ARTIST BIOGRAPHY  


Richard A. Latoff   

PHOTOGRAPHER /AUTHOR /PRODUCER /PUBLISHER /INVENTOR /PILOT


Best known for his brilliantly colored and stunningly energetic images of Washington DC, Richard Latoff is probably the most well known photographer in the region. Over the last 35 years, 10’s of thousands of his prints have been purchased by visitors, organization and residents of nation’s capitol. These include original prints and a series of posters designed and published for the Smithsonian Institution and The National Parks Service.
Richard Latoff is a native Washingtonian. Born on Capitol Hill in 1949. He remembers the first camera of his life; The family Brownie Hawkeye, which “I was not allowed to touch under any circumstances”. The second was one of the first Polaroid model 95’s, purchased by his uncle; “ the two things I remember the most, the pictures developed in one minute and they smelt funny, like medicine”.
Turning serious about photography in 1975 Rick invested in a Minolta XG7 and sold numerous prints from the first roll he shot with it. “ I beat the living hell out of that XG7 and today its one great paperweight”  The CANON EOS 650 came along in 1987 and went with him on a European tour and the result was his first professional work, including an award winning team photograph of the 1988-1989 Austrian National Ice Hockey Champions, and in the USA, a contract to document the construction of the World Bank Headquarters in Washington, DC.
In 1989 he went completely NIKON and such firms as Abramson, Conway and Bell Atlantic began hiring Rick to shoot corporate projects. At this time Rick founded the company that developed and manufactured a portable 35mm film based Time-Lapse Camera System that Walt Disney, The GSA, The World Bank and The Gilbane Company, to mention a few, use to document major construction projects around the world.  “ It replaces a  $ 150,000 system with a $ 15,000 system that did a better job”.

Since upgrading to the Nikon F4 and later F5, Rick has produced several defining images of Washington, DC. He has never stopped learning about the Art of Photography. In recent years, he has continued to experiment with new techniques, equipment and materials. In addition to the finest camera equipment there has been a constant effort to purchase and maintain the finest quality, state of the art Epson Printers. These serve both internal and client needs.

Digital and Digital/Analog processes along with computer tools such as Photoshop  “ are simply new colors on the palette”. “ I approach photography more as a painter or as all painters, allowing the images or situation to dictate the technique, not attempting to force my will upon it. With this approach, I always present several styles in one show.”
With experience and recognized knowledge Rick has, in the last few years been asked to lecture and judge at several photographic clubs, universities and societies, including The IMF and World bank, Georgetown, George Washington and American Universities.  Add to this, credits ranging from national publications such as ENR, Civil Engineering and AW&ST to regional and local news and magazines. The total number of covers is in excess of 200.


Significant Projects/Clients include:

PAO DC Tailhook Association
PAO M-ASA
The Smithsonian Institution/ Photographer Garber
Volunteer Signature Theatre
The International Monetary Fund
AAMC Hq .Washington, DC
The Clark Construction Group, LLC
CVN 77 George H. W. Bush
USCG Hq. St. Elizabeth’s Campus - Clark
Warrior Transition Unit, Bethesda Medical Center – Whiting Turner
The Washington Monument, Restoration
Reagan National Airport - MWAA
Dulles International Airport - MWAA
The Gannett World Headquarters
Alexandria Federal Courthouse - GSA
Patent & Trademark Office - GSA
The World Bank Headquarters
FDA CDHR - Tompkins
White Oak Research Complex
Paris in Vegas - Perini
The Ronald Reagan International Trade Center - GSA
The FERC Building - Centex
The US Botanical Gardens
US SS Headquarters - GSA
ATF Headquarters - GSA
AVDL Memorial
401 M Street Waterfront - Clark
Orlando Magic Sports Complex
Pepsi Center, Denver, Co.
National Glossarial-Intelligence Agency
AOC
The GSA
Federal Hwy. Administration
DOT
Bass Pro Complex, Baltimore, Md.  
Chevy Chase Bank, Bethesda - Clark
Blessed JPII Center
Disney: Celebrations Resort
             All Star Resort
             Reedy Creek Sports Complex
             Cirque du Soleil Orlando, Fl.
             Marketplace Complex


Personalities:

Matt Damon
Brendon Frasier
Leslie Nielsen
Ernest Borgnine
Colin Powell
Gen. PX Kelley
Gen. John Herrling
Hillary Clinton
President Bill Clinton
Senator Robert Dole
C.J. Heater Heatley
Gen. Pete Pace
Nancy Reagan
Susan Ford
Linda Byrd Johnson
Rosalynn Carter
Senator Patrick Moynihan
VP Hubert Humphrey
Howard Baker
Henry Kissinger
Walter Hague
Edmund Muskie
Chuck Yeager
Tom Hanks
Kevin Costner
Mary McDonald
Graham Greene
Barbara Bush
Mayor Walter Washington
Mark Russell
Donald Rumsfeld
President George H W Bush
Dr. Frederick St Florian
Rep. Marcy Kaptur
Woody Harrelson
Kim Jade
Jill Mexic
Gary Sinise
       
Client List Available upon Request

In addition served for several years as a volunteer ‘behind the scene’ photographer for the Smithsonian at the Garber Facility in Silver Hill, MD. This work involved documenting the restoration of many vintage aircraft starting with circa 1906, WWI, WWII, Korea, The Cold War, Vietnam and our space program.

