Characters and destinies in Richard Ozhar's photographs

It is difficult to find a photographer with more diverse interests than Richard Aujard. Boxers and racing drivers, Hollywood stars and models, Mongolian nomads and bikers fell into his lens. This is the whole Ozhar, because his life was as unpredictable and fascinating as his work. The photographer never tired of repeating that he was interested in "real people with a strong character", for whom he was ready to go to the end of the world.

Richard Ozhar was born in the French Basque country in 1965. Beautiful nature and colorful people surrounding the future photographer determined his choice. Richard became interested in drawing at school, and later in photography. After receiving the certificate, Ozhar goes to conquer Paris. At the age of 19, Vogue and Men's Vogue are already collaborating with a young promising photographer.

It was possible to sit in the capital, gain fame and connections, but Ozhar was not like that. Very soon he got bored with working with professional models and the photographer goes traveling. First of all, he visited Australia, where he became friends with members of the criminal biker group "Comanchero".

Cool guys on motorcycles not only accepted a Frenchman into their environment, but also allowed him to take pictures wherever and whenever he wanted. Most likely, Ozhar's passionate passion for motorcycles played a role. At the age of 16, he won the motocross championship in France and then chose two-wheeled vehicles for his travels.

Photos with the formidable "Comancheros" have become famous all over the world. Richard also became friends with the Hollywood actor Mickey Rourke on the basis of motorcycles. He invited the photographer to live in his house in Los Angeles and organized several meetings with biker gangs. In parallel, Ozhar filmed the life of modern Indians in the reservations of Wyoming, Dakota and Arizona.

Having traveled the USA, the photographer moved to Mexico. There he was again interested in Indians and local Charro cowboys. Working for the soul, Ozhar did not forget about his career.

He has worked with Jean-Paul Belmondo, Beatrice Dahl, Woody Allen, Monica Bellucci, Cameron Diaz, Asia Argento. A separate photobook of the master is dedicated to boxing. It contains unique pictures of Mike Tyson, Evander Holyfield and the Tiozzo brothers.

In 2009, Richard Ozhar's most famous book, The Land of Nomads, was published. It is dedicated to the inhabitants of Mongolia, whom the photographer met during a long journey through this mysterious country.

Residents of Ulaanbaatar, steppe herders, Buddhist monks and even homeless masters were interested in the character and fate of the hero, not his status and occupation.

Ozhar had a lot of interesting projects in his plans, for example, an album dedicated to biker girls. But the photographer died in 2021. He left behind a wonderful legacy of thousands of pictures, which are easy to recognize among others by the special atmosphere and characteristic characters.