Some assignments take you around the world on small roads. Others land you on a highway with your plane.

In Part 1 of this two-part conversation, former National Geographic Staff photographer Robert “Bob” Madden takes us back to his beginnings, the golden era of the magazine and into the stories behind two remarkable images — including his famous Guatemala earthquake bush-plane crash photograph, later selected as one of National Geographic’s 50 most iconic pictures, and the return of the Apollo 11 astronauts.

We talk about how Bob got his start in the late 1960s, what it was like working during that era of travel and exploration, and why the real story of a photograph often begins long before the shutter clicks. That’s just the first stop on this Planes, Trains & National Geographic road trip. Next week we’re back with more stories and some amazing images from the field — and trust us, you’ll want to be on board for Part 2! Enjoy it.

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