Rich Banick Photography

March 8, 2001 – 6:42 AM – Kennedy Space Center

Astronaut Paul Richards, a native of Dunmore, PA and a graduate of Dunmore High School, launched into space aboard the Space Shuttle Discovery on a mission that would last 12 days, 19 hours and 49 minutes.

I was there.

I brought five cameras, including two remote cameras set up to capture the launch. I went on my own time with my friend Bill. For some reason the newspaper had no interest in covering the launch, so I decided to go on my own time and expense.

A few weeks later, after he returned safely, the photos finally ran in the paper on a Scranton Times Focus page.

I don’t often say something is a once-in-a-lifetime experience. But this truly was. One of the highlights of my 40-year photography career.

🚀

Both the DHS Lady Bucks and boys team played in the District playoffs at the arena this week. In addition to my digital equipment, I photographed each game with a Hasselblad 500 CM with a 150 f4 lens on Instax square film. Camera is from 1991 and the lens possibly from the 70s. Equipment i used when I started my business. Lots of fun. Is good to slow down. .camera

A little Rich Banick history…What was I doing when I was 18 and 19 years old? I was taking photos! I had my first sports photo published in the RIT Reporter Magazine in Oct of 1988 when I was still a computer science major. (It’s the soccer photo). I switched my major to photography in 1989.

In May, it will be 40 years since I bought my first real camera. 🫣. So I guess I have been doing this for a while…..

I’ve taken millions and millions of photos with this eye… and finally it had its own portrait taken.

So if I’ve photographed you over the years — this is what was hiding behind the viewfinder. 👁️📸

January 2026 meetup of the at . Thank you everybody, I had a great time! And thank you for the opportunity to capture some great photos of our amazing models that night. Photographed on a Polaroid I2 and a Big Roid on iType Color frames and B&W film. I hope to attend another one of your events in the future and I hope all of your events are successful!!