Frederick Reed Estabrook III was born May 31, 1944, in Dedham, Mass., the eldest child of Nancy Vogel Estabrook and Frederick Reed Estabrook Jr. A graduate of the Rhode Island School of Design (BFA) and School of the Art Institute of Chicago (MFA), he spent his entire professional career as a professor of photography, holding positions at the University of Illinois, University of Northern Iowa, Kansas City Art Institute, and San Jose State University. Reed had special skills both as a teacher and as an artist. He loved his students and was a mentor who touched and inspired many lives. Students commented on his passion, guidance, ability to instill confidence, and his approach to living creatively with a deep sense of curiosity. His primary medium was photography, but he incorporated many other media into his image making. He had a deep appreciation for architecture and was obsessed with color. His work has been shown in the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, the New York Museum of Modern Art, and numerous museums and galleries throughout the United States.

He is survived by his wife Gabriele Estabrook of Castro Valley, son August (Vienna) Estabrook of Castro Valley, step-daughter Stephanie (David) Flowers of Walnut Creek, and step-son Jeffrey (Sage) Flowers of Ventura. He had four grandchildren, Arlo, Nyla, Kora and Kian. He is also survived by his two sisters, Virginia Vogel Estabrook (Gigi) of Portland, Ore., and Leslie Bullivant Estabrook (Tara) of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho and by two former wives, Gwen Widmer of Kansas City, Mo., and Ann Ostheimer (Gen Choma) of San Francisco.