The Gisborne Herald, like its new NZME stablemates (Northern Advocate, Hawke’s Bay Today, Bay of Plenty Times, Rotorua Daily Post, Whanganui Chronicle), no longer employs photographers.
Instead, reporters are becoming multimedia journalists armed with a cell phone and due to undergo photography training.
Rick was in a similar situation when he applied for a job as trainee photographer at The Gisborne Herald.
He had absolutely no knowledge of photography.
The 16-year-old wasn’t a photography buff with his own cameras and a dark room at home.
He was a school leaver working at Gosford fish and chip shop with no idea of what he wanted to do.
Then-Herald photographer Alan Peake asked job applicants about the technology of the era, referring to terms such as ASA, ISO and shutter speed.
Rick told Peake the names meant nothing to him because he knew nothing about photography.
“I was surprised to get the job. Apparently, others he interviewed made things up and he thought ‘at least I can train him’.”
So began a 48-year career at the Herald in 1972.
Rick’s original photography stint was for just four years, followed by four years of travelling and living overseas.
Upon his return home, he worked in the Gisborne Herald advertising department for 10 years.
“But I kept my hand in doing feature photographs and all advertising photographs.
“I would help out upstairs [in editorial] when they were short-staffed, or people were away.
‘‘It was all black and white and you had to develop.”
Rick moved back to fulltime photography in 1991, leaving behind his Pirates cricket flannels and his Thistle football uniform (he is a life member of his beloved Thistle and the club).
But Friday afternoons remained sacrosanct for his other sporting love.
Rick can be found on most Friday afternoons on the Poverty Bay golf course.
He is also the “camp mother” of the “Sunday School” golf crew, having run it for many years.
Rick is an archetypal Kiwi bloke who loves his sport - in his case photographing it as well.
He has been a regular feature at Rugby Park, The Oval, Harry Barker Reserve, Childers Road Reserve, Victoria Domain/Gisborne Netball Centre and many other venues - a regular weekend sight walking up and down the sidelines/boundary with his camera on a mono-pod.
“I am sports-mad. I loved working on Saturdays and doing sport. I love sport, any sport.”
He ends a rich and experienced-filled career with many great memories - the simple ones among his most treasured.
“The thanks you used to get from organisations when you turned up to take their photo. People were rapt that you turned up to photograph their events. You know - like a kid’s first race at school as a 5-year-old. Mum and Dad are proud their kid is being photographed.
“There are parents who must have a room full of such photographs.”
He has had thousands of photo orders over the years and has personally filed and catalogued the massive collection of Herald negatives before photography went digital.
Rick has also photographed numerous famous sporting identities including future All Blacks.
“I photographed Jamison Gibson-Park from primary school level to the First XV. Now, he’s the best halfback in the world.”
Rick fondly remembers Kane Williamson scoring a century “nearly every day” at a Northern Districts Under-15 tournament played at Harry Barker Reserve.
In one match, batting with future New Zealand teammate Doug Bracewell, the pair put on a partnership of 300.
The pair together played in the test victory over Australia at Hobart in December 2011, with Bracewell taking 6-40 in Australia’s second innings.
An Australian newspaper rang Rick and asked to use a photo he had taken of Bracewell and Williamson from that ND U15 tournament.
Rick missed Cyclone Bola in 1988 as he was in Australia.
“But there have been so many other storms,” he said.
Only two weeks ago he was in flooded Wairoa.
He also remembers the Jody F Millennium log carrier running aground in 2002, and the 2007 Christmas earthquake.
Rick was at a work function when the quake struck at 8.55pm.
He did not hesitate to grab his camera for such a big story.
When he finally went home, he surprised some police officers as he went through their security area prohibiting public entry into the CBD. He had beaten the police to the damaged sites.
Rick has photographed every Gisborne mayor since Sir Harry Barker, nearly every New Zealand Prime Minister since Sir Robert Muldoon, the Queen in 1977 (when he was home on holiday from Australia) and a wide range of celebrities.
A brief Gisborne Herald obituary was planned when British balladeer Roger Whittaker died in 2023.
This reporter, who knew Whitaker had played in Gisborne (in 1973), asked Rick if any Gisborne Herald photograph of the visit existed.
Rick immediately replied that he remembered photographing Whittaker in the pool at the old Sandown Park Motor Hotel.
Alas, such local knowledge is now lost to the Gisborne Herald.
From now, Rick will be switching his focus to Poverty Bay’s Awapuni Links.
