Richard Wood
GM.NZIPP II., BDes., BBS
Richard was born in 1979, in Hastings, New Zealand. In 1999 he graduated from UNITEC|EIT with a Bachelor of Business majoring in Marketing, and in 2003 graduated from Wellington's Massey University with a Bachelor of Design, majoring in Visual Communication Studies.
Richard works as an educator, mentor and judge for photographic industry professionals around the world. Richard is also head judge and an educator at the 'The Portrait Masters’ online platform.
Richard's career outside of a photographic educator is based in the corporate/advertising genre and specialised portraiture. Richard has also worked in other creative fields such as over seeing set design for the Festival Opera, Judging the New Zealand Edible Fashion Awards and giving creative/art direction to corporate advertising campaigns.
Richard is a Grand Master of the NZIPP (New Zealand Institute of Professional Photography) where he has also been awarded the title of 'New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year' four times. In 2020 Richard was also the Creative Grand Award Winner at WPPI in Las Vegas and the overall winner at the 2021 Asian Pacific Photography Awards. These accolades head the long list of titles and awards received from organisations and competitions around the world. Richard also co-owns an art gallery in New Zealand’s Art Deco city, Napier.
Awards
2021 NZIPP New Zealand PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
2021 NZIPP Open Portrait - Highest Scoring Print
2021 NZIPP Open Portrait Photographer of the Year
2021 NZIPP Expressive Photographer of the Year
2021 Awarded 'Master' at WPPI
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - GRAND AWARD | OVERALL WINNER
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - 1st Place Open Category
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - 2nd Place Open Category
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - 1st Place Portrait Category
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - 4th Place Portrait Category
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - 6th Place Portrait Category
2021 Asia Pacific Awards - 6th Place Wedding Category
2020 Awarded NZIPP Grand Master with 2 Bars
2020 NZIPP Grand Master of the Year
2020 NZIPP Open Portrait Category - Highest Scoring Print
2020 WPPI GRAND AWARD
2020 WPPI Illustrative 1st Place
2020 WPPI Contemporary Portrait 1st Place
2020 WPE International Photographers - Europe 3rd Place Award - Portrait
2020 Team New Zealand.
2019 World Photographic Cup. BEST OF NATION
2019 WPE International Photographers - Europe. 2nd Place Award
2019 WPE International Photographers - Europe 3rd Place Award
2019 NZIPP Open Portrait Photographer of Year
2019 NZIPP Illustrative Photographer of the Year
2019 NZIPP Highest Scoring Grand Master
2019 Team New Zealand.
2017 NZIPP NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
Bar to Grand Master of Photography (GMNZIPP x2)
2017 NZIPP Illustrative Photographer of the Year
2017 NZIPP Creative Portrait Photographer of the Year
2017 NZIPP Grand Master of the Year
2017 Team New Zealand.
2016 New Zealand Grand Master of the Year
2016 Finalist NZIPP New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year
2016 NZIPP Central Districts Professional Photographer of the Year
2015 Finalist NZIPP New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year
2014 NZIPP NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
2014 NZIPP New Zealand Illustrative Photographer of the Year
2014 Awarded title of Honorary Spider Fellow
2013 Awarded with the title of 'NZIPP Grand Master of Photography'
2013 Finalist NZIPP Professional Photographer of the Year
2012 International Colour Awards (Master's Cup) Portrait 2nd Place
2012 International Colour Awards (Master's Cup) Portrait 3rd Place
2012 NZIPP New Zealand Classic Portrait Photographer of the Year
2012 NZIPP New Zealand Illustrative Photographer of the Year
2012 NZIPP Highest Scoring Colour Print
2012 Finalist NZIPP New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year
2011 NZIPP NEW ZEALAND PROFESSIONAL PHOTOGRAPHER OF THE YEAR
2011 NZIPP New Zealand Creative Portrait Photographer of the Year
2011 International Colour Awards (Master's Cup) Portrait 2nd Place
2011 International Loupe Awards Portrait 3rd Place
2010 Finalist NZIPP New Zealand Professional Photographer of the Year
Numerous Kodak Gold Awards.
