Photo Finish

For 17 years Charlie Register has been the visual chronicler of all things Furman.

From darkroom to digital, from groundbreakings to grips-and-grins, he’s been there, recording for posterity landmark (and not so landmark) university events, activities, programs and productions.  And carrying it all off with good cheer, a keen eye and a knack for making people feel at ease.

In doing so, he has followed in a long tradition of talented Furman photographers that goes back many years and includes such names as Glenn Gould, Alan Whitman, Bill Henry, Blake Praytor and A. David Crosby.  While bringing a distinctive flair to Furman’s publications, these photographers built goodwill for the university through their award-winning work and collegial attitudes.

But none of them remained at Furman anywhere near as long as Charlie.

This spring, however, just when it seemed he had established permanent residence in his Montague Village office, Charlie announced that he was ready to enter a new phase in his life.   It’s time, he said, to kick back on his patio, take a little better care of himself, develop his personal photography business and, most importantly, determine his own schedule.

And spend more time with his wife, affectionately (and accurately) known as “The Lovely Miss Mona.”  An able photographer herself, Mona Register has contributed her share of shots to the Furman cause, including one Furman Magazine cover — Spring 1997, Furman Singers and the Boston Pops.

Oops.  We promised we wouldn’t mention that.  Sorry, Charlie.

This issue of Furman marks Charlie’s last as the official university photographer.  In appreciation for his years of service, and for the treasury of photos, both print and digital, he leaves behind, we offer the accompanying retrospective of photos from the Register catalogue.  Charlie selected most of the photographs himself, with input from his Marketing and Public Relations colleagues.

We realize we can’t do justice to such a lengthy career in 60 photos.  We simply offer a smattering of recent highlights.

Although Charlie will no longer be an office fixture, you’ll continue to see his handiwork in Furman fodder for some time to come.  For one, he lives just down the road, and he’s agreed to help us out in a pinch.  For another, he’s built a vast archive that Furman will be drawing from for many years.

We will miss his roof-rattling laugh, his philosophical discourses on life and living, and his remarkable ability to size up a situation and, in an instant, frame the perfect photograph.  Here’s to many more years of good shooting, Charlie.

— JIM STEWART

View a slideshow of Charlie Register photos