Harry Bishop - Harry Bishop

Harry Bishop (1895 – 1963) was a photographer for the San Diego Union and Evening Tribune from 1921-1950. He is best known for his news action shots: a paratrooper dangling behind a Navy transport, seaplane diving into the bay, sailor plunging from the airship Akron, two planes after a midair collision, survivor descending by parachute. This in an era where you only had one chance to get a shot; loading a new plate into the camera took several seconds. Harry kept a custom-rigged Auto Graflex loaded and ready for the next breaking story.

But action shots are just part of the game; dealing with people with something to hide required much more of his time. Aware his trade was scorned by some (in Eastern big cities photographers were considered intrusive illiterates who’d do anything for a picture) he took care in bagging the camera-shy visitor. He was courteous invading a privacy, polite directing a pose. There were times, of course, when he was forced to be firm.

Bishop retired from the Union & Tribune in 1950, but continued to do free lance assignments for the newspapers for several years, and then worked in the photo lab in his home until his death.

A note about the author: Richard Eby started working for the Evening Tribune in 1956. He got to know Harry over the next few years, and the two of them worked on a biography of Bishop. The book was never published, and went on the shelf for three decades. In retirement in the 1990s, Eby started working on the book again, more as a hobby and an excuse to do research than with any expectation of getting it published. The book covers the highlights of Harry’s career and life, and captures the feel of journalism in that era. After Richard Eby’s death in 2002, the manuscript and approximately 200 photos (with notes) sat undisturbed until now. His son Jeff Eby has collected the notes and images to create this website. The photographs (mostly 8x10s) have been scanned and are presented in the Photos section of this website; the manuscript is in Stories. Together, they provide a glimpse of a skilled pro in a bygone era of San Diego, 100 years ago.