It’s not hard to spot Bill Draper when he’s out. He’s that rare runner who almost always has a camera around his neck, his cell phone in his running belt and sometimes a telephoto lens and a collapsible monopod with him.
That’s because Draper does more than just exercise, sweat, and burn calories. His runs – he has completed 50 marathons, many in Richmond – are a means of capturing the beauty and ever-changing face of the James River Park system. Although he studied photography at Western Kentucky University, photography jobs were rare, so he moved into healthcare sales and marketing, a career he retired from in 2016.
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It turned out that retirement just left more time to run and take photos.
After all, he had so many amazing pictures of the river and the surrounding area that he took note of them when people suggested he write a book. The result is “A Photographic Journey Through the James River Park System”, a collection of impressive images by Draper. Since the first print was sold out before the books were delivered in December, Brandylane Publishers decided to print a second print this summer.
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Although photography and running have been Draper’s main hobbies for more than 50 years, the two passions only merged when he tried trail running in 2017. Invited by friends from the Sportsbackers Marathon Training Team to hike the trails along the north and south banks of the park, he discovered trails that offered him views in Richmond, and even less in downtown Richmond, that he never knew existed she gave.
“My running group ran the trails in spring, summer, autumn and winter, and we even wore headlamps on a snowy night,” he recalls. “Seeing the park at different times of the year and at different times of the day from morning to evening inspired me to take my camera with me for my runs.”
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A sweeping view of the city, a colorful sunset, or a glimpse of the park’s wildlife meant his camera came out. When he started posting the photos on his Facebook page, friends, as well as some local media and television stations, became aware of it.
Draper enjoyed the challenge of capturing the park’s beauty as the seasons progressed, making particular use of the spectacular light at sunrise and sunset.
“I found it rewarding to explore and find new vantage points off the beaten path,” he explains. “But I was also inspired to capture the more iconic places like Potterfield Bridge and Belle Isle, which are easily accessible to everyone in the community, even in a wheelchair.”
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His photographs also show the abundance of natural life along the river, showing coyotes, deer, and wild turkeys, as well as ospreys, blue herons, and bald eagles. Draper is thrilled to see the rise in wildlife as many of the species that were missing in his youth have now returned to the James. “I never saw a bald eagle growing up,” he says.
Growing up near Riverside Drive in Stratford Hills, Draper has had a lifelong relationship with the river and its surroundings, including swimming, canoeing and river fishing. But he recalls that community access to the James River was limited at the time.
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“There have been so many wonderful improvements over the years, but I think we can keep improving the park and creating awareness that this gem exists in the middle of downtown Richmond,” he says. “Much of this is already in the works with the 10-year master plan drawn up by the city and supported by Friends of the James River Park.”
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After experiencing so much fulfillment from running and photographing the park, it was only natural for Draper to donate the proceeds of his book to the Friends of James River Park. The first edition of a thousand books sold out in December and the second edition is now available online on the group’s website and at several Richmond retailers including REI, the Quirk Hotel gift shop, Tweed, Lucky Road Run Shop and the Outpost in Westover Hills, the Jefferson Hotel gift shop and the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts gift shop.
For Draper, it is the vastness of this unique location within the Richmond city limits that sets us apart from other cities.
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“The James River is such a significant part of Richmond’s history and also a playground for Richmond residents and tourists,” he says. “Every day you can watch people hiking, running, biking, fishing, kayaking, paddle boarding, canoeing, white water rafting, rock climbing, bird watching, listening to music, painting works of art, relaxing or reading a book. The list is limitless! ”
Draper is living proof that an early introduction to the James River can instill a lifetime of appreciation for him. “I just grew up with the James River,” he says. “The book has turned into something unexpected. I had no idea that it would take off like that. ”
“A Photographic Journey through the James River Park System” is available at jamesriverpark.org and from various retailers.