Fred Picker

Let me introduce myself. I am Richard T Ritter and worked at Zone VI Studios for 15 years under Fred Picker. At Zone VI I was responsible for the design and development of many of the produce Fred tough would be an improvement to the fine art of black and white photography. In the nintys when Calumet bought Zone VI I left the company and started work to develop a business to the repair of large format equipment.

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Fred Picker for a number of years has been in poor health. He asked that his friends and family keep this to themselves.

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I�m sorry to report Fred Picker died on April 4, 2002.

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Richard T Ritter

Thank you for the information, Richard. I am sure that many frequent

members would want to know.

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May Fred rest in peace.

Always opinionated and oft times controversial, his dedication to

large format photography was a light at the end of the tunnel for me.

I still read a couple of well worn issues of his Zone VI news letter,

#24 Arpil 1980 sits at my elbow even now, just to keep the juices

flowing.

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Here's a toast to Key Day exposure's and the perfect proof.

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"....rage, rage against the dying of the light." Dylan Thomas

Wasn't it Fred that said you can never, ever take pictures of cows

or covered bridges, because they have been taken a million times

already?

Paula and I are sorry to hear that Fred died. We only met him once,

about 6 or 7 years ago, I think. To our great surprise (since we were

well aware of Fred's feistyness and reputation for being difficult) he

was as gracious as could be. And he looked longer and more carefully at

our photographs than anyone else ever had before, or ever has since.

All we knew of his own photographs were the terrible reproductions in

his books. To our surprise, we saw that he made beautiful prints and

was a far better photographer than we had imagined. It was a memorable

day. Although we didn't see him again, we'll miss him.

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Michael A. Smith and Paula Chamlee

Thanks for the news, Richard. Fred was "one of a kind". He did more

than most anyone I can think of to advance the practice of

photography in the last 25 years. His contributions will continue to

live through his books, videos and the excellent equipment he brought

to the market through Zone VI Studios.

Deeply sorry to hear about Fred. Many, including myself, got their

interest kindled in large format photography because of his passion

for the art and his truly entrepreneurial spirit. For this unique

combination, he was a true pioneer that will be significantly missed.

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All of our best to his family in this time of sorrow.

DAMN DAMN DAMN!!!

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One of the unsung greats! I attanded on of his work shops around

1978. I remember Wes Disney, Sue Barron, Martin Tartar, Lil Farber,

and the others. It was one of the most moving and inspirational times

of my life and set me straight on the road to personal expression.

DAMN DAMN DAMN! I do not know what to say right now!! This is a great

loss. DAMN

I remember being a young sailor on board the USS INDEPENDENCE back in

the mid 70s. Lots of time spent out at sea. And I remember so

vividly reading over and over Freds Zone VI workshop book, and

waiting for his next newsletter to arrive in the mail call.

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Talked with him on the phone a couple of times and wrote to him a few

times. I have one of his letters. And I have a print of his that he

said was hard to print and therefore nobody else has one but me and

him.

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I wrote to Lil Farber once and asked her to please get Fred to tell

us more about himself. She said he wouldn't do it. I often wondered

about his family and his roots.

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May he rest in Peace and may perpetual light shine upon him.

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Kevin

thanks Richard...

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Fred will be remembered for a lomg time...please send condoleances to

his family....

Although I never met him, I've heard that Fred Picker was in

interesting fellow. What strikes me most about him and Zone VI was

the innovative way in which he made available some breakthrough tools

that improved the field of photography.

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As examples, I think of the compensating developing and enlarging

timers. The compensating enlarging timer provides consistency using

a cold light head that otherwise could never be achieved. I use the

compensating timer, and I can obtain remarkable consistency from

development to development. I have a Zone VI Type I enlarger, and

while I regret that it can't really handle 5x7, it does an excellent

job with all formats up to 4x5, and with 8x10.

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Then there are all the smaller optimizations, like the tacking iron

that's just ideal for tacking photographs onto a mat board, the

electrostatic static brush that still sells for over $300 on EBay,

and the mounting device for centering photographs on a mat board.

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For those who may be aware of him, W. Edwards Deming used to say that

one doesn't really understand something until they've improved it. I

think it can be said that Fred Picker understood large format

photography.

