Show honors photographer

HAMPDEN – Edythe Dyer Library in Hampden and the Windover Art Center of Newburgh will present “A Memorial Photo Show: Thomas J. Abercrombie,” 4-6 p.m. Monday, June 5, at the Edythe Dyer Library, Main Road.

Abercrombie was an adventurer, photojournalist and inventor. He climbed mountains in Europe, Asia and South America, dove under the seas with Jacques Cousteau, invented underwater camera housings before the days of underwater cameras and made the pilgrimage to Mecca four times.

He was the first journalist on the South Pole, brought back the first white tiger from India, recorded music in many lands, made movies, rode horses on Easter Island and in Afghanistan, sailed the oceans, flew planes in Alaska and discovered a meteor in the Sahara.

He was named both Newspaper Photographer of the Year and Magazine Photographer of the Year.

Working at National Geographic magazine for nearly 40 years was his passport to anywhere. Once in a country, Abercrombie was often given royal treatment as a member of NGS.

He would learn the language – he spoke six – meet the leader of a country, attend cultural events, visit the industries and mix in with the culture through customs and traditions.

Other times Abercrombie traveled to countries where people had never heard of the National Geographic Society and distrusted journalists of any kind. He had almost 30 stories, and 13 cover stories, published.

Abercrombie believed in sharing knowledge. Each summer on his visit to Maine, he shared some of his stories and slides of Lahdak, Fiji, the Alps and the white tiger with the students at Windover Art Center, which is directed by his daughter, Mari Abercrombie.

Tom Abercrombie died April 3 of complications after heart surgery.

The photos at the show are a reflection of the photographer at work. There also will be a number of additional prints by Tom Abercrombie and by his wife, Lynn Abercrombie, who will attend the photo show.

For information, call 234-4503.