Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) A prolific and dedicated photographer, particularly associated with the landscape and life of Oregon. His family have assembled a great collection of his work and you are much recommended to visit. His Obituary in the Seattle Times reads, "Born on a farm near Grafton, Ill., Atkeson headed west right out of high school. He worked as a laborer in the wheat fields of Kansas and after three years, got an apple-picking job in Oregon. He took his camera everywhere. Atkeson got his first photography job in a Portland commercial studio when he was 21. He started free-lancing on his own when he was 38 and built a career with his colorful images of nature. His photography books include three named ``Oregon.'' Among his others are ``Pacific Coast,'' ``Western Impressions,'' ``Pacific Sea and Shore,'' ``Cascade Range'' and his most recent, ``Western Images''. Magazines that published his pictures include National Geographic, Life, Sports Illustrated, Saturday Evening Post and Reader's Digest. He also published in many encyclopedias. Three years ago, he was named Oregon's Photographer Laureate by the governor. He also received an honorary doctorate from Linfield College, McMinnville, Ore." |