BIOGRAPHY

Working under the name ryueikyo, taken from the Japanese text meaning "a mirror that stops shadows", Richard's view on the world has been described as 'a celebration of the instant' by the dearly departed Philip Jones Griffiths.
Working as a photojournalist and fine art photographer for the past eight years, Richard has been dedicated to documenting the social and political issues that define our times, as well as uncovering life through the lens as an extension of his travels. “I have been able to produce a unique style that blends traditional black and white photography with the gritty cutting edge of documentary. Producing a combination of extraordinary images that transform the ordinary unobserved World into delicate, captivating photographs that show how everyday events can be transformed into art."
In choosing his subject matter, the city streets and behind closed doors, he visits the unfamiliar territories that are located in every major city in the World, daring us to walk the streets we are told not to go down. “I decided many years ago that I wanted to travel; you could call it an inner voice, longing me to unmask the masquerade of the modern World." His images bring about a juxtaposition between photography, experience and the interaction with man’s hand built environment."
Born in Colchester, Britain’s oldest recorded town in 1976, he found an interest in art following in his Grand Father’s footsteps. After studying at the Institute for Art and Design he went on to Guildhall University, London. His first major project ‘The Passengers’, based on Walker Evans’ subway portraits taken in the 1930’s, observed the lives of ordinary people and the uniqueness of daily life, something that is now often neglected by the mainstream media. This project set the tone for future explorations and his interest in the World around us.
Having been awarded three Arts Council bursaries and twice given funding from Arts in Essex, Richard has been lucky to of been given the chance to fulfil and create many of my own projects. In 2009 his first book was published entitled ‘The Consequence of Her Guilt’. The book includes a short story by author D. E. Grocott and a foreword by Dr Jo Applin.
To accompany Richard’s editorial work he has built up a client list including UNHCR, Medicine Sans Frontier, Christianity Worldwide and Free Burma UK. He also has photographs in collections throughout the World including Arts Council England, British Council, English National Portrait Gallery and NDR Hamburg. His work has been published throughout the World and is also in several private collections.
Quotes
“A great man once told me, 'Don't draw onto the paper; draw into the paper.' In the tradition of all great documentary photographers' what ryueikyo does is the photographic equivalent of this. With surety and care he captures the intimate moments of life that make us human and responsive to the world around us without any cynicism, the mark of a great documentary photographer."
Laura Noble (The Art of Collecting Photography)
“ryueikyo’s photographs expose and capture time and space in what is an often over-looked world. Leaving it to the viewer to ask their own questions and draw their own conclusions."
Virginia Khure (London Independent photography)
“The impressive quality and subjects of ryueikyo’s photographs show a virtue, even heart-rending at times. His use of traditional methods of photography, show that he has an understanding of the camera as well as his subject matter."
Henry Rasmussen (Black & White Magazine USA)
“Richard's photographs capture those beautiful rare fragile moments. As well as being exquisite items in their own right, his images are powered by a cavernous desire not to record a moment but to show its immense timelessness. A moment, anywhere, in the most prosaic of locations is for one instant at the cutting edge of time and then lost, yet through the lens remains eternal. The effect is compelling, moving and beautiful."
Katherine Wood (Firstsite Gallery)
“Richard’s photo-documentaries encapsulate the intense situation and real life of those who have come before him, ready to be captured in the most intimate of moments".
Anna Roberts (Burma Campaign UK)