25 Facts About Bill Curtsinger

Bill Curtsinger is an American photographer and writer who publishes on underwater photography and natural history subjects.

Bill Curtsinger's photos have appeared in Smithsonian, Natural History, various scientific journals, and a number of books worldwide.

Bill Curtsinger was born in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in 1946 and grew up in Mount Holly, New Jersey near the Pine Barrens region.

Bill Curtsinger read his grandfather's National Geographic magazines for additional inspiration.

At the age of 16, Bill Curtsinger bought his first camera, a Kodak Retinette 1A 35mm rangefinder.

Bill Curtsinger preemptively joined the United States Navy to circumvent being drafted into the United States Army.

Bill Curtsinger traveled the world on special assignments for the United States Fleet Forces Command of the Atlantic Fleet, including the Navy's research and development department photographing new launches of submarines, such as the USS Narwhal.

Bill Curtsinger spent most of his Navy career covering the United States Navy carrier air operations.

Bill Curtsinger was made an honorary member of the Red Rippers, US Navy Fighter Squadron VF-11, and is credited as having the first color front and back covers in Naval Aviation News.

In 1970 Bill Curtsinger was transferred to the United States Navy Reserve as a Petty officer second class, where he served until 1973, resigning to pursue freelance photography for National Geographic.

Bill Curtsinger is one of the first underwater photographers to capture extensive images of marine life under the polar ice in Antarctica.

Bill Curtsinger had been a freelance photographer since leaving the US Navy with his photographic imagery focusing on underwater, natural history, maritime archaeology, people, culture, environments and wildlife.

Bill Curtsinger has photographed thirty-three articles, including six cover stories, for National Geographic.

Bill Curtsinger's photos have appeared on the cover of Orion, Life and Natural History magazines with stories in a number of other magazines such as BBC Wildlife and Smithsonian.

The subjects of Bill Curtsinger's photographs have included species and natural systems such as whales, walruses, penguins, dolphins, seals, sea turtles and sharks.

Bill Curtsinger's stories have featured locations such as Antarctica, Canada, Argentina, Africa and The Caroline Islands of the tropical Pacific.

Bill Curtsinger's work includes numerous textbooks, journals and aquarium displays and he has been a contributor to Gulf of Maine Research Institute publications and website.

Bill Curtsinger has eight titled published books including Extreme Nature: Images from the World's Edge, a four hundred page retrospective of his career, published in 2005 by White Star Publishers in nine languages.

Bill Curtsinger has stated that he pitched his first assignment with National Geographic to Bob Gilka because he knew the magazine had not published any articles about the peninsula.

Bill Curtsinger's very first article was a cover story in the November 1971 issue of National Geographic, "Antarctica's Nearer Side" by Samuel W Matthews.

Bill Curtsinger has stated that grey reef sharks are extremely territorial, suspect in many attacks on indigenous islanders throughout Oceania and was most likely driving away a perceived competitor or predator.

Bill Curtsinger has photographed many shipwrecks throughout his career, like the Mary Rose at Portsmouth Harbour, which was active during the reign of Henry the VIII.

Bill Curtsinger has photographed the 16th century Basque whaling ship off the coast of Labrador, the 17th century Swedish warship Kronan that sank in the Baltic Sea off the Swedish island of Oland and a 14th-century Bronze Age merchant ship, which was the oldest known shipwreck at that time.

Bill Curtsinger turned down the job due to scheduling issues, but put in a good word for Skerry, who in turn, took the job.

Bill Curtsinger became the co-owner, along with his second wife Sue Ohlson, of Sunrise Coffee Company.