Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) began photographing the Northwestern U.S. landscape in the 1930s. He became especially well-known for his stunning black & white images of the ski and snow country in the Western states. The early, romantic days of skiing in the West, the 1930-1950s, were a time of glamour and great excitement.
Ray Atkeson, Summit Cliffs of Mt. Hood, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, Image 13.5" x 10.5", Paper 14" x 11". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Typed caption affixed to verso. "Tom Maloney" sticker affixed to verso. Numbers/notes in pen and pencil on verso. Artist Biography: Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) began photographing the Northwestern U.S. landscape in the 1930s. He became especially well-known for his stunning black & white images of the ski and snow country in the Western states. The early, romantic days of skiing in the West, the 1930-1950s, were a time of glamour and great excitement. Hollywood movie stars in the latest snow fashions shared chair lifts with the originators of "extreme" skiing. Skiers zoomed down the mountains with primitive equipment, relying on enthusiasm and their own brand of skill to take them successfully to the bottom. Atkeson's photographs appear alongside his peers Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Lillian Bassman, Eliot Porter and others in several collections, including Ansel Adams’s This is the American Earth (1960), U.S. Camera's The Best of 1957 and John Steinbeck's America and Americans (1960). A prolific photographer and printer, Atkeson documented these early times with a heavy, large-format 4x5 camera and photographed a rich variety of winter mountain scenery and activity. Many of his alpine photos were taken before the chairlift was invented and required ski stamina and enduring prolonged exposure to harsh winter elements. “One photo of an ice cave in Mount Rainier is a technical triumph" was written in the 1971 New York Times review of his photography book The Pacific Coast. In 1990, the New York Times wrote that Atkeson was "Considered the dean of Northwest nature photography." His published works include nine books, including Ski and Snow Country: The Golden Years of Skiing in the West, 1930s-1950s with text by skiing legend Warren Miller. Atkeson's work appeared in National Geographic, Time, Reader’s Digest, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and Popular Photography. His image is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nov 23, 1957. Atkeson was named Photographer Laureate of Oregon in 1976 and his works are in the collection of several major public institutions. (Duncan Miller Gallery)
Ray Atkeson, Snowbound Mountain Stream, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, Image 13.5" x 10.5", Paper 14" x 11". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Typed caption affixed to verso. "Tom Maloney" sticker affixed to verso. Numbers/notes in pen and pencil on verso. Artist Biography: Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) began photographing the Northwestern U.S. landscape in the 1930s. He became especially well-known for his stunning black & white images of the ski and snow country in the Western states. The early, romantic days of skiing in the West, the 1930-1950s, were a time of glamour and great excitement. Hollywood movie stars in the latest snow fashions shared chair lifts with the originators of "extreme" skiing. Skiers zoomed down the mountains with primitive equipment, relying on enthusiasm and their own brand of skill to take them successfully to the bottom. Atkeson's photographs appear alongside his peers Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Lillian Bassman, Eliot Porter and others in several collections, including Ansel Adams’s This is the American Earth (1960), U.S. Camera's The Best of 1957 and John Steinbeck's America and Americans (1960). A prolific photographer and printer, Atkeson documented these early times with a heavy, large-format 4x5 camera and photographed a rich variety of winter mountain scenery and activity. Many of his alpine photos were taken before the chairlift was invented and required ski stamina and enduring prolonged exposure to harsh winter elements. “One photo of an ice cave in Mount Rainier is a technical triumph" was written in the 1971 New York Times review of his photography book The Pacific Coast. In 1990, the New York Times wrote that Atkeson was "Considered the dean of Northwest nature photography." His published works include nine books, including Ski and Snow Country: The Golden Years of Skiing in the West, 1930s-1950s with text by skiing legend Warren Miller. Atkeson's work appeared in National Geographic, Time, Reader’s Digest, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and Popular Photography. His image is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nov 23, 1957. Atkeson was named Photographer Laureate of Oregon in 1976 and his works are in the collection of several major public institutions. (Duncan Miller Gallery)
