Ray Manley

Who was Ray Manley?

Ray Manley was an American photographer whose photographs of Arizona painted a picture-postcard view of the state that helped increase tourism and migration to Arizona.

Manley took an early interest in photography as a Boy Scout, capturing images of the red stone formations of Verde Valley. He attended Arizona State College at Flagstaff. In 1942, he enlisted in the Navy. After his discharge, he moved to Tucson, where he went to work for Western Ways Photography. One of his first jobs as a commercial photographer was Photographing Dr. Lytle S. Adams' Pellet Seeding Operations on the Hopi, Papago and Navajo Reservations in 1944-1949. He made hundreds of photos for the purpose of promoting and advertising Dr. Adams' Invention. During this time Dr. Adams and Ray became good friends. in 1963 the Adam East Museum in Moses Lake, Washington asked Dr. for a portrait of him as Dr. Adams built the Museum. Ray volunteered to make the portrait for free in thanks for all that Dr. Adams did for him at the start of his career. The Portrait hung in the Adam East Museum until it was moved and now hangs in the new Adam East Museum.