Graduation from Lehigh University in 1939 launched Lou Stoumen (1917-1991) into a world at war. First a free-lance photographer and journalist, Stoumen soon enlisted in the U.S. Army and joined the staff of its weekly magazine Yank. Later to become an Academy Award winning cinematographer, Stoumen spent the war years traveling between New York, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands, India, China, and Japan, always with a camera in hand.

Presented in conjunction with Invision Photo Festival 2014

 

STOUMEN TIMELINE

 

1917

Born in Springtown, Pennsylvania

1938

Exhibits six photographs at Lehigh University art gallery

Meets Aldous Huxley

1939

Self-publishes first book Speech for the Young, photography and poems by Stoumen

Graduates Lehigh University, Bachelor of Arts degree

Starts work as freelance photographer and journalist

Moves to New York City to study at Photo League under Sid Grossman

1940

 

Becomes editor of Photo Notes, the monthly Photo League newsletter

Begins and completes self-assigned project to photograph Times Square, NY

1941

Travels to Nova Scotia on photography assignment

Joins the National Youth Administration in Puerto Rico and becomes their staff photographer

Produces a photographic documentary on prostitution for the U.S. Public Health Service

First film: Tropico, a thirty-minute, 16mm film for the National Youth Administration

1942

Volunteers and joins the U.S. Army where he is assigned the position of managing editor for the Caribbean Sentinel.

 

Joins the staff of Yank, the U.S. Army?s weekly magazine in San Juan.

1943

Marries Lini Moerkerk Fuhr, New York

Travels to Calcutta for a special edition of Yank

 

1944

Yank?s Magic Carpet, a U.S. Army booklet published in Calcutta features text and photographs by Stoumen.

Flies with first B-29 raid against Japan

1945

Moves to San Francisco and joins the staff of Armed Forces Radio. Reports on the Founding conference of the United Nations. Writes and broadcasts regarding the bombing of Hiroshima.

Meets Alfred Stieglitz and shows him his work

1946

Moves to Los Angeles where he becomes a free-lance photographer and writer working for local and national magazines.

First daughter, Toby, is born

Timeline adapted from Lou Stoumen : Caught in the Act, The Early Years. Singer Photography, 1995