WAUPetersonBobPH2023_002.xml Guide to the Robert Peterson Photographs Peterson (Robert) Photographs Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries 2023 (Last modified: 9/15/2023)

Allen Library BOX 352900 Seattle, Washington 98195-2900 Business Number: 206-543-1929 speccoll@uw.edu http://www.lib.washington.edu/specialcollections/

This finding aid was produced using ArchivesSpace on 2026-01-22. Description is written in: English, Latin script. Finding aid based on DACS (Describing Archives: A Content Standard), 2nd Edition. January 2026 Grace Landers accessioned accrual PH1685-002 and updated the finding aid. Special Collections, University of Washington Libraries Robert Peterson photographs Peterson, Bob (Photographer) PH2023-002 58.85 cubic feet 50 boxes, including 1 minidvd, 5 d2s, and 55 cds, and 1 oversized folder approximately 1950-2015 Photographs and personal papers of a photojournalist and commercial photographer Collection materials are in English.

Photographer Bob Peterson got his start taking pictures at age 12 when his father built him a darkroom in their Berkeley, California home. In high school he won an Eastman Kodak photo contest, and at age 15 he was already shooting sports for the Berkeley Daily Gazette. While still in his teens, he freelanced for TIME and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. At 19, as a stringer for UPI, he covered Richard Nixon and John F. Kennedy when they campaigned in Seattle during the 1960 presidential election. Although sports photography was his first love, his priorities changed at 21, especially after interviewing with LIFE picture editor Dick Pollard.

Originally based in New York City, Peterson was assigned to cover many of the top news and feature stories as a contract photographer for LIFE and SPORTS ILLUSTRATED Magazines. He specialized in personality profiles of America's most interesting people. He spent time with some of the most notable individuals of the 20th Century, capturing personal moments in the lives of leaders, creatives, and cultural icons.

A longtime Seattle resident, Peterson studied sociology and graduated from the University of Washington (UW) in 1978. While a student, he worked for The Daily, the student newspaper.

After Peterson moved to his hometown of Seattle he continued to cover stories for the TIME/LIFE organization. When the weekly LIFE ceased to publish in 1972, Peterson focused on the advertising market. In photographing people, Peterson demonstrates his LIFE-trained talent for gaining cooperation from those around him, resulting in relaxed, natural, pleasing poses from his subjects -- whether they are high fashion models, busy executives or sports heroes. In 1976 he also published a book, Seattle Discovered, considered by many to be a classic work on the image and mood of a city. Edgewalking On Pacific Rim, an intimate portrait of twelve Northwest writers, was published in 1994. Peterson also expanded his resume to include television commercial directing.

Peterson's clients included virtually every significant Northwest advertising agency, many national agencies such as Wieden & Kennedy, and international agencies such as Saatchi & Saatchi, Hokuhodo, Inc.,as well as many major corporations. He captured many of the images used on the NIKE posters, including the first "There Is No Finish Line," the dedicated runner's classic. Michael Jordan, David Robinson and Charles Barkley are among some of the sports stars featured on other NIKE posters by Peterson.

Sources: https://fosterwhite.com/collections/bob-peterson-1 ; https://www.thirdplacebooks.com/event/bob-peterson-conversation-tony-angell ; https://magazine.washington.edu/feature/people-person-photographer-bob-petersons-lens-has-seen-it-all/ ; http://photographyinterviews.blogspot.com/2012/09/bob-peterson-old-school-pro-there-is_7.html

Photographs, including prints, negatives, contact sheets, and slides, of current events and public figures from the career of a photojournalist and commercial photographer.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Access to portions of the collection is restricted. Contact University of Washington Libraries Special Collections for details. Analog and digital media is closed until evaluated.

Some material stored offsite; advance notice required for use.

Request at UW

To the extent that they own the copyright, the donor has transferred the copyright of the materials to the University of Washington; however, copyright in some items in this collection may be held by their respective creators. Users are responsible for researching copyright status before use.

