Obituary of Richard Steedman

Richard Steedman, 92, passed away on February 3rd, 2022 at Cypress on Hilton Head Island.

Born in Hartford, Connecticut on September 28th, 1929, Richard was the son of Edward Cantey Steedman and Esther Lindvall. Richard attended the RCA Institute of Electronic Technology from 1950-51, while working at a US Post Office to earn money for schooling expenses, and subsequently joined the US Air Force as a crew chief & later a maintenance control schedular. In 1955 he attended RIT, Rochester Institute of Technology and simultaneously started his first business called Cooper Steedman Photographic, Engineering for Product Development. In 1956 Richard got a Bachelor of Science degree in production management from NYU and in 1960 was hired by a newspaper in Puerto Rico in charge of their photo department. Following that he worked as the official photographer for Jamaica’s Tourism Board, charged with helping establish Jamaica as a major tourist attraction after its independence from Britain. Then in 1981, along with photo editor and partner Sally Lloyd and fellow photographers Barry O’Rourke and Luis Villota, they established The Stock Market Photo Agency.

The next 20 years were some of the best of his life, as he watched The Stock Market flourish into the largest independently owned stock photo agency in the world, comprised of a close community of photographers, colleagues and friends. At its apex, The Stock Market employed over 175 individuals at its corporate headquarters in New York City and owned four regional offices in Chicago, Houston, Los Angeles and Portland as well as international offices in London, Paris and Dusseldorf. In addition, the photography was licensed through 35 international affiliates throughout six continents. In September of 2000, the company was sold to Corbis, an agency owned by Bill Gates, and shortly thereafter Richard and Sally retired to Hilton Head Island.

When not abroad exploring and photographing this world that he found so wondrous, he could often be seen on the banks of the lagoon near his house - occasionally in full camouflage and toting his 800 millimeter lens - quietly photographing his beloved egrets. Richard was fascinated by the natural world, and he always hoped his photographs would inspire people to pay more attention to the richness and layers of life and encourage awareness and curiosity of the environment. Artist, entrepreneur, world traveler, philanthropist, loving husband, father and step-father, Richard was truly one of a kind and an inspiration to so many. In the words of one of his favorite singers, he did it all his way.

Richard is survived by his wife Sally Steedman, his daughter Alexandra, and step-son Andrei. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to Volunteers in Medicine Hilton Head Island, PO Box 23858, Hilton Head Island, SC 29925. Arrangements by The Island Funeral Home and Crematory