survey Corporation (sold to Aerocom in 2003). Over the next few years, he created theAbrams Instrument Corporation to develop better cameras and instruments for his work, and theAbrams Aircraft Corporation to develop specially designed aircraft.During
World War II , he founded theAbrams School of Aerial Surveying and Photo Interpretation to teach these skills to the US military, while his Instrument Corporation built reconnaissance cameras for aircraft.In 1961, he sold the Abrams Instrument Corporation to
Curtiss-Wright and went into semi-retirement.Every year, the
American Society of Photogrammetry presents theTalbert Abrams Award to a person who makes an outstanding contribution to aerial photography andmap ping.
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