One of the very first images of a human in deep space: live TV picture of William Anders checking a telephoto lens 120,653 nautical miles away from Earth, 21-27 December 1968

Vintage gelatin silver print on fiber-based paper, printed 1968, with "A KODAK PAPER" watermark on verso and NASA HQ caption numbered "68-H-1409" on a separate original sheet, 25,4 x 20,3 cm, minor traces of usage

The first images of human beings in deep space beyond the boundaries of Planet Earth were transmitted by the hand held B&W RCA TV camera inside the Apollo 8 Command Module in the first live TV transmission from the spacecraft 120,653 nautical miles from Earth.

[NASA caption] Apollo Goldstone Tracking Site — Anders check telephoto lens
The Apollo 8 crew Borman, Lovell and Anders were 120,653 nautical miles from Earth traveling at a speed of 3,207 mph at the time the TV picture was transmitted from space.

William Anders has the 250mm telephoto lens of a 16mm camera in hand, which he later used to shoot close ups of the lunar surface.

William Anders described one of the challenges of taking pictures from the spacecraft:
“Zero G is a blessing and a curse. I mean, for keeping track of your film, it’s a curse, because the goddamn stuff, you put it down, which is stupid to do. I always used to put it on the edge of the simulator, and it just stayed there, you know? And without thinking, I didn’t stick it to the Velcro. Put it down here, where is it? I’d always to go hunting for it, and that always puts you a few minutes behind” (Chaikin, Voices, p. 30).

From the mission during the TV transmission to Earth:
031:21:54 Mattingly (Mission Control): Hey, Frank, how about a couple of words on your health for the wide world.
031:22:03 Borman: Well, we are all in very good shape. Jim is busy working preparing lunch. Bill is playing cameraman right now, and I am about to take a light reading on the Earth. We all feel fine. It was a very exciting ride on that big Saturn, but it worked perfectly, and we’re looking forward now, of course, for the day after tomorrow when we will be just 60 miles away from the Moon.
031:22:33 Mattingly: Roger. You all look great on candid TV.