We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Rick Souders. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Rick below.

Rick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s jump to the end – what do you want to be remembered for?

I hope that my legacy will live in my creative food and beverage photography. I have shot for iconic brands all over the country. More importantly for anyone who knows me, has worked with me, friends and family, vendors, fellow humans, I wanted to be remembered as someone that has spent his entire career giving back. I believe your legacy in the people that you inspire and touch. It is not about what we take from this world but what we give back.

As an example, just last year during the pandemic, I gave away over $66,000 worth of photography services to help local food and beverage brands that need help and needed to pivot. We supplied them with photography for curbside pickup, delivery menu and to go menus as well as on store front decals. It feels good to lend a hand and use your platform for the better good.

Rick, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I am an honours graduate from the Art Center College of Design in Pasadena, California. It was there that I got heavily involved in the food, beverage and product industry. I was exposed to photography at a very young age as my mom worked for a portrait studio and hand-colored black and white portraits. “I grew up in the rural high plains near the Pawnee Grasslands. Growing up here allowed me to raise chickens, rabbits, and pheasants and have many pets. My passion for food and agriculture runs deep. I appreciate where our food comes from. I think this has played an important role in my love of food photography.

My unique creative and business background has allowed me to work at a Fortune 250 Beverage Company, one of the largest Advertising Agencies in the US, to owning one of America’s top food and beverage Studios. In all of these roles I was writing small business plans, helping conduct consumer research, managing client accounts and directing a lot of vendors, and of course delivering quality advertising photography. Basically I wore about 12 different hats. My photography has been seen at The International Photography Hall of Fame, Times Square in Manhattan and worldwide in food and beverage ad campaigns. My work has been featured in numerous magazines, social media and I have written two books.

My unique industry niche is that I have a degree in photography, I minored in Graphic Design and I studied Color Theory and Color Psychology. I then took that into corporate America, a large advertising agency and then to my own business. So I understand, the client’s role, the agency’s role and the creative vendor’s role.

My clients, vendors, fans and friends know me as being a consummate professional. I stand behind quality, customer service and being filled with gratitude and kindness. My career has been good to me so I spend a lot of time with philanthropy and giving back to my community. “It is more important to give than to take.”

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

This is an important topic. When I first wanted to be a photographer my mom was supportive and my dad thought I was nuts. People often think, oh here is a creative artistic type that will eventually have to go get a real job.

For me being an artist allowed me to find myself. I studied math and chemistry and wanted to become a chemical engineer. The more I learned, the less structured I wanted to be and explore the creative alternative. Being an artist has been a struggle and I won’t hide that fact. But in that struggle you get to make your own decisions; learn from your own mistakes and be proud of your successes. It is a journey that expanded my mind. It allowed me to travel all over the world. It gave me confidence to speak to large audiences. I started lecturing about photography, creativity, lighting and finding your own niche.

As my business became successful, I was able to start giving back and I am now involved with a lot of non profits that help and give back to our society. One of the most rewarding positions there is being the President of the Foothills Art Center in my hometown of Golden, Colorado.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

Reputation is an interesting term. In politics it doesn’t seem to mean much these days. In business it means often times being just nice enough to get the job done and take your clients money. In my personal life it means to do your best and be your best. I haven’t always liked all of my clients. But I can honestly say I have always tried to produce the best visual imagery possible and I’ve tried to be the best human that I can be. I think doing quality photography is the easy part. I think being a good human takes a lot of work and dedication.

I think that in life and business, when we get a good dose of humility and gratitude for what we have and where we are going, then and only then can we start to be a good human. I’d like to think that my combination of quality and creative visuals, combined with my passion to be a good human, is the core foundation of my reputation. The later part speaks much louder and more broadly than the first part.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.soudersstudios.com
• Instagram: https://www.soudersstudios.com
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/rick.souders.1
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ricksouders
• Twitter: https://twitter.com/SoudersStudios
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/souders-studios-golden