Jim Richey grew up in western Oklahoma where his interest in photography first blossomed in the high school photo club. After graduating from Northwestern Oklahoma State University in 1967 Jim joined Conoco and spent nearly thirty years with the company, retiring in 1996. In parallel with his Conoco career Jim did commercial illustration work, graphics design and photography. From 1975 until 2017 Jim edited and illustrated the Methods of Work column for Fine Woodworking Magazine.
In the years since his retirement Jim has expanded his lifelong interest in photography, now concentrating primarily on large-format black-and-white art images. He draws inspiration from the writings and works of photographic giants Ansel Adams, Edward Weston and Paul Strand and has studied with Joe Englander, George DeWolfe and the Santa Fe Photography Workshops.
Jim’s work has been exhibited at the ConocoPhillips Headquarters in Houston (1993), Oklahoma State Capital (1998, 2011), the Hubbard Museum of the West in New Mexico (2009, 2007, 2006, 2005) and numerous art shows in Oklahoma, Kansas and Colorado. His images have received top honors at the Mayfest Art Show in Tulsa (Photography winner, 2004), Riverfest Art Show in Wichita (Photography winner, 2009, 2006, 2005, 2004 and 2003) and the Paseo Art Show in Oklahoma City (Best of Show, 2006 and Best Two Dimensional Art, 2009 and 2011).
Jim and his wife, Melba, divide their time between their hometown of Alva, Oklahoma and South Fork, Colorado, where they own a rustic cabin. The majority of Jim's images are drawn from these two areas.
Jim uses traditional large format photographic equipment to capture the images on film. After development, the negatives are scanned, adjusted and printed digitally using archival inks. His photographic workflow takes the best from traditional film and modern digital technologies.