Ray Atkeson, Break in the Storm, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, Image 10.5" x 13.5", Paper 11" x 14". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Partial typed caption affixed to verso. Numbers/notes in pen and pencil on verso. Artist Biography: Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) began photographing the Northwestern U.S. landscape in the 1930s. He became especially well-known for his stunning black & white images of the ski and snow country in the Western states. The early, romantic days of skiing in the West, the 1930-1950s, were a time of glamour and great excitement. Hollywood movie stars in the latest snow fashions shared chair lifts with the originators of "extreme" skiing. Skiers zoomed down the mountains with primitive equipment, relying on enthusiasm and their own brand of skill to take them successfully to the bottom. Atkeson's photographs appear alongside his peers Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Lillian Bassman, Eliot Porter and others in several collections, including Ansel Adams’s This is the American Earth (1960), U.S. Camera's The Best of 1957 and John Steinbeck's America and Americans (1960). A prolific photographer and printer, Atkeson documented these early times with a heavy, large-format 4x5 camera and photographed a rich variety of winter mountain scenery and activity. Many of his alpine photos were taken before the chairlift was invented and required ski stamina and enduring prolonged exposure to harsh winter elements. “One photo of an ice cave in Mount Rainier is a technical triumph" was written in the 1971 New York Times review of his photography book The Pacific Coast. In 1990, the New York Times wrote that Atkeson was "Considered the dean of Northwest nature photography." His published works include nine books, including Ski and Snow Country: The Golden Years of Skiing in the West, 1930s-1950s with text by skiing legend Warren Miller. Atkeson's work appeared in National Geographic, Time, Reader’s Digest, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and Popular Photography. His image is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nov 23, 1957. Atkeson was named Photographer Laureate of Oregon in 1976 and his works are in the collection of several major public institutions. (Duncan Miller Gallery)
Ray Atkeson, Obeisance to the Storm, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, Image 10.5" x 13.5", Paper 11" x 14". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Typed caption affixed to verso. Numbers in pencil and pen on verso. Artist Biography: Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) began photographing the Northwestern U.S. landscape in the 1930s. He became especially well-known for his stunning black & white images of the ski and snow country in the Western states. The early, romantic days of skiing in the West, the 1930-1950s, were a time of glamour and great excitement. Hollywood movie stars in the latest snow fashions shared chair lifts with the originators of "extreme" skiing. Skiers zoomed down the mountains with primitive equipment, relying on enthusiasm and their own brand of skill to take them successfully to the bottom. Atkeson's photographs appear alongside his peers Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Lillian Bassman, Eliot Porter and others in several collections, including Ansel Adams’s This is the American Earth (1960), U.S. Camera's The Best of 1957 and John Steinbeck's America and Americans (1960). A prolific photographer and printer, Atkeson documented these early times with a heavy, large-format 4x5 camera and photographed a rich variety of winter mountain scenery and activity. Many of his alpine photos were taken before the chairlift was invented and required ski stamina and enduring prolonged exposure to harsh winter elements. “One photo of an ice cave in Mount Rainier is a technical triumph" was written in the 1971 New York Times review of his photography book The Pacific Coast. In 1990, the New York Times wrote that Atkeson was "Considered the dean of Northwest nature photography." His published works include nine books, including Ski and Snow Country: The Golden Years of Skiing in the West, 1930s-1950s with text by skiing legend Warren Miller. Atkeson's work appeared in National Geographic, Time, Reader’s Digest, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and Popular Photography. His image is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nov 23, 1957. Atkeson was named Photographer Laureate of Oregon in 1976 and his works are in the collection of several major public institutions. (Duncan Miller Gallery)
