Richard's parents gave him a Kodak Brownie camera at age 6 – a camera which he still has… and still works – and Richard was hooked on photography. "I was born to the business. My father was a commercial photographer and I was helping in the dark room from the time I was six." Richard's parents gave him his first SLR when he entered high school in order for him to produce images for the school newspaper and the yearbook.

Richard attended Western Illinois University, and Northeastern Illinois University, where he graduated with a degree in Business Administration. Photography took a back seat to climbing the corporate ladder for Richard until his daughter was born in 1979. He again began portrait photography as a way of chronicling the early years of his daughter's early years. In 1981, photography again became Richard's central focus as he turned his passion for photography into a full-time career. In 1982, Richard opened Precious Moments Studio in Round Lake, Illinois. Richard transplanted himself, wife, and studio, to Southern California in 1986; eventually settling in Oxnard, where he continued to take on wedding and portrait work until 1991.

In 1998, while pursing his MBA at California Lutheran University, Richard started Coach Connection, an executive coaching and consulting firm in Southern California. In 2001, Richard began teaching Economics at Brooks Institute of Photography at the Montecito campus. His first class, held in an old wardrobe closet, wardrobe racks still in place, at the Montecito campus consisted of 12 students. Today, Richard teaches marketing and economics at Brooks Institute in both Santa Barbara and Ventura, as well as teaching economics and project management courses at ITT Technical Institute in Oxnard, California. He has appeared in several student film as well as working as crew on other projects; the most recent being Road Trip, which features a large number of his still images. Richard supports student projects any way he can, while consistently trying to identify and open opportunities for Brooks students.

In 2007, Richard started his second photography business - SunRidge Photo - incorporating Coach Connection as a service provision to help photographers better market themselves and achieve the level of success they aspire to. Picking up several commercial clients in the first year, combined with a network connection developed through Richard's involvement in Toastmasters International, resulted in Richard being commissioned to do the images for a specialty book about Palo Alto Hills Golf and Country Club. The book, featuring Richard's images was published and released to the Club members on November 15, 2008. More projects on the way!!

Whether coaching, teaching, or capturing the moment with his camera, Richard enjoys helping others find their value and live their dreams. His purpose for living… YOUR SUCCESS!

Richard and his wife, Nenen, make their home in Oxnard, CA.