"Rich's Scoring Machine"

If you are one of my photography friends, this will need no explanation.  If you aren't in the photography world, you've just met a really cool guy.  

Here's Rich's story...

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I owe so much to so many, but I feel that most of you probably know some of my story but not the how or the why I ended up where I am now.

Like most kids, I thought my dad didn’t know anything and didn’t understand me at all.

My dad worked in a factory for at least 20 years, leaving the house at 5:00 a.m. each day and getting home at 5:00 p.m.

As a teenager, I had no appreciation of his sacrifices to make a living for our family, but what it did make me realize was that I didn’t want to work in a factory for a living.

I made a contentious decision in high school to get good enough grades to go to college and have a career that wasn’t the life my dad had to lead.

I ended up moving about 700 miles from home to go to school in Ohio where the photography adventure began.

Skipping forward several years I’m having lunch with Mark Garber and I asked to question “So how do I become a PPA juror”.

I can still remember the first IPC panel I was on. It was in San Diego. I was on a panel with Michael Taylor and Buddy Stewert. Not positive but I think Bob Golding with the jury chair. I couldn’t have felt more out of place. Buddy proceeded to get me in trouble for talking. LOL

The best thing about that week was getting to work with all of the jurors that I had looked up to for years, and they went out of their way to make me feel like I belonged.

Ralph Romaguera even teamed up with me to teach the rookie how to record video critiques.

I guess the point of my little story is that if it weren’t for my dad's inspiration and all the friends who helped me out along the way, who knows where I would be?

I’m sure I wouldn’t be working at PPA (thanks Randy, Ralph, and David)

I wouldn’t have met my wife at the IPC judging. (She picked me up)

I wouldn’t have had the adventure of traveling the country with Bryan setting up District judging event.

I wouldn’t have met Duncan McNab who was a great guy and invented the first IPC judging boxes that you see in the portrait. It sits on a shelf in my office and reminds me of so many great people and places.

Thank you to all of my judging family. You have made my life a great one!

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