When a young farm kid from Kansas picks up a pawn-shop camera, you don’t immediately picture him becoming one of National Geographic’s most respected photographers. But that’s exactly what happened to Jim Richardson, whose career has now spanned more than 35 years, over 50 National Geographic and Traveler magazine stories, on countless journeys across the globe.

In this first part of our two-part conversation, Jim takes us back to where it all began — to those early Kansas wheat fields, the small-town life that shaped his storytelling, and the moment when photography stopped being just a hobby and became a calling. From shooting local news in the seventies to landing his first National Geographic assignment, Jim’s journey is packed with grit, humor, and honest reflection.

We talk about how he stumbled into the magazine, the story that cemented his place there and what it was really like working during the golden era of National Geographic. Along the way, we share a few laughs over haggis, whiskey, and the odd surprises behind distillery doors in Scotland.

It’s an episode filled with nostalgia, insight, and plenty of warmth — the kind that comes only from a lifetime spent behind the camera.
And don’t go too far — next week, in Part 2, Jim and I continue our chat with stories from a few unforgettable moments from his travels around the world.