Publication:Sea Talk Autumn 2007/Snapshot of a Navy chief photographer
By LSPH Yuri Ramsey*
Chief Petty Officer Photographer Tracy Casteleijn has made history twice: not only is she the first female RAN photographer to reach senior sailor rank but she is the first to control a major photographic unit in the Navy.
CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER CAPTURED WITH HER FAVOURITE CAMERA - The new Chief Photographer at Navy Imagery Unit West, CPO Tracy Casteleijn, is shown with a Hasselblad and a backdrop of a selection of her favourite images and rig she has worn when capturing them. Photo by LSPH Joanne Edwards
Like many in the RAN's small photographic branch, she's seen the transition from production of images using 'wet' chemical processing of film and printing through to capture and transmission of digital imagery across Australia and across the world.
She's proud of her achievements but says they were never in her plans.
"I have never strived for promotion," she said. "I was just happy doing the job that I love doing. The fact that I have been promoted on time, every time was a great added bonus.
"I am really proud of being a Chief Phot, as now I can and will do all I can for the betterment of the photographic branch."
The RAN photographic branch is not open to direct entry - all who aspire to join the ranks of Naval photographers must join and have been trained for other Naval work.
CPO Casteleijn joined the Navy in April 1989 as a steward, with the intention of using that as a stepping stone to the photographic branch. She accomplished her aim by transferring to the photo branch in 1994.
On completion of the basic photographic course at RAAF Base East Sale, she posted to photographic units around the country including those at HMAS Kuttabul, HMAS Albatross and HMAS Coonawarra.
"Darwin was my favourite shore posting, as the weather, the lifestyle and work were great," she said. "I also had the opportunity to be involved with the Darwin end of the East Timor deployment."
Highlights among many sea deployments including the decommissioning deployment of HMAS Torrens, a deployment to the Persian Gulf in HMAS Newcastle in support of Op Catalyst, and Fleet Concentration Period Kakadu II in '95, "Which was a real cracker, where I obtained some of my best shots."
As a Petty Officer, CPO Casteleijn was posted back to the School of Photography at East Sale in 2003, but this time as an instructor, conducting the basic photographer course with the opportunity to pass on her wealth of knowledge and experience to future photographers.
As well as undertaking some challenging postings and deployments, CPO Casteleijn has been involved in the transition from traditional photography, using large format cameras and black and white film, to the digital age, with high resolution digital cameras and computer post production.
"This created need for new work flow processes and photographic techniques which have been an exciting, challenging and unique experience," she said
Navy photographers provide wide-ranging support to all facets of the ADF, from public relations imagery to intelligence and deploy to most ADF areas of operation.
They are always happy to talk to other sailors with those interested in becoming service photographers. Those with a genuine interest should discuss the matter with their divisional officers.
- Navy photographer LS Ramsey has just joined the staff of Navy News.
