Bio of Beaufort, South Carolina based architectural, hotel & resort photographer Steinberger
Richard’s love for photography is deeply rooted in his childhood. Although his father worked as a mining engineer in Eschweiler, Germany, he also created images of Europe’s most beautiful places, from the Italian Dolomites and Austrian Alps to the Italian Mediterranean coast.
The father’s passion became the son’s dream. At age 17, Richard decided the best way to become a professional photographer would be to move overseas and get a college education in America. He immigrated first to Huntington, West Virginia, where he attended his senior year of high school; after graduation, he moved to Florida and attended the Photography Institute at Daytona State College.
After college, Richard continued his education and further developed his craft with several acclaimed Florida-based photographers. He immersed himself in architectural, hospitality and marine photography and went on to form his own business in 2002. He operated Richard Steinberger Photography in Door County, Wisconsin, and Denver, Colorado, before relocating to Beaufort, South Carolina, in 2020.
In the last two decades, Richard has become one of the world’s top marine photographers. His clients include some of the most most iconic brands in recreational boating, including Sea Ray, Boston Whaler and Chris-Craft. He also has worked with prominent clients in architectural design, travel/tourism and hospitality.
When not working on national and international commercial projects, Richard spends his time working on film productions, most notably “Waniyetu Wowapi (Winter Count).” This documentary film — commissioned by the nonprofit Cheyenne River Youth Project on the South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Sioux Reservation — won a Social Impact Award at the 2022 Latino & Native American Film Festival in Stamford, Connecticut.
Richard lives in Beaufort with his wife, Heather, daughter, Johanna, and Great Pyrenees, Kaya. When not he’s busy telling stories, he can be found on his classic motor launch Mach Buffett, exploring the Lowcountry’s tidal rivers, salt marshes and sandbars.
Member of the American Society of Media Photographers