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[ 17 ]Who’s Who in the KelbyOne Community: A Tribute to JR Maddox
It is with a very heavy heart that I’m writing this in place of the usual “Who’s Who in the KelbyOne
Community,” which normally features an interview with the member whose artwork is displayed on
the cover. On this particular occasion, we’re sadly paying tribute to the artist: The photographer
responsible for the awesome shot on the cover of this issue, JR Maddox.by his family and friends, as well as many of us in the
photography community.
For me, I’ll always cherish the memories of the hilarious
conversations I had with JR about the differences between
Americans and us Brits. Apparently, we “talk funny.”
(I don’t see it myself, but I’ll leave it to you to reach your
own conclusions.)
Together with Cathy Baitson, Peter Treadway, Mark
Heaps, Kaylee Greer, Sian Elizabeth, Mike Kubeisy, Dave
Clayton, and a whole load of other photographers, we
have made many great memories with JR, and the evi-
dence of those great times is sprawled across social media,
attesting to JR’s popularity among his peers. Everybody
always looked forward to seeing him at Photoshop World
and other events, and he always gave people his time,
without question.
It’s common in emotionally turbulent times for us as
human beings to seek something positive. The positive we
can take from JR’s sudden and unexpected passing from
this mortal world is a reminder that none of us really know
what’s just around the corner, so we should treat life as the
precious thing that it is.
The memory of JR is also a reminder that no matter what
we’re going through, there are some really amazing people
in the world who come to us as wonderful gifts, and it falls
to us to treat those people with the adoration and respect
they deserve.
Life is a funny thing. None of us really know what it’s
all about; we just seem to go along for the ride. I once
heard it expressed perfectly, and this seems like an appro-
priate time and place to share that wisdom: The meaning
of life is to give your life a meaning. JR was the perfect
example of that. nOn December 13, 2019, JR passed away. On that day, the
photography community lost a legend. JR put in a lot of
hard work to assert his position as one of the best and most
called-on real estate and portrait photographers in Simi
Valley, California. Using cutting-edge gear and revolution-
ary techniques, he was always at the top of his form during
his photography career, and his dedication to his craft made
JR accomplished and renowned.
As an active member of the KelbyOne community, and
the recipient of a coveted Photoshop World Guru Award
for some spectacular composite work, JR was loved by both
instructors and fellow members. He was an active member
of many groups and forums, and he was always engaged in
trying to help and encourage others.
At the time of his passing, JR was working on a steam-
punk-inspired project with his son, James. It’s a photo from
this series that adorns the front cover of this issue. I’ve seen
a lot of the photos and behind-the-scenes images from
this series, which absolutely looks amazing and accurately
represents the bond between the father and son.
James, in fact, made his own massive impact at a recent
Photoshop World and was a hit among attendees and
instructors, taking a particular liking to Kaylee Greer, which
was certainly reciprocated. I sincerely hope James continues
his passion for photography along with his mother and JR’s
wife, Karon, and I know that many of us here at KelbyOne
have pledged to support him in his development.
Everybody whose life has been touched by JR and
his inspiring and encouraging personality undoubtedly
has a wealth of stories of his enthusiasm, kindness, and
incredibly warm heart. I would love to have read an inter-
view with the man himself in this issue of Photoshop User
magazine, instead of writing this tribute. JR is sorely missedDAV EWILLIAMS