Crestview grad excels behind the camera

SCOTT TRUXELL/independent writer

CONVOY — They say a picture is worth a thousand words. If that’s the case, Wyatt Richardson of Convoy has said a lot during his 19 years on earth, and he has much more to say.

The recent Crestview High School and Vantage Career Center graduate has taken and shared countless pictures over the past several years. Many of them were shot at Crestview athletic events, along with some at other schools such as Lincolnview, Van Wert and Parkway. A number of those photos have been featured on the Sports page of the VW independent.

“My aunt (Lisa Adams) got me started in middle school after I took a class with her,” Richardson said. “The best thing I like about photography is making new friends and connections and capturing memories and moments for all my friends.”

If you’ve seen his work, it’s easy to see that Richardson has a knack for capturing the moment, the atmosphere and the emotion in his photographs. What makes it even more amazing is the fact he’s blind in one eye and legally blind in the other.

“I’m completely blind in my left eye and legally blind in my right eye,” Richardson explained. “It is challenging because I have to be on the lookout at all times because I only see what my camera sees so if something is happening on the side and not in front of me that is where some problems may occur with football and basketball, getting hit by a player or ball. So I try to be as safe as possible but you never know what will happen.”

Pick a local sport and Richardson, the son of Deb and Steve Richardson, has photographed it – football, cross country, volleyball, boys and girls basketball, baseball, softball and track and field.

“I would probably have to say basketball or softball are my favorites,” Richardson said. “Both basketball and softball are smaller areas. With basketball I can set up remotes cameras anyway I wanted to. I can use strobes to get different effects with my photos.”

“With softball, I love it just because the speed of the game is fast and there is some great action within a small field of play. In both sports you never know what is going to happen and what kinds of shots you will get.”

“Some of the biggest thrills so far has been definitely the state championship (boys basketball) run my junior year and some other ones are the Tincaps, NFL and MLB game I went to this last fall.”

The NFL game Richardson mentioned was a preseason game between the Cleveland Browns and the Washington Redskins and the Major League Baseball game featured the Cincinnati Reds and the Philadelphia Phillies.

Before suffering a foot injury last year, Richardson also kept busy running cross country and track for the Knights, something he excelled at.

“My favorite part about running was probably making new friends and just going out and being myself,” Richardson said. “Whenever I run that is the time I can just let everything go focus on the positive and what’s next. I definitely miss competing in races and practices for sure.”

“I actually started running again with my friend on May 20, so I hope to continue that and hopefully become healthy with my foot and be able to run whenever I want to.”

“I am just thankful for my coaches and teammates throughout the last four years. I missed five weeks or so of my sophomore year with an illness and over half of my senior season and just being able to come back and have a chance to run in tournament both years is special.”

“Any other coach would probably not have given the opportunities that both coach (Jeff) Bagley and coach (Randy) Grandstaff did so I am thankful for everything they did for me over the last four years and thankful for all the opportunities they gave me and life advice as well. I knew if I needed something they would always be willing to help. They are both Hall of Fame coaches and people so I am grateful to have been able to run for them.”

After studying Network Systems at Vantage, Richardson will leave for Western Kentucky University in Bowling Green, Kentucky, in mid-August. His camera is going with him and he has some lofty goals while there and afterward.

“I plan to study photojournalism and I do plan on taking pictures whenever I get the chance at WKU,” Richardson stated. “I plan to get in with their newspaper to capture all the sport moments I can.”

“I also plan to take pictures for a big newspaper like New York Times, Washington Post, Houston Chronicle or something like that to be their sport photographer. I also wouldn’t mind being a team photographer if I had the opportunity to become one for a professional team.”