County says goodbye to Voscar, The Maine Photographer
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 Wednesday, 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,” says Michael Gudreau, “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 says, “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,” says Dr. Richard “Dick” Graves.
Graves met Voscar when he came to take portrait shots of his mother.
“He stood out because he took these photos,” Graves says, “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 says.
Presque Isle was Voscar’s hometown and he made it the homebase for his studio says 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 says, “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,” says Gudreau.
Voscar passed his images onto Graves. Now Graves would like to share the artwork with the community.
On Saturday May 7, beginning at 11:30 a.m. Graves’ exhibit showcasing 125 of Voscar’s photographs will be on display at the Mark and Emily Turner Memorial Library.
“Now I can share Voscar through his images,” says Graves.
Photos of local people, presidential hopefuls and local places will all 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 the used to be,” Gudreau says. “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 adds.
With the passing of his hero in the photography world, Gudreau says Nelder will always be with him while he is out on a shoot.
He says Voscar was a local legend, who other’s 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.”
