PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — His images tell the stories of Aroostook County.
When John F. Kennedy came to town, he was there. When someone needed a wedding photographer, he was there. When wildlife roamed, he was there.
Adorned in a black wide-brimmed hat and never without his camera, Oscar S. Nelder was Voscar, The Maine Photographer. He died April 14, a little more than five months shy of his 90th birthday.
“I think he saw the world a little bit differently than the rest of us saw it,” Michael Gudreau said. “I think he just had the gift.”
Gudreau, a local photographer, grew up around Nelder.
“During Voscar’s time there was maybe a handful of photographers that were in town. They were all good at it, but I think that those guys were more in it for the money,” Gudreau said. “I think Voscar was in it for the art of it.”
Nelder began taking photos right out of high school. He did everything from studio portraits to crime scene photography.
“Without him there would hardly be any picture history of Presque Isle,” Dr. Richard “Dick” Graves said.
Graves met Voscar when he came to take portrait shots of his mother.
“He stood out because he took these photos,” Graves said. “Back then it was a big deal.”
Graves remembers Nelder as one of the kindest people he has ever met.
“He never had a nasty word to say about anyone,” he said.
Presque Isle was Voscar’s hometown, and he made it the homebase for his studio, according to his longtime friend Ed Hews, who worked with Nelder during his time at WAGM radio and television.
“When anybody came into the area, well, he was always willing to work with them, take pictures of their families and their activities,” Hews said. “He was just a really nice citizen of Presque Isle.”
It was his pictorial history that helped Nelder win a lifetime achievement award from The Presque Isle Chamber of Commerce in 2012.
But Voscar’s creations reached beyond The County. His photos were published in 36 magazines, including Time. Covers featuring his images could be found from New York City to Los Angeles.
“People would put out and say, ‘I need pictures for this,’ and he would be on it,” Gudreau said.
Voscar passed his images onto Graves. Now Graves would like to share the artwork with the community.
An exhibit titled “VOSCAR Presque Isle: 90 years of photography,” presented by Graves, will be on display from May 7 to June 11, in the Akeley Galleries at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library and Cultural Arts Centre in Presque Isle. The showcase of Voscar’s work will kick off with an opening reception from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday, May 7. Otherwise, the galleries are open from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday.
“Now I can share Voscar through his images,” Graves said.
Photos of local people, presidential hopefuls and local places will be on display at the show.
The show will put Voscar’s work back in its place of prominence.
“As people start getting older they’re not in the spotlight as much as they used to be,” Gudreau said. “I think that [he was] like a grandfather of sorts. … When gramp leaves, there’s a big void there.”
“I don’t really think we’ve realized what we’ve actually lost yet,” Gudreau added.
With the passing of his hero in the photography world, Gudreau said Nelder will always be with him while he is out on a shoot.
He said Voscar was a local legend who others strive to be like.
“There’s a number of photographers throughout the area, and I am sure we are thinking deep down inside that we always want to be as good as Voscar was.”