Visual Materials Collections (University of Washington) Photographs Advertising and Marketing Journalism Sports and Recreation PH2023-002, Robert Peterson photographs, approximately 1950-2015 58.65 cubic feet 49 boxes, including 1 minidvd, 5 d2s, and 55 cds, and 1 oversized folder

Gift of Lynn C. Peterson, July 2023

Photographs, including prints, negatives, contact sheets, and slides, of current events and public figures from the career of a photojournalist and commercial photographer. Also includes related materials such as posters, postcards, newspaper clippings, magazines, monographs, brochures, manuals, miscellaneous publications, correspondence, menus, and other ephemera.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 1

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects, primarily letter A-E.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 2

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects, primarily letter A-O.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 3

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects, primarily letter A-O.

Mounted prints, prints, and publications undated PH2023-002 Box 4

Prints of Victor and Robert Rosellini; personal prints; mounted Seattle Discovered prints; a marked-up cover draft for Seattle Discovered with accompanying publisher materials.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 5

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects, primarily letter G-O.

Mounted prints and prints undated PH2023-002 Box 6

Assorted prints and mounted prints from show with note "For Ed McDevitt, from Bob Peterson" and black-and-white prints labeled "Old Seattle Sports."

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 7

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects, primarily letter L-R. Also includes copies of Sights of Seattle and black-and-white prints from the publication.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1950s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 8

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1960s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 9

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects, primarily letter P-W.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1970s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 10

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects, primarily letter P-Y.

Negatives, contact sheets, and prints undated PH2023-002 Box 11

Primarily negatives, corresponding to materials in Box 7, and also additional materials originally collected with materials in Boxes 10 and 11.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1 minidvd 1970s-1990s PH2023-002 Box 12

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects. Also includes an instructional booklet and MiniDVD for a digital camera.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and correspondence 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 13

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects. Also includes some correspondence between Peterson and clients.

Restricted

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, publications, and correspondence 1950s-1990s PH2023-002 Box 14

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects. Also includes correspondence between Peterson and clients.

Restricted

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1960s-1970s PH2023-002 Box 15

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects.

Publications, prints, mounted prints, contact sheets, and negatives 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 16

Mostly publications, including some of Peterson's work at LIFE magazine, and miscellaneous prints, contact sheets, and negatives.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications 1950s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 17

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects.

Restricted

Prints and posters undated PH2023-002 Box OS Folder 1

Mostly prints related to Guy Anderson that correspond to additional materials in Box 49. Also some posters of various subjects.

Negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications undated PH2023-002 Box 18

Negatives, contact sheets, and prints of various subjects. Also includes copies of Seattle Discovered with corresponding materials.

Restricted

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1970s-1990s PH2023-002 Box 19

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects, primarily letter S. Also includes prints, negatives, and contact sheets related to Seattle Discovered.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, correspondence, notes, and publications 1960s-2010s PH2023-002 Box 20

Continuation of Box 19 slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects, primarily letter S. Also includes miscellaneous commercial and personal materials.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, and publications undated PH2023-002 Box 21

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, and publications organized by U.S. state.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, and publications 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 22

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, and publications related to various subjects. Includes some continuation of U.S. state materials from Box 21.

Slides, CDs, and D2s 18 cds, 5 d2s 1970s-1990s PH2023-002 Box 23

Slides, 18 CDs, and 5 D2s related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, posters, drawings, and publications 1960s-1990s PH2023-002 Box 24

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and publications related to various subjects, primarily from the 1960s. Also includes some posters, and previously framed drawings and restaurant menus.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and CDs 30 cds 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 25

Continuation of Box 24 slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects, primarily from the 1960s. Also includes 30 CDs in a continuation of Box 24. Additionally includes miscellaneous prints and sides.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, CDs, correspondence, and ephemera 1 cd approximately 1990s PH2023-002 Box 26

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, correspondence and ephemera related to various subjects. Also includes 1 CD.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, correspondence, and publications undated PH2023-002 Box 27

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, correspondence, and publications related to various subjects, primarily letter S-Z. Also includes Peterson's slides and speech notes from a 2001 presentation to the American Society of Media Photographers.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, publications, and newspaper clippings undated PH2023-002 Box 28

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, publications, and newspaper clippings related to various subjects. Also includes continuation of both "Norm Dicks" and "Vicki, Nicky, Jeff" materials from Box 27. Mostly prints.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, correspondence, and ephemera 1980s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 29

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, correspondence, and ephemera related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and newspaper clippings 1970s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 30

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and newspaper clippings related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, brochures, correspondence, and publications 1990s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 31

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, brochures, correspondence, and publications related to various subjects, but primarily Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center and the Seattle Sounders.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, brochures, correspondence, and CDs 1 cd 1960s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 32

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, brochures, correspondence related to various subjects. Also includes 1 CD.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, notes, and CDs 5 cds 1990s-2000s PH2023-002 Box 33

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, and notes related to various subjects, primarily from the 1990s and 2000s. Also includes 5 CDs.

