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Tributes paid as former daily picture editor dies aged 63

Richard TaylorA former regional picture editor who was credited with mentoring young photographers on a number of daily titles has died aged 63.

Tributes have been paid to Richard Taylor, left, who led the picture desk at Brighton daily The Argus between 1997 and 2007.

Originally from Yorkshire, Richard had previously worked at the Scarborough News, when it was still a daily, and the Plymouth Herald.

When he left the Argus he worked on a casual basis for the Metro before returning to Brighton for a short period in November 2015.

In a message posted on Facebook, Richard’s son Andrew said: “Dad was loved universally and he was the soul of any party. His kindness was well-known and he always kept an eye out for the young snappers coming through at the Evening News in Scarborough, the Herald in Plymouth and The Argus in Brighton.

“I hope you will join me in remembering his fondness for Elvis Presley – a legend that dad can now sing his beloved rock’n’roll with in person.”

Award-winning former Argus chief photographer Simon Dack told the newspaper: “He was always on the side of the photographers and would stand up for them. He was very clued up on new technology and introduced the digital age to The Argus.

“Richard created a great camaraderie among photographers and we enjoyed a few parties together in various pubs around Brighton.”

Away from photography, Richard was a keen cricketer and played to a high level in Yorkshire when he was younger.

He later joined his local press team The Headliners, where he eventually became captain.

Aaron St Clair, the owner of US-based St Clair Images, began his career on The Argus.

He said: “It is with a heavy heart I say goodbye to a mentor, a friend and someone I have looked up to since he put me on the road to my career when I was 17-years-old.

“Richard you will be missed by many. I raise a glass to you and take warmth in knowing that you are singing Elvis Presley songs and laughing that infectious laugh of yours. I’ll miss you old friend.”

A funeral service for Richard is due to be held in Yorkshire later this month.

5 comments

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  • October 12, 2017 at 9:25 am
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    RIP Richard. Top man and top professional. Sixty three is no age. No age at all. Thoughts obviously with his family and his friends.
    There will be many who like me will have worked with him who will be very sad by this news.
    I never knew about his Elvis love.
    As soon as I saw his picture I thought… he loved James and I didn’t. That’s James the band. This was back in the days when he we both worked for the Evening Herald in Plymouth and I was responsible for the music page.
    I remember, and this would have been very early 90s, trying to convince him that James had become lame since all that Sit Down nonsense. Or actually, if memory serves me right, it was more the other way round. He loved them. And he was right, they were far better than I gave them credit for. Silly thing to remember, but it stuck in my mind how much he loved life as he saw it just didn’t give a f… about fads or trends.
    Very very sad to hear of his passing.

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  • October 12, 2017 at 10:08 am
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    A great fella and great photographer, fondly remembered by those of us who were on the Scarborough Evening News.

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  • October 12, 2017 at 10:31 am
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    A joy to work with as a reporter on the Argus when it was a good evening paper. So good at encouraging young people. Too nice a bloke to die so young. RIP

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  • October 12, 2017 at 12:05 pm
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    I sat opposite Richard for many of those years at the Argus and he was a news editor’s dream. He was a proper news man who always made sure you got what you needed, and somebody who made sure he enjoyed life to the full. RIP Richard.

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  • October 18, 2017 at 12:51 pm
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    This really is a shock.
    I worked with Richard at the Herald in Plymouth and we went on many assignments.
    He was a great colleague and a real character, both at work and on trips to local watering holes.
    He had a great attitude to life
    I’m sure there’ll be many who will have been saddened by this news

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