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Originally from the Chicago suburb of Elgin, Illinois, Rich Helmer's family headed west to Arizona just before his final high school years. Rich became instantly fascinated with the desert southwest. Its renowned grandeur and mysterious energy would profoundly influence his later work, as would the endless beaches of Mexico and Southern California. Rich's sonic creativity and his unorthodox approach to artistic ventures emerged early.

As a primarily self-taught guitarist and songwriter, Rich has never been one to live by a handbook. However, after devoting most of his life to music, he abandoned his true passion and sought a more "realistic" vocation. The decade-long diversion is something that Rich still occasionally laments, but he also knows that the past is just that - the past. Fortunately, Rich decided to dust off his vintage Telecaster and pursue his love of photography, leaving him with little time for regrets.

Rich dares us to consider what possibilities may lie along the less traveled path with humility and purpose. Whether provocative, soul-stirring, inspiring, disconcerting, or some combination of these, the overarching theme in Rich's work is that, for him, the lens is much more than a curved piece of glass; it is a vehicle through which viewers can experience worlds that might have otherwise remained hidden.

Follow his journey.