eugene ritchards
eugene ritchardsA freelance photographer, writer and a teacher, Eugene Richards is a storyteller of the common people. Twice named U.S. magazine photographer of the year, he is often considered one of the world’s best documentary photographers for his hard hitting explorations of our society. Richards currently works with Time Life, national history and the New York Times and is the author of nine books including “below the line”, “American we” and “the knife and gun club”. All in which he uses a combination of photograph and elegantly written narrative to show an idiosyncratic portrait of the American people.
Richards focus is that of the ignored; a people that otherwise have been forgotten. It’s his compassion to his subjects and his commitment to them that surpasses the act of making a pretty picture. Spending days with his subjects in the slums of Harlem or the hardly developed mountains of West Virginia he immerses himself into the frequently bitter life of his next award-winning photo. Often including word for word text of testimonials recorded by junkies and destitute farmers, Richards is able to provide an unbiased portrayal. All he has done is to select and make us look at the faces of the ignored, opinions and reactions are left to be made by the viewer.
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