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My journey ends here...

ROSS Ben

Born Benjamin Rosenblatt.

Date of birth : August 6, 1916, New York.

Date of death : April 24, 2004, New York.

Profession photographer.

Portrait

Story

Born Benjamin Rosenblatt, he changed his name into Ross because he had been said that he wouldn't advance in photography with such a Jewish name.

He began his career as a messenger, darkroom assistant and eventually photographer at Floyd Bennett Field in Brooklyn (First New York local airport).

During World War II, he became a member of the Eighth Air Force Combat Camera Unit, flying combat missions as a photograapher/gunner over Europe. He was later one of only three photographers chosen to join the newly-formed Strategic Air Force in Europe.

After the war, Ross teamed up with his brother, freelance writer Sid and the two specialized in aerial and air-to-air photography and articles for aircraft manufacturers, air industry publications and general magazines

(,).

One of his best-remembered aerial photos was his 1947 air-to-air shot over San Diego of the Convair Flying

Auto, a car with wings that was never mass-produced ().

Many of the air-to-air photography techniques used by today's aerial photographers were pioneered by Ross.

From 1948, Ben and Sid made frequent trips to Hollywood, working together on hundreds of stories for Parade magazine.

Wisely, Ben Ross retained copyright ownership of all his negatives, and today much of his work is collectible art - he is represented in the permanent collection of the National Portrait Gallery, The Brooklyn Museum, The Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and many others - and his prints sell for an average of $1000.

His work also appeared in Look, People and Stern magazines, as well as in many books.

In 2002 he was presented with the Lifetime Achievement Award by Photographic Administrators Incorporated (PAI).

Link with Marilyn

August 1952, "Monkey Business" roadshow, Claridge Hotel, Atlantic City, for Parade magazine

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