Edgar in Vicksburg, MS 1960
Edgar G. Praus is a long-time professional photographer and artist with a love of the open road and the American landscape. Traveling back roads by choice, he can't help but notice that the quaint, vernacular architecture and home-spun roadside attractions that he loves are rapidly disappearing. Expanding chain stores, strip malls and gentrified, homogenized architecture are taking over the modern roadside. Interstate highways diminish the business prospects of historic tourist traps, motels and attractions. With that in mind, Edgar set about photographing these important American treasures. Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama or of strong especially important.
After receiving a Master of Fine Arts in photography from the Rochester Institute of Technology in 1972, Edgar began Rochester, New York's last remaining custom photographic lab, Praus Productions Inc. Customers from Alaska to Florida & Europe to the Mideast work with Edgar to produce archival fine-art photographic prints, as well as custom film processing and other specialty services.
Edgar shoots film only and prints using a traditional "wet" darkroom.