A local photographer known for capturing Long Beach inhabitants with a kind and creative curiosity will be honored during CityHeART, Inc.\u2019s third annual HeART of the City Award on Friday, Jan. 25, the nonprofit announced.<\/p>\n
You’ve probably seen Richard Shimizu at any given event, from festivals to open mic nights to art shows, snapping away at the action with his Panasonic FS19. He posts his raw and unedited photos to social media for viewers to enjoy, offering a truly authentic look at local life.<\/p>\n
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The HeART of the City Award event celebrates the nonprofit organization\u2019s three years of \u201cwholeheARTedly loving our city and telling its stories.\u201d<\/p>\n
Shimizu, a longtime volunteer with the organization, was chosen to receive the award for his unrelenting support of local events. A Long Beach native who turned his awkwardness in crowds into a hobby of capturing cultural happenings on camera, Shimizu is a familiar face around town.<\/p>\n
However, it wasn\u2019t always so simple. He said in a 2017 interview<\/a> with the Long Beach Post that he used to feel a little embarrassed when photographing people.<\/p>\n \u201cYou know, a stranger taking your picture is always awkward, so I met some people in a band, they were very welcoming about my taking pictures,\u201d he said. \u201cAfter that it was like, \u2018Oh, okay,\u2019 it just went from there.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWe honestly couldn\u2019t come up with anyone more deserving of the award,\u201d CityHeART Executive Director Paige Pelonis said in a statement. \u201cWe had our annual meeting to plan out our list of potential honorees, and every single one of us suggested Richard. He\u2019s truly one of the best people in all of Long Beach.\u201d<\/p>\n Also scheduled for the event is a special keynote presentation from fellow photographer Matt Roberts, the creator of\u00a0Humans of Long Beach<\/a>, an increasingly popular Facebook Page highlighting the lives of Long Beach residents. Attendees can also expect live art, live music, games and refreshments.<\/p>\n ‘I want to speak to everyone’: The human behind Humans of Long Beach<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n