Vance Price Holds Show at 10 Ton Press

Local photographer's love of the outdoors is evident in his work

WAITSBURG – Having spent more than 50 years working as a professional photographer, Waitsburg native Vance Price is at the point in life where he can focus on doing only what he enjoys most – shooting the great outdoors.

"I've never once had a tree complain," said Price, who spent many years working with people, as a portrait and wedding photographer.

Many of Price's photos are now lining the walls of the 10 Ton Press building at 216 Main, in Waitsburg, during a show and sale that will last through the month of December. Building owner and artist Lane Hill approached Price, who tends to avoid publicity, about a show, after seeing his work.

"He really has a good eye. What's here is just a fraction of his prints," Hill said.

Price is a Waitsburg native, and grew up about six miles up Wilson Hollow on Jasper Mountain. He graduated from WHS in 1952 and spent some years in college and the army before returning to the fourth-generation family farm.

In 1962, he left the farm to follow his passion, studying photography at the Brooks Institute of Photography in Santa Barbara, Calif.

"I've always loved photography. When I was 12 years old, a friend in Walla Walla took me into their basement and showed me their darkroom. Watching that first print come out of the developing tray was the beginning of the end," Price said.

Price's first camera was a Rolleiflex. He took pictures as a hobby and set up a darkroom at home where he developed photos.

Price said he worked his way through photography school working at a custom color print lab, developing film and printing pictures. He then joined ex-Waitsburg High School math teacher Lloyd Perry in Missoula Mont., and worked with him in a portrait studio.

"I took the job because portraits were one of the few ways you could actually make money in photography back then. The studio had a contract with the University of Montana, so it was fairly lucrative," Price said.

Price said he enjoyed working and learning under master photographers, and spent several years working under one at a studio in Ohio.

From 1970-1988, Price lived in Portland, Ore. where he worked in darkrooms. He spent many years getting commercial labs up and running, even spending a year in Hawaii where he installed three darkrooms, he said.

He spent several years with The Oregonian newspaper, converting their black and white labs to color.

In 1988 Price's wife had a stroke. He had saved up enough money that he was able to quit work and stay home with her until her death in 2000. During that time, the couple traveled extensively, including a three-month trip around the country.

In 2001 Price returned to Waitsburg, where he continues to do what he loves – taking photos and selling his work.

Price said his true love is outdoor photography, and many of his prints are of local sights and vistas.

"When I worked in Ohio, my boss and I would cover seven weddings in a weekend, between the two of us. I think I got enough of people," he said, smiling. "In fact, when I was in Portland, my business was named Tree Pictures," he added.

These days, Price said he shoots with a Leica camera and edits in Photoshop. He said he doesn't spend the many thousands of dollars on equipment that many photographers do.

Price said the biggest change in moving from print to digital photography was that he was able to get rid of his 35-pound camera bag.

"I had the opportunity to visit my daughter, who was a missionary in France, but I would have had to buy a ticket for my camera bag since I didn't want to check it. Instead, I was able to buy a shirt-pocket digital that did just fine," Price said.

Price remarried about seven years ago and has shared his knowledge with his wife, Judy, who has also taken up the hobby. Several of Judy's prints are also on display at the 10 Ton Press show.

"She already had an interest. I just gave her the equipment she needed," Price said.

Price's show will be up through December. He can be contacted at (509) 520-5025.