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Adventure with a Camera
The Photographs and Letters of
Fred Payne Clatworthy 1898-1900
Front Cover - Click to Enlarge
Back Cover - Click to Enlarge
Published by Photos by Dill
Book with Bonus DVD
$39.95
As a professional photographer, I have long appreciated the technical merit and artistic genius of Fred Payne Clatworthy’s photography.
As the official photographer for the YMCA of the Rockies, he documented that organization’s early history and photographed conference
groups that used their facilities. Today, as the photographic concessionaire for the YMCA, my company Photos by Dill is a direct link to
Clatworthy’s ties with Estes Park.
After I read the transcript of Clatworthy’s letters, I saw an opportunity to honor Clatworthy’s work. Rather than allow a third party to
write about his two-year Western odyssey, I insisted that we let Fred tell the story in his own words.
This publication is not intended to be the defi nitive work on Fred Payne Clatworthy. The biographical sketch documents how his
childhood experiences, inquisitive nature and personality prepared him for his western adventure and life as a professional photographer.
Fred Payne Clatworthy’s expertise as an autochrome photographer, businessman, promoter of America’s natural wonders and world
traveler are only briefly touched upon so as not to divert attention from his letters. Those subjects provide abundant opportunities for
future publications by this or other publishers.
I published this book not only to let Fred Clatworthy tell his story but to honor his daughter, Bobbie Clatworthy Gish. For decades she
has worked to preserve her father’s memory. Bobbie had the wisdom to donate a large body of his work to the Colorado Historical Society.
She then spent hundreds of hours volunteering to help catalogue the images. Bobbie also meticulously deciphered and transcribed her
father’s letters. Without hesitation or reservation, she shared her father’s images and family photographs for this publication. The publisher is
honored to dedicate this book to Bobbie.
I would like to thank the editor, Jack Melton. Only he fully appreciated the historical signifi cance of Clatworthy’s letters. Understanding that
profit was not my motive in publishing this book, Jack volunteered his staff to electronically transcribe the letters. He also volunteered
an untold number of hours editing the letters for this publication.
Special thanks are extended to the staff of the Stephen H. Hart Library at the Colorado Historical Society. They gave the publisher and
editor unfettered access to their vast Clatworthy collection. Thanks to: Eric Paddock, former Curator of Photography; Judy Steiner Assistant
Curator of Photography, Rebecca Lintz Library Director; and Karyl Klein former Curatorial Assistant and Library Technician. As a long-time
professional in the book trade, the advice of Paula Steige, owner of Macdonald Book Shop in Estes Park, was invaluable.
Alex Ho, my manager at Photos by Dill Inc. volunteered many hours working at home to design this book. He was a pleasure to work
with and never complained when small details were changed just before printing. Linda Elmer, Stanley Museum Site Manager donated
her time to index the book.
Gary Dill
Photos by Dill, Inc.
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