JJ Richards is a photographer whose creative journey has been shaped by a lifetime of travel, service, and a desire to share positivity through images.

Originally from New Zealand, JJ took an unconventional path after completing school. Rather than immediately attending university, he joined the army, where he spent 12 years in service. Following his military career, JJ joined the United Nations as a telecommunications technician and went on to spend 30 years working in peacekeeping operations around the world before retiring in 2020.

His career gave him the opportunity to travel to more than 65 countries, experiencing different cultures, communities, and landscapes along the way. Those experiences have helped shape the way he sees the world—and, ultimately, the way he approaches photography.

JJ was first introduced to photography by an uncle who taught him film photography in the 1970s. Although he stepped away from photography for many years, he eventually returned to it and rediscovered the joy of being behind the camera.

Today, photography is less about business for JJ and more about connection, relaxation, and exploration. He enjoys getting outside for photo walks, combining creativity with the simple pleasure of discovering something worth capturing.

In a world where negativity can often dominate the online conversation, JJ uses photography as a way to spread something different: positivity. Through his work, he hopes to share moments, perspectives, and images that encourage people to pause, look around, and find something good in the world.

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