What first attracted me to becoming a professional photographer was the world of fashion. While stationed at RAF Mildenhall with the USAF I would go to the base library and look through magazines like Vogue and Bazaar. I became aware of photographers like Richard Avedon, Bert Stern and Irving Penn. I thought what great way to make a living.

Of course my opportunity to pursue fashion work was non-existent until I was discharged in ’65. I managed to get an assistant’s job with Austin Bewsey in his loft studio on West 4th Street in Cincinnati. Mr. Bewsey did a range of work including merchandise and some fashion for local department stores. During my time there I slowly learned that I was not comfortable in the confines of a studio. I was spending my free time wandering the streets of downtown Cincinnati shooting whatever interested me.

Eventually I found myself working at Young and Klein Lithographers. For eight years I knew the frustration of wanting to have a career in professional photography while having the reality of having to earn a living.Then I left Y&K and my life changed forever.

At The Cincinnati Post I met a writer named Mary Linn White who wrote about fashion in addition to her other assignments for the features section. She and I would discuss what clothes she would be writing about and we would come up with a concept and locale where I could shoot the clothes. We had zero budget.

The dome of Union Terminal had always fascinated me, why not go on the roof and shoot? Mary Linn was always a trooper when it came to my ideas. She was a great lady who unfortunately is no longer with us. I’ll always have a place in my heart for her.

Most times the stores would supply the clothes and models.We would meet at the appointed time and place. Sometimes the model would look a little puzzled when I would give them instructions on what I wanted.Mary Linn would laugh that laugh of her’s and I’d get to work.
melvin.grier@gmail.com