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Bart Bragg is a photographer with a passion for visual storytelling and capturing authentic moments. Based in Port Arthur, Bragg’s work has been licensed and exhibited in popular magazines, newspapers and books highlighting celebrities, presidents and war efforts. Bragg emphasizes the importance of pursuing one’s talent, as exemplified by his journey as a photographer.

 

Bragg’s story began when he received his first polaroid camera when he was 15 years old and got his first gig as a church photographer.

 

“In 1962, the pastor at the time saw me taking pictures around the church, and he asked me to come photograph the new mothers and their babies when they brought them on Sunday and put the photos on the bulletin board. And of course, 1962 was the tail end of the baby boom, and we had a lot of new babies back then.”

 

In high school, he began working for Chricchio Photography Studio in Port Arthur and was the junior photographer until he bought the studio and renamed it Bragg-Chricchio Photography.

 

“I worked part-time for him and also took pictures for the Lamar University School newspaper,” he said. “After college, I joined the Navy Reserves, and I was sent to Vietnam.”

         The Vietnam War was a long, costly and divisive conflict that pitted the communist government of North Vietnam against South Vietnam and its principal ally, the United States. The conflict was intensified by the ongoing Cold War between the United States and the Soviet Union. More than 3 million people, including over 58,000 Americans, were killed in the Vietnam War, and more than half of the dead were Vietnamese civilians, according to History.com.

         Bragg brought his camera with him and was hired to photograph the war effort which included both military actions and civilian efforts to sustain the war.

         “In Vietnam, I was in a helicopter, most of the time taking pictures for an Admiral,” he said. “I photographed award ceremonies, and I photographed naval installations all over the southern part of Vietnam, river boats installations that the Navy had for whatever reason. Well, it was for defense and, you know, protecting the country. That was a time in Vietnam where President Nixon had started a Vietnamization program, and that was a program for the U.S. service people to train Vietnamese southern South Vietnamese Army and Navy to take over the war.”

         Bragg said a monumental moment for him was when he photographed enemy territory.  

I photographed in the southern part of Vietnam along the Cambodian border, he said. “Vietnam was bordered by Cambodia in the south, and as we were flying along the Cambodian border, there was a sign that we could see from the air that said, “Warning you are now entering Cambodia, which was enemy territory. I was feeling lucky to be in a helicopter and we could turn around and get back to Saigon.”

 It was just part of the part of the war effort, he said.

“We knew that the communist infiltration had come down through Cambodia to attack South Vietnam,” he said. “I also photographed the soldiers bringing ice cream to a Cambodian village school and photographed adults and children experiencing ice cream for the first time.”

Bragg was stationed there for ten months and came back home.”

         “Back at the studio, we had an agreement with The Port Arthur Newspaper that we would photograph events for money,” he said. “But mostly for our photography studio’s name in the caption to help promote our business.”

         This avenue led Bragg to begin photographing iconic celebrities and notable public figures in Southeast Texas.

         “Bob Hope visited Port Arthur on several occasions, including when he came to visit Hughen Center in Port Arthur in 1979,” he said. “He also made numerous visits to Southeast Texas, as part of his entertainment tours and to support the armed forces. Bob Hope School was established in Port Arthur in 1979, and Bob Hope was involved with the creation of the school.”

In 1980, Jimmy Carter came to Jefferson County to campaign for Jack Brooks and for himself as he was running for President against Ronald Reagan in 1980.

“He was here in October of 1980, and subsequently, lost the election to Ronald Reagan,” he said. “But he was here to campaign for President and to also dedicate the Jack Brook’s federal billing in Beaumont. In this instance, we had been in contact with Jack Brooks congressional office in Beaumont, and they asked us to photograph the event.”

Bragg photographed The Walter Umphrey Celebrity Roast on Feb. 20, 2014 headlined by comedian Don Rickles.

“Rickles was pretty famous,” Bragg said. “He had a comedy act that he was offensive to people. He’d get on stage and pick out people and call them names, but when he was in-person, he was the exact opposite of his stage persona. He was very kind and gentle. Former governors and NFL Players were in attendance too. But Rickles was the best part of the night.”

         The walls of Bragg’s home are covered photographs of celebrities ranging from NFL icons Bum Phillips, Little Joe Washington, Landon Roberts, Stephen Jackson and Jamal Charles to former United States Presidents Jimmy Carter, Gerald Ford, George W. Bush and more.

         “I also have bookcases filled with memoirs and biographies of the people I’ve photographed,” he said. “My work has been published in a few notable books, “The Meanest Man in Congress: Jack Brooks and the Making of an American Century,” and “Son of Bum: Lessons my dad taught me about football and life,” and “The 7 Secrets of the Silver Shoes: Principles for Success On and Off the Field.”

         The Museum of the Gulf Coast inducted Bragg into The Legacy Exhibit April 6.

         “The museum isn’t a dead-end street for careers, it’s a launch pad,” Tom Neal, museum director said. “Some of the people who have exhibits are still alive and living their dreams. The goal of the museum is to show young people the proof of what happens when one follows their dreams. Don’t limit yourself. There will be those who do, but then, there will be some who will pour their hearts and souls into a craft and when they look back on the years, they will say they were just having fun.”

         “It’s been a very interesting career,” Bragg said. “I’ve met people of all ages and from all walks of life and it wouldn’t have happened had I not stayed true to myself and my passion for photography.”

         To book a portrait with Bart Bragg call 409-982-3330.