Collection Guide
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Riley (Norman E.) Papers and Photographs
D-550
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Table of contents
Description
The collection includes photographs of California, especially Davis
and Sacramento, cityscapes, landscapes, still lifes, and portraits taken by the photographer Norman E. Riley.
Background
Norman Edward Riley was born in Munich, Germany on January 11, 1954. He graduated from UC Davis in 1978, majoring in
Environmental Toxicology. He worked for the State of California for 25 years, during this time Riley took up the 35mm camera
and, through book-reading and practice, taught himself the principles and techniques of photography. He worked initially in
the pictorial style and focused mainly on portraiture but also spent a considerable amount of time shooting scenes in and
around both Davis, California and Sacramento, California In 1984 he advanced to large format work and thereafter, working
in
the f/64 style, concentrated on architectural studies and landscapes primarily in the Western United States and in Europe.
From 2006 to 2011, Riley turned almost exclusively to still life work in which he combined things living or derived from
living things with bits and pieces of scrap metal to produce unique sculptures which he then photographed. His work has
appeared in various publications (e.g., the German periodical "Fine Art Foto," and the American magazine "View Camera"). In
2011, samples of his still life photographs were included in the permanent collections of the San Luis Obispo Museum of Art
in San Luis Obispo, California and the Museum of Northwest Art in La Conner, Washington. His first book, titled "Prophet
Theory" was be published in 2013.
Extent
2.4 linear feet
Restrictions
All applicable copyrights for the collection are protected under chapter 17 of the U.S. Copyright Code. Requests for
permission to publish or quote from manuscripts must be submitted in writing to the Head of Special Collections. Permission
for publication is given on behalf of the Regents of the University of California as the owner of the physical items. It is
not intended to include or imply permission of the copyright holder, which must also be obtained by the researcher.
Availability
Collection is open for research.