A small step for a man was a ‘huge leap for photography’ says Hasselblad which is marking the 40th anniversary of the Apollo 11 moon landing this month.
Hasselblad, whose cameras were used by astronauts, is celebrating the Apollo 11 anniversary by taking selected photographers on an expenses-paid trip to NASA’s Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.
Recalling the history of its cameras in space Hasselblad said: ‘In 1962, astronaut Walter Schirra took his Hasselblad on board the Mercury-Atlas 8 and took the first images of earth from space. Hasselblad followed NASA, on space flight after space flight, with Hasselblad cameras proving that they could meet the stringent demands made by extraterrestrial travel.
‘And in 1969 when the world watched in awe as the Apollo 11 astronauts became the first men to set foot on the moon, those astronauts also carried Hasselblad cameras, capturing some of the most definitive images man has ever captured.’
Hasselblad CEO Christian Poulsen added: Obviously, lunar travel posed even more demanding challenges than shooting inside a space capsule, with extreme temperatures and dust? placing serious strains on equipment. Lunar photography leaves no margin for errors, no room for second chances?’
Hasselblad added: ‘The research and development that was required to meet the challenges of space travel benefited not only extraterrestrial photographers, but even those with both feet firmly on the ground. The advancements gained during the space camera design process were implemented into the standard Hasselblad line as well.’
Hasselblad customers who buy an H3D11-50 or H3D11-60 camera until 21 August will be eligible to take part in the trip to Florida, which will include a weekend of seminars, training and photography, followed by a competition.
The event takes place from 24-26 September.
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