"It is hard for me to imagine (and even admit) that I have been exploring the art of photography for over three decades. Yet, here I am today, still mesmerized and astonished by photography, just like I was when I got my first 35mm camera at age fifteen. It is a love affair that has not only endured the test of time, but has grown to be an essential part of my total being.

As a photographer and filmmaker, I have always been intrigued by the fact that each and every person is a one-of-a-kind original - a never before created miracle. This simple, yet complex truth, "we are ALL original miracles" is the creative seed that flames my passion for photography and represents the connecting thread with all of my work. Over the years, I have photographed thousands upon thousands of people, across America and around the world, propelled by an infinite fascination and commitment as a photographic artist to capture the miracle of each person - the 'ones' on this planet of over 8 billion. No matter the walk of life, I am finding that after all of these many years, of tending to my relationship between me and this thing called a camera that I am driven more and more by the important and inspiring stories of each and every ‘one’. Stories that impact, empower and heal lives. Stories filled with raw, unfiltered truth that are interweaved with compassion, love, hope, wisdom and strength that punch people in the heart, creating change and understanding within our world.

So here I am, decades into this thing called photography and it is sacred to me - it is my lifeblood. However, I very often take a deep breath and smile, knowing that I am still that fifteen-year-old kid that fell in love with the camera. It is through the camera lens that I also fell in love with humanity, my heart on fire to wreck lives (in a really good way)."

BIOGRAPHY

Randy is an award winning American photographer with an extensive history in portrait, commercial and documentary photography, both motion and still. Randy has been featured in numerous print and broadcast coverage, as well as, have his artwork being featured in solo exhibitions across the United States and internationally, including multiple Art Museums. Randy is also co-founder and artist behind the photography and cinematography of the nonprofit, people empowering story movement, 7 Billion Ones.

Randy has pursued photography professionally since 1984 and is in high demand with a client base extending worldwide. He travels to destinations across the United States, as well as numerous countries for projects. At the core of Randy’s photography is the ability to present emotive visual stories with an underlying sense of narrative. His unique style reflects his unending artistic mission to capture the art of people by presenting their unique, special qualities in a real, authentic manner. For Randy, this simple, yet complex, truth, "you were born an original", is still the creative seed that inspires his artistry for photography and film.

Besides portraiture, Randy's work crossed into the motion picture arena. His film career exploded in 2011 with the release of his directorial and production debut, "The Last Days of Extraordinary Lives”. The movie garnered a significant amount of coverage and awards, including being broadcast on PBS. “The Last Days of Extraordinary Lives” ran the film festival circuit and accumulated an impressive fifteen film festival official selections and won fourteen awards, including Best Documentary, Best Picture and Best Director. Shortly thereafter, Randy released his second full-length documentary, "Man Up and Go" which received official selection to nine national/international film festivals. Both films are signed to Academy Award winning film company Earthworks Films, and are distributed nationally by Filmrise.

In 2015, Randy founded and launched the nonprofit humanitarian story movement, 7 Billion Ones (now 8 Billion Ones), which documents lives, shares stories, connects communities and empowers mankind. 7 Billion Ones is dedicated to using the art of photography, motion films, and narratives to present people's unique stories in an artful, honest and impactful manner.

Bacon states, "Ultimately, my photographic, humanitarian work is there to motivate us as humanity to engage in conversations (even difficult ones) and challenge us to do better for each other in these increasingly fragile and volatile times...to realize just how incredibly special and important, each 'one' is in this world of over eight billion people."

RANDY’S PUBLIC SPEAKING ENGAGEMENTS INCLUDE:

Springfield Museum of Art
Roche Laboratories European Conference - Vienna Austria
Photo Con - Oklahoma City
Photo Expo South - Little Rock
Norfolk Museum of Art
Hickory Museum of Art
Marietta Cobb Art Museum
417 Think Summit
Saybrook University Annual Conference - Monterey
Missouri State University
Drury University
Evangel University
Numerous high schools across Missouri
Convoy of Hope
A variety of businesses and other organizations.

RANDY’S SOLO EXHIBITIONS INCLUDE:

Hickory Museum of Art - “7 Billion Ones - A Randy Bacon Retrospective”
Springfield Art Museum - "The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of our Homeless Friends"
Marietta Cobb Museum of Art - "The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of our Homeless Friends"
Norfolk Art Museum - "The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of our Homeless Friends"
Leedy-Voulkos Art Center, Kansas City - "Just As I Am - Portraits of Down Syndrome"
Davis Art Gallery, Stephens College, Columbia, MO - "Art of Being ME - An Exhibit of Mental Health"
University of Missouri Kansas City Gallery of Art - "Art of Being ME - An Exhibit of Mental Health"
SE Center for Photography - "The Road I Call Home" as part of the exhibit "Abandoned"
Johnson County Arts Center - "Just As I Am - Portraits of Down Syndrome"
Missouri State University, Duane G. Meyer Library Center - "Words and Pictures-The Power of Literacy"
Pool Center of Art, Drury University - "Standing Together - Portraits and Stories of Domestic Abuse Survivors"
Springfield National Airport - "It Knows No Face - Portraits of Suicide Survivors"
Brick City Art Museum, Missouri State Univ. - "The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of the Homeless"
Bolt Gallery of Art, Fort Collins, Colorado - "It Knows No Face - Portraits and Stories of Suicide Survivors"
Pool Center of Art, Drury University -"The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of the Homeless"
PhotoCon Oklahoma City -"The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of our Homeless Friends"
Photo Expo Little Rock -"The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of our Homeless Friends"
Roche Pharmaceuticals Vienna, Austria and European Tour of "Sweet Life - Cancer's Unexpected Lessons"
Saybrook University, Monterey California - "The Road I Call Home - Portraits and Stories of our Homeless Friends"
Hulston Cancer Center - "Sweet Life - Cancers Unexpected Lessons"
Springfield National Airport - "Mending Hearts"
Mercy Hospital, Springfield - "Mending Hearts"