Restricted

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, clippings, and publications undated PH2023-002 Box 34

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, clippings, and publications related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints undated PH2023-002 Box 35

Mostly prints of various subjects.

Slides, negatives, and contact sheets undated PH2023-002 Box 36

Mostly slides of various subjects, but also includes slides, negatives, and contact sheets related to Peterson's work for LIFE magazine, subjects I-M.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1960s-1970s PH2023-002 Box 37

Mostly Slides, negatives, and contact sheets related to Peterson's work for LIFE magazine, subjects A-C. Also includes material related to the Seattle Supersonics.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1960s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 38

Slides, negatives, and contact sheets related to Peterson's work for LIFE magazine, subjects N-Z. Also includes continuation of Seattle Supersonics material from Box 37.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1960s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 39

Mostly miscellaneous negatives from the 1970s. Also includes continuation of Seattle Supersonics material from Boxes 37 and 38.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1960s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 40

Peterson's work for various magazines including SPORTS ILLUSTRATED and PEOPLE. Also includes continuation of negatives from Box 39.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints 1970s-1990s PH2023-002 Box 41

Mostly miscellaneous negatives from the 1980s. Also includes slides, negatives, contact sheets, and prints related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, publications, and correspondence 1960s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 42

Continuation of miscellaneous negatives from Box 41. Also includes slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, publications, and correspondence related to various subjects. Also includes Peterson's work for LIFE magazine, mostly contact sheets and negatives, subjects C.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets 1960s-1970s PH2023-002 Box 43

Slides, negatives, and contact sheets for both SPORTS ILLUSTRATED and LIFE, subjects D-H.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, publications, and correspondence 1960s-1980s PH2023-002 Box 44

Slides, negatives, and contact sheets for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED. Also includes miscellaneous material for PEOPLE magazine.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, postcards, menus, and correspondence 1960s-1970s PH2023-002 Box 45

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, postcards, menus, and correspondence related to the Rossellini family and their restaurants. Also includes slides, negatives, and contact sheets for SPORTS ILLUSTRATED and miscellaneous negatives from the 1960s.

Negatives and slides 1950s-1960s PH2023-002 Box 46

Mostly negatives related to various subjects.

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, brochures, and posters undated PH2023-002 Box 47

Slides, negatives, contact sheets, prints, brochures, and posters related to various subjects.

Restricted

Prints, publications, and posters undated PH2023-002 Box 48

Mostly prints related to various subjects, particularly sports advertising. Also includes prints, publications, and posters related to various subjects.

Prints, newspaper clippings, and publications undated PH2023-002 Box 49

Prints, newspaper clippings, and publications related to various subjects.

PH1685-002, Robert Peterson photographs of Pike Place Market, 1965-1986 0.2 cubic feet 1 box

Photographic prints (B/W) of Pike Place Market in 1965 and color slides of the same location in 1971. There is also one BA Campaign Headshot contact sheet from June, 1986.

Gift of Lynn C. Peterson, 2023-07-26. Additional materials donated 2024-01-29.

Robert Peterson photographs of Pike Place Market 0.21 cubic feet 1 box 1965-1986 PH1685-002 Box 1

Negatives, contact sheets, original negative sleeves, and black and white prints of Pike Place Market, taken in January, 1965, as well as a copy of the March 1965 issue of Seattle Magazine in which several of Peterson's Pike Place Market photographs were published. There are also color slides of the market, taken by Peterson around 1971. There is also one BA Campaign Headshot contact sheet from June, 1986.

A note written on the original box that housed the black and white prints reads "Normal contrast with cold light"