Gene Trama, esteemed photographic artist

He began experimenting with an air brush and anded up having a long and successful careeras a photographic artist and retoucher.

Hi emplooyment as a book designer at Curtis-Wright in Buffalo resulted in his being recommended to Eastman Kodak.

During his 15 years in the graphic arts departmentat Kodak, he devised and developed methods of retouching

color photographs. His skill and artistry eamed him a reputation as one of the most respected photo retouchers in the Nordeast.

"He was a true artist" fellow photographer, collegue, and friend Kathleen Campbell said. "He could take an image and rebuild it and reconstruct a photo".

He was invited as a guest at RIT, was commissioned to retouch a portrait of

former President Gerald Ford, and was the first to retouch Kodak Coloramas in Grand Central Station. Years later, when he was again asked to retouch the artwork, he didin't realize that he was to be the last one to work on the Coloramas, which were taken down soon after.

After Mr. Trama retired from Kodak, he operated his own business.

Never married, the modest and unassuming man was deeply loved and

respected by his sister and brother, and especially his nieces and nephews.

July 1, 1999

Gene "Goody" Trama, a higly successful and well-respected photographic artist, died June 8, 1999. He was 81.

Born in Rochester to immigrant parents, Mr. Trama graduated from Washington High Scool, and his parents sent him to Mechanics Institute (now Rochester Institute of Technology) to study art.