I started my photography career after rediscovering my father’s archive of photographs from the 1940’s and 50’s. Hidden away for almost 30 years, I worked to promote and display his images of Memphis, wrestling, motorcycles and a soon to be discovered Elvis Presley. I was the first staff photographer for the Shelby Sun Times newspaper and later worked as a black-and-white printer and graphic artist for a national print advertising company.

As staff photographer at Elvis Presley’s Graceland for 12 years, my work included documenting Elvis Week, numerous concerts and many other special events held at Graceland. I also photographed Elvis’ vast private archive of clothing, jewelry, documents and automobiles and captured portraits of the Presley family. Overseeing the photography archive, I worked with documentarians and authors, including Ken Burns and Peter Guralnick.

My research and archival work over the past 30 years has been exhibited in numerous museums including: the Memphis Wonders Series, Memphis Cotton Museum, Tunica River Park Museum, Downeast Heritage Center, Rock & Soul Museum, STAX, Graceland, and the Country Music Hall of Fame, among others.

My photography has been included in Rolling Stone, People, USA Today, Southern Living, Us Weekly, Southern Bride, Sony Legacy, and Memphis Magazine.

“To me, photography is an art of observation. It’s about finding something interesting in an ordinary place…I’ve found it has little to do with the things you see and everything to do with the way you see them.”
― Elliott Erwitt

Contact: rdye@dyephotography.com