It's July 8th, 2008, and this the Candle of Frame.

Today's guest is James Atherton, who for over 40 years was a veteran news photographer

covering the Washington beat.

For 20 years, he was a staffer for

the wires at United Press International, covering every U.S. president from Truman to Nixon, as well as

major events of the day, including the McCarthy hearings, the 1963 March on Washington,

JFK's funeral, and the Watergate hearings. He also served as a staff photographer and a picture editor at the Washington Post.

This interview provided me a great opportunity to appreciate the work of press photographers

who had to make their images without the benefit of motor drives, digital cameras, and

laptop computers.

Sometimes limited to only two sheets of film, photographers like Jim

helped to document some of the countries and world's most important moments.

He is a perfect example that the person behind the camera and not the camera itself

is key to really making the image.

I'd like to thank Chris Holtmeyer and Kathleen Petrie for making this interview possible.

So sit back and enjoy our conversation with James Athergium.

Well, Jim, welcome to the Candid Frame.

It's great to have you.

Thank you. Well, tell us to have you. Thank you.

Well, tell us about how you began your career.

I believe you began when you were in the military.

Is that right?

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