Thomas D McManus - Fine Artist

I suppose that I began my career as a photographer/artist in my very early years drawing airplanes, trucks and buses at my Grandfather McManus home in rural Greenwood County, South Carolina, USA. Then while in my high school years I got my first camera, a 35mm Zeiss Ikon Contaflex and joined the school photo club at Greenwood High. I started using a 4x5 Speed Graphic taking photos at school and for a local newspaper as a correspondent. While working at the Anderson Independent Newspaper I obtain my first Leica 35mm rangefinder camera , a Leica iiiF Red Dial, and used it for many years. Before my Navy career I worked at Clemson University's Extension Service, Clemson, SC. While at Clemson, I joined the Navy thus beginning a 20+year service as a photographer, photojournalist and combat cameraman. Before my last assignment at the Atlantic Fleet Audio Visual Command, Combat Camera Group in Norfolk, Virgina, I was a photo editor/photojournalist for 'Campus' a Navy magazine in Pensacola, Florida . My studies were at various Navy photographic schools, and was also selected and attended a special Navy program in Photojournalism at Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York. During my photographic career I have used Leica, Nikon, Canon 35mm film cameras as well as other formats including studio view cameras and Cine equipment. I retired as a US Navy Chief Photographer ( PHC) in 1982 and now live in Concepcion, Chile. I Went digital about 12 years ago using a Sony Point and Shoot and later a

Konica Minolta Digital 5D camera. Just recent got a Sony SLT-A65 Digital camera. I also still use film Cameras and do my own black and white and C-41 color processing. I love doing macro, nature, Moon shots, street life and landscapes photography here in Chile.