Ray Atkeson, Klamath Valley, Oregon, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, Image 10.5" x 13.5", Paper 11" x 14". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Partial typed caption affixed to verso. Numbers in pen and pencil on verso. Artist Biography: Ray Atkeson (1907-1990) began photographing the Northwestern U.S. landscape in the 1930s. He became especially well-known for his stunning black & white images of the ski and snow country in the Western states. The early, romantic days of skiing in the West, the 1930-1950s, were a time of glamour and great excitement. Hollywood movie stars in the latest snow fashions shared chair lifts with the originators of "extreme" skiing. Skiers zoomed down the mountains with primitive equipment, relying on enthusiasm and their own brand of skill to take them successfully to the bottom. Atkeson's photographs appear alongside his peers Ansel Adams, Edward Weston, Dorothea Lange, Henri Cartier-Bresson, Richard Avedon, Lillian Bassman, Eliot Porter and others in several collections, including Ansel Adams’s This is the American Earth (1960), U.S. Camera's The Best of 1957 and John Steinbeck's America and Americans (1960). A prolific photographer and printer, Atkeson documented these early times with a heavy, large-format 4x5 camera and photographed a rich variety of winter mountain scenery and activity. Many of his alpine photos were taken before the chairlift was invented and required ski stamina and enduring prolonged exposure to harsh winter elements. “One photo of an ice cave in Mount Rainier is a technical triumph" was written in the 1971 New York Times review of his photography book The Pacific Coast. In 1990, the New York Times wrote that Atkeson was "Considered the dean of Northwest nature photography." His published works include nine books, including Ski and Snow Country: The Golden Years of Skiing in the West, 1930s-1950s with text by skiing legend Warren Miller. Atkeson's work appeared in National Geographic, Time, Reader’s Digest, Life, Saturday Evening Post, and Popular Photography. His image is on the cover of Sports Illustrated, Nov 23, 1957. Atkeson was named Photographer Laureate of Oregon in 1976 and his works are in the collection of several major public institutions. (Duncan Miller Gallery)
Ray Atkeson, Skiiers, c, 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, 11" x 14". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Numbered in pencil on verso. Crop notations on verso. Faded number on recto. With a masterful eye for light and composition, Ray Atkeson spent more than 60 years documenting Oregon and the Pacific Northwest in stunning photographic images, and now his vast photo legacy is part of the UO Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives. Rick Schafer, the photographer’s stepson, recently donated the Ray Atkeson Photography Collection to the university. It totals more than a quarter of a million images capturing the region's people and landscapes over several decades. "Ray Atkeson’s artistry and deep sense of connection with nature and landscapes speak for themselves," said Danielle Mericle, curator of visual materials with the library. "This archive will be a valued addition to our special collections and a boon for future researchers of photography, Northwest history and beyond." The New York Times once crowned Atkeson "the dean of Northwest nature photography," and he served as the state’s photographer laureate from 1987-90. "Ray Atkeson has brought the state of Oregon national and international acclaim," said Gov. Bob Straub, honoring Atkeson as a Distinguished Citizen of Oregon in 1977. "His passion for Oregon’s unmatched natural splendor has made him a goodwill ambassador." The Ray Atkeson Photography Collection consists primarily of large-format, black-and-white negatives and large- and medium-format color transparencies, more than 250,000 images in total. Schafer, who was also the photographer's protege, maintained the archive for nearly three decades following Atkeson’s passing. "From my perspective, this is not simply about a photography collection or boxes of film," Schafer said. "This is the archive of a great artist and recognized cultural ambassador for Oregon. But more importantly, Ray Atkeson created a body of work that spans seven decades of history in Oregon and the Western United States." Born and raised on a farm near Grafton, Illinois, Atkeson began experimenting with a Brownie box camera at the age of 15. His first publication occurred just one year later, when his impressionistic shot "Union Station at Night with Snow" won an award from the Kansas City Star. As a young man, Atkeson set out for points west, working as an itinerant laborer and using the time in between jobs to explore the Colorado Front Range and Bryce Canyon in Utah. "My stepfather worked in wheat fields of the Midwest and a box factory in Mount Shasta," Schafer said. "His first job when he came to Oregon was on a farm in Hood River picking apples. Ray had his roots in hard, manual labor, and that was always reflected in his approach to photography." In 1928 Atkeson landed a temporary job with the Photo Art Studio in Portland. His employer, Claude Palmer, was a self-taught perfectionist who probably saw something of himself in the hard-working and curious young man. The boss was