Celebrity photographer Kevin A. Richards has over 20 years of experience that his grandfather taught him at the age of six. At 13, he actively started capturing photos of skylines, the outdoors, and lifestyle photography. In his 20s, Kevin’s friends would use his skyline photos for their screensavers on their computers, and it was then that he knew he had an eye for photography.
In 2008, Kevin started his company Kevin A. Richards Photography capturing headshots, portfolios, maternity photos, and family portraits, and also photos of mainstream entertainers like Jamie Foxx, Jennifer Hudson, and Bobby Brown.
Kevin started privately teaching amateur photographers in 2016 on how to capture the moment along with lighting and the basics of photography. The next year he created a photography program that focuses on capturing the feeling of photography. The class is more than just teaching how to capture a photo; it’s about how to feel what you are about to capture before you shoot.
We talk with Kevin about his journey through photography and his upcoming courses.
Boss XL Mag - How do you get started in photography?
Kevin A Richards - My grandad put a camera in my hand when I was six. He would teach me about shutter speed, aperture along with ISO which back in the days was called ASA with film. As I got older, my friends would steal some of my sunrise photos and have them as screen savers on their computers. I would go to their house and see my photos on their computers and bug out.
Boss XL Mag - Who are some of the influential people you worked with?
Kevin A Richards - I’ve captured photos of Whitney Houston and Bobbi Kristina. It was one of Whitney’s Houston’s last performances that she did on Good Morning America, and I was the only photographer there!! I’ve captured many celebrities Jamie Foxx, Diddy, Ciara, Fabulous along with the late Micheal K. Williams and others.
Boss XL Mag - Tell us about your photography classes?
Kevin A Richards - I’ve been teaching photography since 2017, I wrote a curriculum photography as therapy and I was able to teach at the D.O.E. (NY school systems) under my ex girlfriends company. Her company got the contracts for teaching students how to cook healthy meals and She added my company in to teach photography.
I also was able to teach through another program that provided my photography classes to mental health adults and senior citizens. Those classes were 8 to 10 weeks one or two days a week and those classes ended with a photo exhibit of the students work.
My current students start from 2nd graders to 80 years old. The greatest part is watching their faces when you place a professional camera in their hand and watching them get better every week. I teach how to be creative not just how to shoot in Manual.
You can check out Kevin's work and register for his classes at
IG: @kevinarichardsphotography
