9 March 2024
INTERNATIONAL WOMEN'S DAY
In a twist of fate, two female imagery specialists, who began their photographic careers together 20 years ago, were recently promoted to lead Navy Imagery Units at opposite ends of the country.
One of those is Chief Petty Officer Helen Frank, who completed her photography course in 2003 as the last cohort trained in film photography.
Navy’s shift to digital was swift once the technology was available, because of challenges in processing film at sea.
“We were a bit half and half initially, but by the time I got to sea, we had completely transitioned,” Chief Petty Officer Frank said.
Until recently, Chief Petty Officer Tracy Casteleijn held the position as the first and only female chief imagery specialist, leading Navy Imagery Unit – West from 2007 to 2013.
She was firm but fair, reliable and set clear expectations, making her position one Chief Petty Officer Frank aspired to reach.
“She [Chief Petty Officer Casteleijn] was a great people person and very solid on the tools, someone I definitely looked up to,” she said.
A highlight of Chief Petty Officer Frank’s career was photographing the evacuation of 1000 people from Mallacoota beach during Operation Bushfire Assist 2020.
“The town was completely cut off. Roads were blocked, supplies were low, and many homes had been destroyed. The situation was dire,” she said.
Chief Petty Officer Frank was on the first boat ashore from HMAS Choules, where the contingent met with local authorities to evacuate the people back to the ship.
“It’s one of the rare opportunities I had to help people in Australia. It felt special because of that,” she said.
Chief Petty Officer Frank said her new rank meant less time on the tools and more people management.
“It’s bittersweet. I miss shooting, but I also enjoy looking after people. It’s rewarding to help ensure careers are on track,” she said.
Among the many assignments tackled, Chief Petty Officer Frank identified one particularly striking photograph as a standout: a moment captured at the Bombing of Darwin memorial in 2008, where Australian Army soldiers wore World War 2 uniforms (pictured above).
“The use of smoke canisters made it look very realistic. It’s a photo I’m quite fond of,” she said.
With leadership, Chief Petty Officer Frank said embodying the behaviours you want to see in your team is paramount.
“It’s important to be a good person and an ambassador for our job, as actions of one can reflect on all,” she said.