free with his advice; Atkeson came to regard Palmer as a role model and mentor, and he would remain in the “temporary” position for the next 18 years. Another key influence on his life and work arrived in the form of Mira Crane, a fellow outdoor enthusiast whom Atkeson married in 1929. Their daughter Eleanor was born in 1935. In addition to his commercial work at Palmer’s studio, Atkeson kept busy evenings and weekends pursuing his own creative vision. A founding member of the Columbia Hikers Club, he sought inspiration in the majestic landscapes of Oregon and neighboring states. A literal trailblazer of nature photography, Atkeson became adept at driving his Ford Model T along rugged mountain backroads and packing his bulky, large-format camera equipment into remote wilderness areas. He was equally fascinated by the people of Oregon and how they interacted with their environments; other subjects captured by his 4x5 Speed Graphic during this period include a 1930s series on coastal fishing vessels and another documenting women workers in World War II-era Portland shipyards. In 1930, Atkeson met and photographed Hjalmer Hvam, a future U.S. ski champion and Olympics coach. Already a burgeoning local celebrity just three years after arriving in Portland from his native Norway, Hvam introduced Atkeson to other world-class skiers, and the foundations were laid for some of his most enduring work. Ascending the winter slopes of the intermountain West in the days before the chairlift was invented, Atkeson became a pioneering snow sports photographer, “the finest ski photographer ever” in the estimation of Alan Engen, chairman emeritus of the Alf Engen Ski Museum at Utah Olympic Park. In 1946 Atkeson left Photo Arts Studio to concentrate on a full-time freelance career. In the decades that followed, his advertising clients would include Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, United Airlines and Eastman Kodak. Atkeson’s work was extensively published in newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Seattle Times and the Houston Chronicle, and in magazines including National Geographic, Life, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest and the Saturday Evening Post. Beginning with "Ski and Snow" in 1960, Atkeson’s photography was compiled in more than a dozen large-format books, including "Northwest Heritage: The Cascade Range" in 1969, "Oregon Coast" in 1972, "Beautiful Oregon" in 1974 and "Portrait of Oregon" in 1980. The works were instrumental in helping establish the commercial viability and artistic integrity of modern coffee table books, a publishing genre that was then in its infancy. Altogether they would sell more than a million copies worldwide. Although he was achieving his greatest fame in this era, Atkeson also endured a number of personal setbacks in the 1970s. Family illness forced his semiretirement for a period of three years, and his beloved wife Mira passed away in 1976. Atkeson’s eyesight was deteriorating — a terrifying prospect for a photographic artist — and he travelled to Austria to consult with vision specialists. The doctors were at least able to stabilize the decline, allowing Atkeson to resume his life’s work. He also remarried in 1977. With his wife Doris Schafer and three young stepchildren — Rick, Lauralee and Susan — Atkeson entered a new phase of family life that helped to rejuvenate him. With their encouragement and assistance he continued to travel and shoot photos throughout his final decades, amassing honors including a Portland Advertising Federation Award, Governor Tom McCall Award, Oregon Governor’s Art Award and an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree conferred by Linfield College. Atkeson succumbed to cancer May 25, 1990, at 83. On the day of his funeral, state flags were lowered to half mast. The 66th Legislative Assembly formally honored him “for his exquisite photographs of Oregon and the West, landscapes and seascapes preserving for posterity the pristine treasure of nature not yet sullied by the indifferent touch of civilization.” In the words of his wife Doris: “His greatest joy was sharing the beauty of these places with people who couldn’t go there.” (Jason Stone, University of Oregon)
Ray Atkeson, Making Tracks (Skiiers), c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, 14" x 11". