RIS Photography

My interest in photography began with my father's thirty year old Kodak 35mm camera (circa 1930's). I was probably more taken by the gadget value than anything else, but it did lead to an urge to try a modern (1967) Minolta 35mm SLR, funded by an after-school job in high school. With the advent of the Boeing 747, a friend and I spent many nights photographing the new jetliners at the new large terminals at New York's JFK Airport. The tarmac lights caught my interest and I have been trying to capture interesting night scenes ever since.
I graduated to Nikon (incredible deal found on a business trip to Tokyo). A few years later my interest began to wane, until I had to travel to Australia (thank goodness for those business trips)! I could not leave the camera home for this opportunity. The trip renewed my enthusiasm. I finally moved to digital when a D-SLR was available for under $1,000. I believe that going digital helped me improve as a photographer on a budget because, with no cost for film and processing, I have been able to keep shooting and learning.
My wife has inspired me to shoot flowers (especially sunflowers,) and scenes in sculpture gardens. And I've taken some shots of a few favorite sports (there are some interesting old NASCAR photos). I do still love those lights and colors, like neon lights, fireworks and hot air balloon glows, but as I learn and grow, I continue to expand my photographic interests. After years of dreaming about a classic car in the family, we acquired two Corvettes and joined a club, which have opened up a whole new world of friends and fun. And a whole new source of images.

Richard Stockman
RIS Photography
Buffalo Grove, IL