Publications, Exhibits and Clients
Publications
Vogue – Saving the Super Bloom April 2021
Fremontia – The Last Floral Blooms – Richard Dickey
Journal of the California Native Plant Society – The Last Floral Blooms (2.9Mb PDF) Winter 2009
California’s Fading Wildflowers – Richard Minnich
University of California Press Book Cover May 2008
Tejon-Tehachapi National Park Campaign
Center for Biological Diversity, Sierra Club and Natural Resources Defense Council
Brochure May 2007
Wildflower – Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center
Magazine Fall 2006
UCLA Magazine
Magazine April 2006
UCLA Today
January 2006
Human Flower Project
August 2005
Exhibits
Flowers of the Wind at The G2 Gallery – Theodore Payne Foundation Fundraiser
Gallery Exhibit 1, Gallery Exhibit 2, Gallery Exhibit 3
Frazier Park Public Library – Kern County
Permanent Exhibit Panorama Wildflower Murals
Wild Wood Gallery – Journeys
Beacon, NY – Group Exhibit, Jurists – Leonard Freed and Helen Wright
Los Angeles County Museum of Art – ARSG
Theodore Payne Foundation
Suzuki Camera and Gallery
Osaka Japan
Clients
University of California Press, Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center, Center for Biological Diversity, Theodore Payne Foundation, Kern County Library, California Native Plant Society/East Bay Chapter, Sierra Club/Condor Group, S.C. Anderson Inc, California Cactus Center, University of Texas Austin, Red Cross – Katrina Relief, UCLA Magazine, Art Source LA, Phoenix Memorial Hospital, Cedars Sinai Hospital, Colburn Sassaman, GLAAD Media Awards Auction
Award
Community Service Award of Honor – Gorman Wildflower Preserve UCLA
American Society of Landscape Architects Award – September 2006
About the Work
I began this body of work in the mid-1980s, photographing California landscapes with various Canon 35mm film cameras, working with a range of lenses and UV and polarizing filters. I shot primarily on transparency (slide) film — a demanding medium that teaches a photographer how to truly see light. There is little room for error in transparency film; exposure must be precise, and color must be earned rather than corrected later.
Over time, I developed a visual approach grounded in atmosphere — how the quality of air, seasonal moisture, and the direction of light determine how flowers and terrain render on film. The land reveals itself differently depending on those subtle variables.
I work with a Canon 5D Mark IV digital camera and Canon L-series lenses, alongside a Fuji GX617 panoramic film camera. The Fuji produces 2.25″ × 6.75″ film originals — a sweeping 3:1 horizontal format known for its immersive quality. This panoramic ratio closely resembles the natural human field of view, often described as the closest approximation to standing within the scene itself.
When printed at large scale, the format reveals extraordinary detail — sometimes hundreds or thousands of individual flowers visible within a single composition — creating an experience that is less about viewing a photograph and more about entering a landscape.
I am often asked, “Do places like this really exist?”
Yes — they do.
Because the images are presented through a modern digital workflow, some viewers assume the landscapes have been heavily manipulated. In reality, the photographs originate from original GX617cm and 35mm film transparencies. These slides remain the ultimate analog proof of their authenticity.
When the originals are placed on a light table and viewed through a magnifying loupe, the natural detail, color intensity, and depth recorded in the film often leave viewers stunned in awe.
Much of this archive is preserved on original film transparencies dating back decades. During capture, a polarizing filter was often used to reduce atmospheric haze and surface glare. This allows the film to record color and contrast with greater clarity and fidelity — often closer to reality than what the eye perceives under harsh sunlight.
Scanning & Archival Process
Film originals are digitized using professional-grade equipment, including a Nikon 4000 Coolscan, Flextight 949, and drum scanning when required. This ensures that the integrity, color depth, and fine detail of the original transparency are maintained at the highest possible resolution.
Printing
While studying at School of Art Institute of Chicago in late 70’s, Richard began printing in the darkroom, hand-burning and dodging black and whites prints along with Cibachromes. While that process instilled discipline and tonal sensitivity, advances in digital workflow now allow for exceptional archival reproduction.
Current print options include:
- Kodak metallic papers
- Fuji Crystal Archive paper
- Fine art giclée prints
- Select metal and acrylic presentations
- Archival wall murals – available on commission
- Rare Cibachrome test prints – limited availability
All prints are produced using archival materials and are rated for longevity under proper display conditions. For preservation, works should be kept out of direct sunlight and high humidity, and framing behind glass or acrylic is recommended.
Lighting also plays a crucial role in presentation. Thoughtful overhead illumination can significantly enhance depth, color, and dimensionality — not only for these works, but for any fine art displayed in a space.
Details of the Fuji GX617 Panoramic Camera
After high-resolution drum scanning, files intended for large-scale prints are carefully prepared using advanced interpolation techniques. This process is not simple enlargement, but a disciplined refinement that preserves edge acuity, tonal richness, and the structural integrity of the original 6×17 cm transparency. Owing to the expansive film area, mural-scale enlargements remain remarkably faithful to the source image. Prints exceeding ten feet in width maintain clarity and immersive depth, as evidenced in permanent installations at the Frazier Park Library.
All photographs displayed on this website represent over forty years of original work and are registered and copyrighted with the U.S. Library of Congress. Unauthorized use, reproduction, distribution, or copying of any image is strictly prohibited without prior written permission. All rights reserved.