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Typed caption affixed to verso. "Tom Maloney" sticker on verso. Numbered in pencil on verso. Crop notations on verso. With a masterful eye for light and composition, Ray Atkeson spent more than 60 years documenting Oregon and the Pacific Northwest in stunning photographic images, and now his vast photo legacy is part of the UO Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives. Rick Schafer, the photographer’s stepson, recently donated the Ray Atkeson Photography Collection to the university. It totals more than a quarter of a million images capturing the region's people and landscapes over several decades. "Ray Atkeson’s artistry and deep sense of connection with nature and landscapes speak for themselves," said Danielle Mericle, curator of visual materials with the library. "This archive will be a valued addition to our special collections and a boon for future researchers of photography, Northwest history and beyond." The New York Times once crowned Atkeson "the dean of Northwest nature photography," and he served as the state’s photographer laureate from 1987-90. "Ray Atkeson has brought the state of Oregon national and international acclaim," said Gov. Bob Straub, honoring Atkeson as a Distinguished Citizen of Oregon in 1977. "His passion for Oregon’s unmatched natural splendor has made him a goodwill ambassador." The Ray Atkeson Photography Collection consists primarily of large-format, black-and-white negatives and large- and medium-format color transparencies, more than 250,000 images in total. Schafer, who was also the photographer's protege, maintained the archive for nearly three decades following Atkeson’s passing. "From my perspective, this is not simply about a photography collection or boxes of film," Schafer said. "This is the archive of a great artist and recognized cultural ambassador for Oregon. But more importantly, Ray Atkeson created a body of work that spans seven decades of history in Oregon and the Western United States." Born and raised on a farm near Grafton, Illinois, Atkeson began experimenting with a Brownie box camera at the age of 15. His first publication occurred just one year later, when his impressionistic shot "Union Station at Night with Snow" won an award from the Kansas City Star. As a young man, Atkeson set out for points west, working as an itinerant laborer and using the time in between jobs to explore the Colorado Front Range and Bryce Canyon in Utah. "My stepfather worked in wheat fields of the Midwest and a box factory in Mount Shasta," Schafer said. "His first job when he came to Oregon was on a farm in Hood River picking apples. Ray had his roots in hard, manual labor, and that was always reflected in his approach to photography." In 1928 Atkeson landed a temporary job with the Photo Art Studio in Portland. His employer, Claude Palmer, was a self-taught perfectionist who probably saw something of himself in the hard-working and curious young man. The boss was free with his advice; Atkeson came to regard Palmer as a role model and mentor, and he would remain in the “temporary” position for the next 18 years. Another key influence on his life and work arrived in the form of Mira Crane, a fellow outdoor enthusiast whom Atkeson married in 1929. Their daughter Eleanor was born in 1935. In addition to his commercial work at Palmer’s studio, Atkeson kept busy evenings and weekends pursuing his own creative vision. A founding member of the Columbia Hikers Club, he sought inspiration in the majestic landscapes of Oregon and neighboring states. A literal trailblazer of nature photography, Atkeson became adept at driving his Ford Model T along rugged mountain backroads and packing his bulky, large-format camera equipment into remote wilderness areas. He was equally fascinated by the people of Oregon and how they interacted with their environments; other subjects captured by his 4x5 Speed Graphic during this period include a 1930s series on coastal fishing vessels and another documenting women workers in World War II-era Portland shipyards. In 1930, Atkeson met and photographed Hjalmer Hvam, a future U.S. ski champion and Olympics coach. Already a burgeoning local celebrity just three years after arriving in Portland from his native Norway, Hvam introduced Atkeson to other world-class skiers, and the foundations were laid for some of his most enduring work. Ascending the winter slopes of the intermountain West in the days before the chairlift was invented, Atkeson became a pioneering snow sports photographer, “the finest ski photographer ever” in the estimation of Alan Engen, chairman emeritus of the Alf Engen Ski Museum at Utah Olympic Park. In 1946 Atkeson left Photo Arts Studio to concentrate on a full-time freelance career. In the decades that followed, his advertising clients would include Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, United Airlines and Eastman Kodak. Atkeson’s work was extensively published in newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Seattle Times and the Houston Chronicle, and in magazines including National Geographic, Life, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest and the Saturday Evening Post. Beginning with "Ski and Snow" in 1960, Atkeson’s photography was compiled in more than a dozen large-format books, including "Northwest Heritage: The Cascade Range" in 1969, "Oregon Coast" in 1972, "Beautiful Oregon" in 1974 and "Portrait of Oregon" in 1980. The works were instrumental in helping establish the commercial viability and artistic integrity of modern coffee table books, a publishing genre that was then in its infancy. Altogether they would sell more than a million copies worldwide. Although