Renowned Yuma photographer dies

Emil Eger spent his life observing Yuma through his camera lens, preserving history for all of posterity. Eger, who was born in Yuma in 1917, died Friday morning at the age of 92 of natural causes.

Eger lived to take pictures, and made it his mission to document all he saw on film.

"He will not only be missed horribly by my mother and myself, but also by everyone in the community," said daughter Susan Morse. "He was a wonderful gentle soul, and his photographs have had a great impact on the lives of many people."

As a child, Eger became fascinated with photography. He learned how to take pictures with his father's Kodak 122 folding camera.

Eger had an innate passion for photography, and as a student was responsible for setting up the first darkroom at Yuma High School. He was even able to initiate the photo department with the help of a science teacher.

After graduating from Yuma High, Eger attended Redlands University. After that he returned to Yuma and worked for the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation.

"We surveyed the river from Parker to the Mexican border," Eger told the Yuma Sun before his death. "We probably made most of the blueprints for the All-American Canal and Imperial Dam."

In 1940, Emil met and fell in love with his wife of 69 years, Winona Brion.

During World War II, Eger worked for what is now Yuma Proving Ground where he produced photography and filed reports until the end of the war.

In the fall of 1945, he opened Photography by Emil studio at 228 2nd Ave.

The famous shutterbug was once quoted as saying, “I love nature and I love people. I have always tried to photograph the beauty that I saw in both.”

Emil’s photography career spanned over 57 and-a-half years. His portraits of local families have earned state and national awards, including the Emil Eger Arizona Photographer of the Year Award, a permanent trophy named in his honor by the Arizona Professional Photographers Association (PPA).

“He was wonderful, he loved people and sharing his love of photography," said Bill Butler, a colleague and friend of Eger's. "He was the eyes of Yuma, and most long-time Yuma families knew him, and probably had their family portraits done by him."

During his life, Eger earned the title of Master of Photography and was given the National Association’s most prestigious “National Award.” Additionally, he was awarded the “Golden Apple” and “Crystal Apple” awards by the Arizona PPA. Locally, he was presented with the Francis Woodard Award, and in Oct. 2007 was given the city of Yuma’s Muse Award.

During his acceptance speech for the Muse Award, Eger told a tale of some of the lengths he had to go through to get that perfect shot. He spoke of one particular incident when he was documenting a sewer project, and accidentally fell in.

"(I) backed up to get a better shot and lost my balance and fell. The stuff was in my pockets and wallet, everywhere...it was like chocolate pudding."

Due to failing eyesight, Emil retired in July of 2002 to spend more time with his beloved rose garden.

"He loved gardening and was known to vacuum up every leaf in his garden," said Morse. "He had a green thumb and kept a gorgeous garden."

In April, 2003, Eger was featured in the PBS television documentary "The Changing Face of the Colorado River." He was interviewed by show narrator Bill Leverton.

"Leverton and his wife, Bonnie, talked to me while looking over some of the photographs I had either taken or made copies of through the years," Eger said.

"They asked about my memories of the river. When I was a boy, the river was dangerous and swift. There were a lot of eddies swirling along the edge. We used to play 'rubber mud' when the river washed ashore and left the soft silt. You could jump up and down on it - like a trampoline."

According to Morse, even in his old age, her father still liked to get outside and observe the city.

"He always wanted to know what was going on in Yuma, and even when his eyesight was gone, he would make me drive around and tell him about any new buildings in town."

Samples of Eger's photography can still be seen in numerous businesses and at the Yuma Historical Society. His photos have remained so relevant in fact that one he took of the City of Yuma endurance flight in 1949 is printed in today's edition of the Yuma Sun on page A4.


Chris McDaniel can be reached at cmcdaniel@yumasun.com or 539-6849.