Melville Bell Grosvenor

A photography enthusiast, he increased the size of printed photographs in the magazine, and initiated the practice, that continues to this day, of opening articles with a two-page photo feature.

Grosvenor expanded the scope of the society's operations, branching into the production of documentaries bearing the National Geographic name, which began airing on television.

Among the features produced during Grosvenor's presidency were documentaries covering the first American expedition to Mount Everest and Jacques Cousteau's underwater exploits.

Grosvenor is credited with taking the first color aerial photograph when he took a shot of the Statue of Liberty by circling the monument in a Navy Airship ZM C2.

[3] He added or promoted new editorial staff including Wilbur Garrett and Joseph Judge, and photographers such as Thomas Nebbia and Bruce Dale.

"Under his editorship, the magazine added full-color photographs to its black-white-yellow cover and installed new presses and equipment to enhance its high-quality color picture spreads," commented Robert McFadden about Melville Grosvenor in The New York Times.

Young Melville Grosvenor is held by his father, Gilbert H. Grosvenor , first Editor of the National Geographic Magazine, 1902.
Melville Grosvenor's mother, Elsie May Bell Grosvenor (right), and grandparents, Mabel and Alexander Graham Bell, visit him at the U.S. Naval Academy. Grosvenor was a member of the Class of 1923.
Melville Grosvenor looks on as President Kennedy awards a NGS Gold Medal to Jacques Cousteau , who received one of his first grants from the Society.