My View: Nevada City's Bob Lickter kept his focus until the very end

Photo by David McKay A rare sight: Bob Lickter without his cameras hanging from his neck and on the other side of the lens.

Bob could be sitting, standing, talking, walking and certainly watching when he made his move. With the grace of a dancer and the calm of a gunslinger, he would bring a camera to his face and fire away.

Editor's note: The Nevada City Advocate has included a tribute page to Bob in its April edition that includes several of Bob's photographs as well as this column. The free paper is available throughout the area or by calling 530-470-9088.

If Bob Lickter knew you for any length of time, chances are that he saw you through one of those large lenses that always seemed to be hanging from a neck that must have been as strong as a bull’s.

He could be sitting, standing, talking, walking and certainly watching when he made his move. With the grace of a dancer and the calm of a gunslinger, he would bring a camera to his face and fire away.

The entire episode might last two seconds.

I never knew how to respond to that easy motion, so I kept talking like nothing was happening or just stopped what I was doing and looked at the camera. Bob didn’t even have to say “cheese” to get me to try to grin. It would all just happen, like an out-of-body experience.

 In fact, I never questioned him when he went for the camera, which runs counter to my basic instincts.

But it was Bob. What could I do? Thank God he wasn’t a hit man or I wouldn’t have had time to gulp before I became instant blog material. Many of you know what I’m talking about. Bob was fast. Bob was accurate. Bob was focused.

His reputation as perhaps the most prolific photographer in this area’s history was well-established when he contacted the new publication in town, the Nevada City Advocate.

In a short telephone conversation, Bob told me about his experiences with the Nevada City Free Press, his love of photography, and the knowledge he had of the people and places of this area.

Bob went on to offer his services to the Advocate and after a brief negotiation, we had ourselves a top-notch photographer. I would soon learn that he had an unwavering work ethic, knew about everybody, and cared about all those people who wound up on the other side of the lens over the years.

The Nevada City Advocate first hit the streets on the week of July 4, 2009. The lead photograph was taken by Bob, who turned a simple swimming pool assignment into a piece of art.

Inspired by the shot of a diver, I wrote the headline “We’re taking the plunge” to announce our new venture. The Advocate would go on to proudly publish more than 140 of Bob’s photographs, which includes those used in a special tribute on page 13 of this edition.

Bob was willing to shoot any assignment. He didn’t need to be asked to cover Nevada City council meetings where I believe he got some of his best shots. You didn’t even have to ask if he was going to be at a major event. He also enjoyed going on day trips and taking photos, which he routinely shared with his many friends.

While our working relationship was about as smooth as one could hope for, there were times when Bob and I would lock horns. It wasn’t so much that we disagreed on the vision for the Nevada City Advocate as it was the timing. Bob was ready to roll. I am a bit more circumspect on the approach.

He also thought I could do a better job with technology and content management, a point I conceded every time we discussed it. He was always pushing in his own way to make me better. He enjoyed discussing local politics and knowing what was really going on around here.

After we would finish one of our many discussions, it was back to business. Bob was always on time for his assignments and within 24 hours would usually e-mail me a selection of photos to choose from. His vast photo archives were invaluable to this fledgling organization.

Like everyone, I was shocked when I heard that Bob had passed away in his sleep. I was surprised later when I read that he had just turned 68. Bob was busy to the end, including working in January as the chief photographer for SYRCL’s Wild & Scenic Environmental Film Festival, a job he held for several years.

Bob is one of those people we’re all going to miss. His presence has left an indelible mark on our lives. He will not be forgotten. He’s now part of our proud history.

Pat Butler is the editor and publisher of the Nevada City Advocate. He can be reached at pat@nevadacityadvocate.com. Past columns can be found in the opinion section of nevadacityadvocate.com.