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Biography

Richard has been involved in photography for more than 20 years and operates from his studio and darkroom in the hilly countryside around Mansfield, Victoria, Australia. What began as a hobby has turned into a life long passion. Basically a self taught photographer his work has been influenced by many of the great photographers before him. His favourite being Brett Weston.

Over the years Richard has won numerous awards for his photography. The most recent was in 2003 winning the Landscape section of the Victorian Professional Photography Awards. Also in 2003 he was awarded an Arts Council grant by the Victorian State Government to study photography in the USA.

In 1995 Richard began The Art of Photography Photographic Workshops program teaching workshops at his studio and darkroom in Mansfield, around the State, Interstate as well as overseas in New Zealand and Nepal.

He is considered to be one of the finest darkroom Fine Art Black & White printers in the country and is also a regular speaker at photographic conventions where his talks are informative and entertaining.

Richard writes regular photography articles, combining philosophy and photographic technique, for Australian and international photography magazines. In 2002 he began an email newsletter with meanderings on photographic practice. Each year Richard produces a high quality black and white calendar based on Australia's High Country (see "Calendar" link) and is proposing a book on the same subject in the near future. He has exhibited locally and statewide for many years, produced a range of black and white postcards and has even had a stint working on major documentaries for television.



A Personal Statement on Photography

by Richard White

"Unfortunately photography is too common. For many it is difficult to take it seriously and to even consider that it could be used for artistic expression. The wide use of point and shoot cameras and the distorted advertising that implies that with the right camera you to can make images that will be up there with the masters only confirms in the minds of many that it is an easy exercise.

"When viewing an image or an exhibition of images the viewer must make the decision between seen or snap. If they choose seen, then they would have an appreciation of what the photographer is trying to convey or how he responds to certain lighting conditions or subject matter. The first hurdle though is accepting photography as an art form and the realisation that the photographer is expressing their feelings through the medium of photography.

"The wide use of post production with photography these days seems to have given way to the pre-visualization of imagery. Many photographs are taken with no intent, but more in hope that it can be fixed up later. The magic wand will create the magic masterpiece.

"Photography would be nothing without the input of the photographer. The film and the sensor would be useless unless we breath life into them. Without our commitment to the medium or our visual response to the subject then our images would be bland and no better than most snaps.

"With my own photography I am drawn to the beauty and the unusual in nature. When possible I try to convey my vision about what I see. It some ways it becomes a visual communication. I am endeavouring to express my feelings about the landscape and with some luck it may elicit an emotional response from the viewer".



Publications



Exhibitions

Images of the High Country,
1991		 Mingo's Gallery, Mansfield, Victoria
E D O Environment Exhibition,
1992 (Group Exhibit)		 Gallery 101 Collins St., Melbourne
E D O Environment Exhibition,
1993 (Group Exhibit)		 Bond Gallery, Melbourne
Colour in the High Country,
1993		 Courier Gallery, Mansfield, Victoria
High Country Images,
1994 (Group Exhibit)		 Easter Art Show, Mansfield, Victoria
Felix Australia, Victorian Images
1997 (Group Exhibit)		 She's Arty Gallery, Benalla , Victoria
The Parks Exhibition,
1999		 Shepparton Art Gallery, Victoria
Been There, Wish You Were Here,
2000		 Yering Station Gallery, Victoria
The Parks Exhibition,
2000		 Hamilton Art Gallery, Victoria
A Sense of Place,
2000 (Group Exhibit)		 Benalla Art Gallery, Victoria
The Parks Exhibition,
2001		 Horsham Art Gallery, Victoria
The Parks Exhibition,
2001		 Benalla Art Gallery, Victoria
Images of the High Country,
2003		 La Trobe University, Mt Buller
Images of the High Country,
2004		 Mt Buller Chalet
Light in the High Country,
2005		 Yering Station Gallery
Light in the High Country,
2006		 Redgum Gallery
Places I’ve Been,
2008		 Muse Gallery, Milawa

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