Jim Richardson is a renowned National Geographic photographer and contributing editor for Traveler Magazine, for over 35 years, with more than 50 stories published in magazines globally. His assignments have taken him to extraordinary places—from volcanic peaks to Arctic landscapes, from cultural hubs to remote corners of the world. In addition to his color photography, Richardson has created an acclaimed body of black-and-white work documenting life in rural Kansas, including a 40-year photo essay of the town of Cuba, population 230, and his iconic 1979 project, High School USA.
Over his career, Richardson has received numerous honors, including Kansan of the Year, the “Photographer’s Photographer” award from National Geographic colleagues, and an honorary doctorate from Kansas State University for his contributions to cultural and environmental storytelling. He is also co-founder of Eyes On Earth, an educational initiative aimed at nurturing future environmental photographers.
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"Jim Richardson: Small-town Roots to Global Adventures (Part 2)"
Can a single photographer help feed 9 billion people? In the second and final part of our chat with National Geographic legend Jim Richardson, we follow his lens into the biggest stories of his career. We talk about the massive challenge of food and farming, the urgent crisis of water scarcity, and ...
"Jim Richardson: Small-town Roots to Global Adventures (Part 1)"
When a young farm kid from Kansas picks up a pawn-shop camera, you don’t immediately picture him becoming one of National Geographic’s most respected photographers. But that’s exactly what happened to Jim Richardson, whose career has now spanned more than 35 years, over 50 National Geographic and Tr...