Richard,

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We are all thankful that you see fit to take upon yourself the

melancholy task of relating the news. I take it by your comments

that this was a release from suffering.

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Like the others I read the Zone VI Newsletters, bought the

modified Pentax Digital spotmeter and dreamt of one day

following in Fred Picker's footsteps through Vermont, Iceland

and Easter Island - all a long way from down-under.

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For me, Fred Picker's greatest lesson was his oft recited mantra:

"If you want to know what happens with this or that, don't ask me

... test it." And now he's gone to test the greatest riddle of them

all.

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Like so many others I extend my commiseration and

condolensces to those loved ones left behind.

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But what a fitting monument that hallowed little meter is to the

memory and legacy of a great bloke; for every time I use it the

silence will be broken by the thought: "Rest eternal grant unto

him, O Lord : and let light perpetual shine upon him."

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Walter Glover

What a terrible loss. His unwavering committment to "the best" was

always a challenge to the rest of us. And a grest service to us too.

Rest easy, Fred.

When I started LF photography thirty years ago, if you wanted to learn

the Zone System, you had the original Ansel Adams photo series (if you

remember when those books were about 5 x 7 and half inch thick, you

are OLD) and Fred Picker. The major difference between Fred and Ansel

was that Fred was readable and understandable. That made all the

difference in getting me going in LF. His ability to simplify and his

pragmatic approach to testing was essential in getting me started down

the proper (proof) path.

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Rest in peace, Fred.

After years of trying understand the relationship between the "scene"

and the final print I read Fred's "Zone VI Workshop". His straight

forward approach was pure genius. This book is probably the most

important book ever written on the subject. I always looked forward

to his newsletters. My father who just past away at 81 years old was

also a big Fred Picker fan. I will always remember the hours that my

father and I spent discussing the latest newsletter. Unfortunately I

never met him but through his books and newsletters I felt that I was

part of his extended family. I just had my Zone VI modified Sologor

spot meter repaired by Rich Ritter after dropping it on the cement

sidewalk. The modification from Zone VI resulted in the most accurate

meters ever. Thanks to Fred for his great contribution to

photography. Thanks to Rich for his continued contribution.

Fred Picker's outspoken and straight forward nature has kept me

entertained and informed for years. As a former workshop student I

can honestly say Fred's enthusiasm and dedication to teaching the art

and craft of photography has provided me with much inspiration,

thanks for everything Fred.

I will always be grateful to Fred Picker for kindling my interest in

large format photography through his Zone VI catologues. I still

have the last two, as they are full of useful information like Fred's

wonderfully concise article, "How to use a view camera." I also

have and still occasionally refer to his series of Videos on large

format photography. I know of no more inspirational and

informative short introduction to the zone system and large

format photography than these tapes. "Printing With Fred Picker"

is particularly fine. I wish someone would now make an

instructional video as clear, informative, and inspiring as this

taking into account the options that first-class variable contrast

papers have opened up for us. Perhaps someone from the

current generation of great large format teacher-photographers

will one day make such a tape.

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Fred Picker's death is a great loss to our community.

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David Mark

Mr. Picker wrote with terrific clarity about some technically complicated

subjects, He pared away the obsfucation and jargon of other writers & teachers

to present those powerful ideas boiled down to basic concepts and then

presented them in a plain language, jargon free style so that even a complete

photographic neophyte might find them useful. For this ability to teach we

should all always be grateful.

Never met the man, but we had a "lively" dialogue in the early '90s.

Have the original enlarger, both timers, both books, etc. His name

always sparked fascinating discussions, and his contributions to the

craft of photography were many and varied.

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I'll miss the man I never knew...

Although I never met him, I'll certainly be lifting a glass or two in

his memory. He has influenced me and my work imensely.

Fred was controversial and crusty, both good things in my mind. When

you think about his contributions to photography as an educator,

equipment designer/manufacturer, writer and artist, he is leaving a

great void that will be left unfilled. Through his newsletters he

conveyed an uncompromising philosophy that went way beyond

photography. He will be missed. He will be remembered.

By the way- the best tribute we could pay Fred is for someone to buy

Zone VI back from Calumet and return it to it's former stature. I

really miss those catalogues!

Bread for the stomach and art for the soul.

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Good bye, Fred, and thanks for all the fish.

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Mike