Richard’s interest in photography began at the age of five. His grandfather was a very gifted scenic photographer who gave Richard his first camera at five. His grandfather would take Richard on “camera runs” on Sunday afternoons and explain to Richard the aspects of recognizing and capturing images that stir the soul. His grandfather would take Richard into the darkroom and teach him how to develope the film and create prints. Richard learned the art of composition, light and dark, burning and dodging to highlight and hide areas of an image. They would review the prints, critique them for days and then reprint them the next time in the darkroom. This evaluation process was fundemental in Richard’s career as he transitioned into the world of social photography. Through this process of creating the perfect image, Richard realized that it was better to take the picture the way one wanted it to be viewed from the beginning then have to manipulate it later in the printing process. Those who have worked with Richard often note his attention to the smallest details when creating an image. The very core of Richard’s photography talents and beliefs were formed during these years spent with his grandfather. Richard is moved by water, texture, and nature in his scenic photography. He still loves black and white images and infinite tonal gradations from black, gray and white.