Randy Gladstone: Researching Michigan photographers for 0ver 24 years

by Diane Rockall

Picture a serious, professional photographer captivated with historical photos and photographers. Next, imagine this artist making a living and building a life around taking and cataloging photographs of Michigan photographers. Randy Gladstone, born and raised in Plainfield, MI and a 1980 graduate of Stockbridge High School, fits this description to a T.

Working as a professional photographer, Gladstone has covered 790 weddings, numerous graduations, anniversary parties, reunions and other events. Over  the years, he collected old photographs and began to catalog information about photographers, particularly Michigan photographers from 1842 to 1920.

After many years of solo work, he joined forces with another, more senior collector, Dave Tinder. Though Tinder died in 2016, his work continues, thanks to Gladstone’s and others’ efforts.

“Before Dave’s death, he asked me to fulfill his research of 19th and 20th century photographers. I have been researching Michigan photographers for 24 years and have some pretty big shoes to fill,” Gladstone stated on the Facebook page, “Directory of Early Michigan Photographers.” This online presence, created to honor David Tinder, provides a place where others may help further the research.

In addition to his continued work in researching and cataloging, Gladstone has dabbled in other projects, spending a decade from 1997 to 2007 with the Mason Area Historical Society. There he served as the Antiques Commissioner for the Ingham County Fair.

Another project has also grabbed his heart and attention: Collecting oral histories of U.S. veterans and their experiences. Gladstone contributes his collections to the Veterans History Project (VHP) of the Library of Congress American Folklife Center.

The VHP collects and preserves the firsthand interviews and narratives of United States military veterans from World War I through the present.* VHP relies on volunteers throughout the nation to contribute veterans’ stories. At the time of this interview, Gladstone had completed 64 WWII, Korean, and Vietnam War veteran oral histories for the project, and he hopes to do many more.

Gladstone, who currently resides close to his roots in Pleasant Lake, shares his love of history and photography via lectures. He addresses groups on a variety of related topics that include: History of Photography, Bringing Old Pictures Back to Life, Documenting your Family History, Caring for Heirlooms, and, of course, How to Collect Oral Histories. He also provides services to individuals on those and other history-genealogy projects and can be reached at [email protected] or 517 676 9090.

*VHP also accepts memoirs and collections of original photographs, letters, diaries, maps and other historical documents from veterans who served in the US armed services from World War I through the present. For more info: https://www.loc.gov/vets/