09/03/2026
As I have mentioned in the past, I try not to get deeply personal on this Instagram. Yesterday, though, I was informed of the passing of Richard Baker. Richard was a photo center regular. An accomplished photographer and writer, he had lived 1,000 lives in his 79 years.
He was always quick with a grin and had the mischievous nature of boyhood, regardless of his age. He lived a fearless life. Some things, like being wounded twice in the Vietnam War, were thrust upon them.
Other things, like his brief time riding with the Gyspy Jokers (not as a member) and traveling to Russia to spend a month in a mine photographing the workers, were the elected things in life to make it interesting. And if you listened to his stories, life was interesting.
He wrote at least 3 books and was an accomplished jazz musician. We became friends over our love of Chet Baker.
He shot almost exclusively black-and-white photography. When I asked about this once, he explained to me that he was color blind, so color film was lost on him.
He was an avid mentor and teacher of photography and a veritable fountain of wisdom that only comes with time and experience.
Mostly, he was someone in my life personally who made me feel like the strange and unorthodox life I have lived really isn’t so strange or unorthodox at all, to some. And that surrounding yourself with those who love and understand you means you can be that quirky and unorthodox person for all of your days. For me, meeting someone like that and being able to call them a friend, that is a rare gift, and Richard was my friend, and I will miss him greatly.
Apropos of the universe, I ventured out late yesterday to shoot photos, as the sun had finally broken through some. I stumbled upon a circus, and I chuckled to myself because I could hear you saying Why not just run off with it for a while and see what life is like that way? If nothing else, you’ll have a great story to tell.