he was achieving his greatest fame in this era, Atkeson also endured a number of personal setbacks in the 1970s. Family illness forced his semiretirement for a period of three years, and his beloved wife Mira passed away in 1976. Atkeson’s eyesight was deteriorating — a terrifying prospect for a photographic artist — and he travelled to Austria to consult with vision specialists. The doctors were at least able to stabilize the decline, allowing Atkeson to resume his life’s work. He also remarried in 1977. With his wife Doris Schafer and three young stepchildren — Rick, Lauralee and Susan — Atkeson entered a new phase of family life that helped to rejuvenate him. With their encouragement and assistance he continued to travel and shoot photos throughout his final decades, amassing honors including a Portland Advertising Federation Award, Governor Tom McCall Award, Oregon Governor’s Art Award and an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree conferred by Linfield College. Atkeson succumbed to cancer May 25, 1990, at 83. On the day of his funeral, state flags were lowered to half mast. The 66th Legislative Assembly formally honored him “for his exquisite photographs of Oregon and the West, landscapes and seascapes preserving for posterity the pristine treasure of nature not yet sullied by the indifferent touch of civilization.” In the words of his wife Doris: “His greatest joy was sharing the beauty of these places with people who couldn’t go there.” (Jason Stone, University of Oregon)
Ray Atkeson, On the Homowo, c. 1940, Vintage gelatin silver print, 9.75" x 8". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Title and notes in pencil on verso. With a masterful eye for light and composition, Ray Atkeson spent more than 60 years documenting Oregon and the Pacific Northwest in stunning photographic images, and now his vast photo legacy is part of the UO Libraries' Special Collections and University Archives. Rick Schafer, the photographer’s stepson, recently donated the Ray Atkeson Photography Collection to the university. It totals more than a quarter of a million images capturing the region's people and landscapes over several decades. "Ray Atkeson’s artistry and deep sense of connection with nature and landscapes speak for themselves," said Danielle Mericle, curator of visual materials with the library. "This archive will be a valued addition to our special collections and a boon for future researchers of photography, Northwest history and beyond." The New York Times once crowned Atkeson "the dean of Northwest nature photography," and he served as the state’s photographer laureate from 1987-90. "Ray Atkeson has brought the state of Oregon national and international acclaim," said Gov. Bob Straub, honoring Atkeson as a Distinguished Citizen of Oregon in 1977. "His passion for Oregon’s unmatched natural splendor has made him a goodwill ambassador." The Ray Atkeson Photography Collection consists primarily of large-format, black-and-white negatives and large- and medium-format color transparencies, more than 250,000 images in total. Schafer, who was also the photographer's protege, maintained the archive for nearly three decades following Atkeson’s passing. "From my perspective, this is not simply about a photography collection or boxes of film," Schafer said. "This is the archive of a great artist and recognized cultural ambassador for Oregon. But more importantly, Ray Atkeson created a body of work that spans seven decades of history in Oregon and the Western United States." Born and raised on a farm near Grafton, Illinois, Atkeson began experimenting with a Brownie box camera at the age of 15. His first publication occurred just one year later, when his impressionistic shot "Union Station at Night with Snow" won an award from the Kansas City Star. As a young man, Atkeson set out for points west, working as an itinerant laborer and using the time in between jobs to explore the Colorado Front Range and Bryce Canyon in Utah. "My stepfather worked in wheat fields of the Midwest and a box factory in Mount Shasta," Schafer said. "His first job when he came to Oregon was on a farm in Hood River picking apples. Ray had his roots in hard, manual labor, and that was always reflected in his approach to photography." In 1928 Atkeson landed a temporary job with the Photo Art Studio in Portland. His employer, Claude Palmer, was a self-taught perfectionist who probably saw something of himself in the hard-working and curious young man. The boss was free with his advice; Atkeson came to regard Palmer as a role model and mentor, and he would remain in the “temporary” position for the next 18 years. Another key influence on his life and work arrived in the form of Mira Crane, a fellow outdoor enthusiast whom Atkeson married in 1929. Their daughter Eleanor was born in 1935. In addition to his commercial work at Palmer’s studio, Atkeson kept busy evenings and weekends pursuing his own creative vision. A founding member of the Columbia Hikers Club, he sought