Yosemite National Park

After retiring from Kodak, Neil spent eight summers in Yosemite National Park as a Kodak Ambassador where his job was to give early morning photo walks through pristine natural areas, afternoon photo seminars and at night, slide shows to hundreds of people in a natural outdoor amphitheatre in Yosemite Village. While at Yosemite, his boss at Kodak received dozens of letters of praise from tourists who had taken his seminars and were impressed with his dedication and passion for his job.

Whether two people came to one of his seminars or 30 people, it didn’t matter. He went all out – every day. And this is a theme which is interwoven into his entire career – total dedication and passion to his craft – and to Kodak. While in Yosemite, Neil learned an in depth knowledge about where to go in the Park for the greatest vistas – and when to go for pictures, what time of day and what time of year – and shared that with all of his students.

My son Ryan and I had the pleasure of visiting my Dad is Yosemite three separate times for two weeks at a time. As a result, Yosemite holds a very special place in our hearts. We forged memories there with my Dad that will last a lifetime. During his time in Yosemite, Neil befriended all kinds of different people in the park – from the Park Rangers to the hang glider pilots, hikers, tourists and mountain climbers he often photographed and as a result, Neil became a much beloved mainstay in Yosemite. - Jim Montanus