Peter Williams

[JamesThorsen]

Hello. This is the first thing I have written in relation to this topic, but I have given it some thought. I am searching for photographic work done by my uncle. I am going to give some detail into his life and work because I have reason to believe his work is still out there and I would like to see it or somehow have some digital copies of his work.

My uncle, Peter Williams, originally from the east coast and spent the majority of his life in NYC area (born 1947). He was a lifelong photographer and would develop his own as far back as the early 1960s. He had a bachelors degree in chemistry. This background in chemistry helped him custom blend the chemicals he would use to develop his own film. It helped give his images a unique look.

Although he was an avid photographer and did have dreams of making money from this medium, he was a carpenter by trade. In the early 90s, he left NYC for Denver, Colorado, where he would spend the last few years of his life. I have memories of looking at albums he had made of street portraits, but I know towards the end of his life, he favored the Ansel Adams inspired 4x5 landscape work. One of his attractions to the Colorado area were the beautiful panoramic shots he able able to get of the mountains.

His partner was a man by the name of Gustavo, from Argentina. He was also a carpenter and they lived together for about ten years. My uncle died of cancer in 1997. Gustavo went back to Argentina. My family only has two framed photographs of his, which has been great. However, I have memories of looking through these albums of his and I would love to be able to see his photographs.

I am only 38 years old and was really just a boy when he died. I couldn't understand the depth of his work or his life at the time although I loved him greatly. If he were alive today, he would be in his early 70s. So there is a chance the people he gave his work to have since left it in the care of others because, most likely, they would be older as well.

I was thinking a few clues could possibly lead me to his work:

1) The work most likely is in Denver, Colorado area. Many of his photographs were of the mountains in that area. Although I think he did do some street style, as well.

2) Much of his work was black and white. Also, used alternative processing, which gave his work a cool look. All analog. He did print his work as well and most of it was framed or neatly arranged in an album.

3) Something worth noting is that he has his signature at the bottom right of his images. His hand writing had been notoriously terrible because of a natural shakiness to his hands (why he used a tripod mostly). So his signature looks very raggedy.

4) I'm going to revise what I have written here. I'm just getting the ball rolling with this. If anybody from the Colorado or maybe NYC could pass this along to anyone active in the film/camera world of the 1980s and 1990s (and before), that would be appreciated. I am a photographer myself and I think it would be great if I could reconnect with some of his work.

I am James, living in Philadelphia, PA. Hope someone out there can help.