inspiration in the majestic landscapes of Oregon and neighboring states. A literal trailblazer of nature photography, Atkeson became adept at driving his Ford Model T along rugged mountain backroads and packing his bulky, large-format camera equipment into remote wilderness areas. He was equally fascinated by the people of Oregon and how they interacted with their environments; other subjects captured by his 4x5 Speed Graphic during this period include a 1930s series on coastal fishing vessels and another documenting women workers in World War II-era Portland shipyards. In 1930, Atkeson met and photographed Hjalmer Hvam, a future U.S. ski champion and Olympics coach. Already a burgeoning local celebrity just three years after arriving in Portland from his native Norway, Hvam introduced Atkeson to other world-class skiers, and the foundations were laid for some of his most enduring work. Ascending the winter slopes of the intermountain West in the days before the chairlift was invented, Atkeson became a pioneering snow sports photographer, “the finest ski photographer ever” in the estimation of Alan Engen, chairman emeritus of the Alf Engen Ski Museum at Utah Olympic Park. In 1946 Atkeson left Photo Arts Studio to concentrate on a full-time freelance career. In the decades that followed, his advertising clients would include Ford, Chrysler, General Motors, United Airlines and Eastman Kodak. Atkeson’s work was extensively published in newspapers, including the Los Angeles Times, the Chicago Tribune, the Seattle Times and the Houston Chronicle, and in magazines including National Geographic, Life, Sports Illustrated, Reader's Digest and the Saturday Evening Post. Beginning with "Ski and Snow" in 1960, Atkeson’s photography was compiled in more than a dozen large-format books, including "Northwest Heritage: The Cascade Range" in 1969, "Oregon Coast" in 1972, "Beautiful Oregon" in 1974 and "Portrait of Oregon" in 1980. The works were instrumental in helping establish the commercial viability and artistic integrity of modern coffee table books, a publishing genre that was then in its infancy. Altogether they would sell more than a million copies worldwide. Although he was achieving his greatest fame in this era, Atkeson also endured a number of personal setbacks in the 1970s. Family illness forced his semiretirement for a period of three years, and his beloved wife Mira passed away in 1976. Atkeson’s eyesight was deteriorating — a terrifying prospect for a photographic artist — and he travelled to Austria to consult with vision specialists. The doctors were at least able to stabilize the decline, allowing Atkeson to resume his life’s work. He also remarried in 1977. With his wife Doris Schafer and three young stepchildren — Rick, Lauralee and Susan — Atkeson entered a new phase of family life that helped to rejuvenate him. With their encouragement and assistance he continued to travel and shoot photos throughout his final decades, amassing honors including a Portland Advertising Federation Award, Governor Tom McCall Award, Oregon Governor’s Art Award and an honorary Doctorate of Fine Arts degree conferred by Linfield College. Atkeson succumbed to cancer May 25, 1990, at 83. On the day of his funeral, state flags were lowered to half mast. The 66th Legislative Assembly formally honored him “for his exquisite photographs of Oregon and the West, landscapes and seascapes preserving for posterity the pristine treasure of nature not yet sullied by the indifferent touch of civilization.” In the words of his wife Doris: “His greatest joy was sharing the beauty of these places with people who couldn’t go there.” (Jason Stone, University of Oregon)
Ray Atkeson, Don McDonald, Sun Valley, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, 11" x 14". Tape to indicate cropping on recto. Numbered in pen on recto. Artist's credit stamped on verso. Crop marks and notations in pencil on verso. Numbered in pen on verso.
Ray Atkeson, Reaching for Distance, Multipor Mountain, c. 1950, Vintage gelatin silver print, 8" x 10". Artist's credit stamped on verso. Typed caption affixed to verso. Crop marks and notations in pencil on verso. Published in U.S. Camera.
Photograph was printed from the original negative on gelatin silver paper. The blind stamp on the front of the print was chosen by the photographer, Ray Atkeson, to verify prints made from the original negative after his death. It is titled "Timberline" from negative 5882A and was printed by Thomas Robinson on October 24, 1994. It measures 20" x 24" and has some water damage to the mat and margin of the photo but the subject is in very nice condition.
RAY ATKESON (1902-1990, OR) PHOTOGRAPH - Large format black and white photograph on paper, pencil signed lower right. Shows a winter scene with a skier and the mountains. Condition good to fair; scattered staining and surface wear. ca.1940. 29.5" x 37.5" framed.
![Ray Atkeson, [Icicles], n.d.](https://stageimg.invaluable.com/housePhotos/KeithDelellisGallery/95/694995/H22760-L243412520.jpg)
