Grand Rapids Camera Club Hall of Fame 2001

Evelyn Zeek joined the Grand Rapids Camera Club in 1930, the youngest member of the club, she was 16 years old.

Evelyn started in photography when she was 8 working with a camera her father, a professional photographer, gave her. It wasn’t long before she discovered that portraiture was her greatest love. She is best known for her biblical portraits, “I look into every face I see and I look for certain aspects, not just beauty, but what’s inside. That’s what I photograph, what’s inside.” She did not do portraitures for money, because she wanted to do it her way, none of her biblical portraits where for sale.

Evelyn Zeek presented seminars for the Grand Rapids Camera Club, throughout the country and around the world. She earned a reputation for having an exceptional knowledge of light. In her seminars, Portraiture the Eazy Way, she explained her unique, though simple and often copied, lighting system. A single photo-flood and reflector does it all!She presented this seminar at the 100 Years of Pictorial Photography Celebrations in India in 1993. In 1991, she wrote a book Invitation to Portraiture, which is still referenced today.

Evelyn was a founding member of Southwestern Michigan Council of Camera Clubs (SWMCCC) and organized the first “Summer Weekend School of Photography.” She was president of SWMCCC from 1973 – 75. She was a three time winner of “Best Portrait Award”, later changed to the “Evelyn R. Zeek Award” for best portrait slide.

Evelyn Zeek became a member of the Photographic Society of America (PSA) in 1960. She was featured in the PSA Journal 20 times and on the cover twice. She was awarded the “John Doscher Memorial Award” for being the member who has contributed the most to classical photography. She served as general chairman of the 1986 PSA International Convention in Grand Rapids, MI, editor of the Color Slide Division supplement to the PSA Journal and was chairman of PSA’s PR committee. She was a multi-star exhibitor in color prints and stereo slides. Evelyn taught advanced photography classes at the University of Michigan extension service and Patricia Stevens Finishing School. In addition to her Fellowship honor of the PSA, she received an Associate honor from the Royal Photographic Society of Great Britain.

Evelyn Zeek was still a member of the Grand Rapids Camera Club when she died in 1999, she was 85 years old.