Graduate of the University of Maryland

Joined L’Eclat de Verre, Georgetown

Rick is a Glider and Motor Glider Pilot with an aerobatic rating. With over 500 hrs flight time Rick has developed an expertise in Air to Air Photography.

Recent project: The preservation of the Normandy Fir,”Abies alba”. A variety rare to the US, through the collection an propagation of seeds from the only example known to exist on the US East Coast.

2013 Guest speaker at Corporate and University Level.

2013 Artist Agent: Expanded the Consulting Business to include representing a number of local Painters and Photographers.

Judge for the IMF/World Bank International Photographic Competition.

2010 CVN 77 George H.W. Bush

2010 Third Place Coastal Art League International Photographic Contest

2009 The Public Affairs Officer for the Washington, DC Chapter of the Tail Hook Association.
        Tide World Record for Low Pass
       
2003 Recipient of the, International Freedom Award , for his years of volunteer efforts with the, Nyumbani Foundation.

1992 International Graphic Arts Competition Certificate of Merit

1994 US Presidential Design Award Nominee

1990 Pan Am International Photo Contest - Winner



Rick’s milestone ventures include:

Opening of the Latoff Gallery in Alexandria Virginia.

Documenting the construction of The National WWII Memorial. Producer of the documentary, The WWII Memorial: A Grateful Nation Remembers’ and co-authoring a companion book along with Douglas Brinkley and John Eisenhower Jr. for the Smithsonian and PBS. Photographed all of the Public Relations related images…ie CFA, Conferences and Coordinating the still photography for the Dedication and Donors Dinner. Travel to quarries, fabricating facilities and foundries within the US and Canada.

Conducting a series of seminars covering a broad range of industry topics including, how to publish a book, photographic
techniques - analog and digital, pitfalls of photo contests, preserving and protecting your copyright.

Maintaining Image Banks, Insuring the Chain of Custody,

Macro Photography / F64: The Art of Photographing Small Objects.. ie Coins, Stamps, Insects, Snow Flakes, Jewelry, and Smaller. Artificial vs Available Lighting - Studio vs Location. Color Correction via Photoshop.

Photographing several events for the federal government, commercial organizations and private individuals. Producing significant numbers of high quality prints. These include weddings in Ireland and Crete and travel throughout the North America, Europe, the Mediterranean, Mexico and the Caribbean.

Documented the 2006 dedication of the US Air Force Memorial in Arlington VA.
Captured the image of the B2 Bomber over the US Air Force Memorial that served Northrop Grumman and the US AF to celebrate the 60th Anniversary of the US Air Force.

Captured the 2008 image of the 911 Memorial at the Pentagon that served as a remembrance at its dedication.

Serving as Project Photographer for the American Veterans Disabled for Life Memorial being constructed on Capitol Hill, The Warrior Transition Unit at Bethesda Naval Hospital, The USCG HQ on the St’ Elizabeth’s campus in DC.

Creating True Panoramic images of client sites via Digital Stitching


Additional projects include photographing a number of classified and secret facilities for the US Govt.

DHS Clearance -  CCR and ORCA Approved.

In his spare time, has launched an improved version of his website,… Latoff.com and established a Facebook Site…. Richard A Latoff
His image bank includes tens of thousands of images. Only a small percentage are posted on the website and Facebook. ‘ There purpose is to serve as an electronic brochure ‘.  Interested clients normally contract Richard directly via email or telephone with their specific image requests and for assignments, both location and studio.

After years of collaborating on many books, in 2009 Richard published his first fully independent coffee table book, exclusively of his own images. He wrote it, designed the layout then added historical perspective to each photograph. Plus he lets you look into the creative process, including technical data on his shooting techniques, equipment, mediums and the use of photo-shop.  ‘Washington By Storm, Volume I’ represents the culmination of 35 years of shooting on location in the Washington DC area. It’s the first in a series and ‘ A Great Addition to your Travel Collection’. In 2011 after three printings and the introduction of the IPAD, Richard discontinued hardcopy and now offers the unabridged version on DVD and as an Ebook.

Driving all the commercial operations is the artistic endeavor. That is where the heart is. Rick’s legacy is his art. “This shall survive beyond all and give the future a look into the period when photography made its quantum leap from analog to digital. No time or change in the medium has had such a profound affect, and I am fortunate to be witness and in a position to preserve it for future eyes.”

I believe you will find that Rick’s work bridges the transition between the Analog and Digital worlds.

“The results being, the best of both and truly enduring. He has ‘The Eye’’.


Richard A. Latoff

Latoff.com             (website)
Richard A Latoff  (facebook)
703-578-3474 ( o )
703-850-2768 ( c )




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