My Story

Confessions of a Reformed Journalist

Welcome.

I’m Tod Richards, a photographer and digital artist based in Denver, Colorado.

I have been photographing the world around me for most of my life. Years ago, way back in the days of film, I began seriously pursuing photography as a newspaper journalist. For years, I chronicled the daily lives of my neighbors and documented the events of my community. It was fun and interesting, but I always felt that something was missing.

You see, as a photojournalist, one works under specific rules. The job is to record facts as they happen, and publish the results quickly. Under those rules, creativity is usually limited to composition and lighting. A photojournalist must present life as it is, rather than what it could be.

Don’t get me wrong, this style of photography can be very exciting and rewarding. After all, your work is published for millions of people to see every day. That sense of accomplishment is hard to come by. But in my heart, I always knew that I wanted more. I needed to push the boundary as an artist; to be creative, express drama and evoke emotion.

Sadly, over time, I lost interest in film photography. The reward simply didn’t match the effort. But as time passed, technology changed; enter digital photography. This new medium rekindled my passion. Film was slow and limiting, but digital is fast and liberating. It allows for experimentation, frees creativity, and opens new paths with so much more to offer than chronicling a moment.

Today, I consider myself an artist. Whether creating landscape, casual family portraits or product images, I always do so with a sense of artistic drama and creative flair. I hope my images, spark the imagination, portray a sense of what could be, and add a little flair to your life as well.