Today, we’d like to introduce you to Cory Richards. Cory was introduced to us by the brilliant and talented Eleonora Balducchi.
Hi Cory, we’re so thrilled to have you sharing your story with us today. Maybe we can kick things off by having you introduce yourself to our readers? We’d love to have you go into your story and how you got to where you are today.
I’ve worked in photography and film for 20 years, 12 of which for National Geographic Magazine. I also worked concurrently as a professional athlete focusing on Himalayan climbing. Since 2016, I’ve worked extensively in Mental Health Advocacy. I was disagnosed Bipolar 2 at 14 and have spent much of my life learning the nuances of the mind. Sharing what I have learned is important to me. I am one small hammer working to break down the wall. Most recently, I’ve written a book that bridges memoir and the brain and the stories we tell and how they guide us through life. Storytelling has always been my core passion and I wanted the art I put on my body to be reflective of my life, beliefs, values, stories, and reminders of all. In Ele, I found an artist keenly tuned into my ideas and aesthetic expression. In every way, she showed up and delivered.
Let’s talk about your work and career – what else should we know?
I’ve always worked to leverage unique circumstance and culture to illuminate the human family’s innate similarities. I’ve used the extraordinary to catch attention. By using our differences to capture an audience, art is capable of showing the ways we are all the same. That kind of work celebrates both differences and similarities at the same time, hopefully giving us a broader appreciation of others while bringing us all closer together in the process. Ultimately, my work has been about advocating for the overlooked, often using exploration and adventure as the mechanism and through-line. I work hard not to identify too strongly as any one thing. I’d rather have the flexibility of being a generalist more than a specialist. In that way, I can move between mediums and find the most appropriate for each story.
So, as we mentioned to our audience earlier, you were introduced to us by Eleonora Balducchi and we really admire them and what they’ve built. For folks who might not be as familiar, can you tell them a bit about your experience with Eleonora.
When I walked into my appointment, Ele had pages of notes. She had extensively researched my life and career, pulling articles and instagram posts and images spanning 20 years. I was immediately impressed and understood how much care she was putting in to our collaboration which fostered an immediate trust. Every piece of our collaboration has a direct tie to concepts and ideas that have moved me through life and Ele had identified many of them, mapping out a solid idea of what elements of my life are recurring and how to represent them visually without being too literal. I discovered her work from two angles: a studio where she worked previously as well as a friend who had work done by her. I loved her attention to detail and meticulous single needle work because it is reflective of my own exacting nature. She is a consumate perfectionist in the best way and dedicates more time to the process than I can really comprehend. She has a deeply creative and conceptual mind that helps connect the dots of a clients desire while representing her unique style as well. I literally can’t give her enough praise for the work we did together.
Website: www.coryrichards.com
Instagram: @coryrichards
Image Credits
All Images by Cory Richards copyright Cory Richards Photography
