Joel Richardson was studying to become a dentist at the University of Maryland when he took his first job as a news photographer. The event, as the saying goes, changed his life. "I was working as a copy aid at night, and started working full-time days as a photographer for this small agency," recalls Richardson. "And I fell in love with it." Two years later, and after quitting school, he was hired as The Post's darkroom technician. Four years after that, at 31, he became a staff photographer covering local and international stories, including the White House and the invasion of Panama. Since 1992, he has been a full-time sports photographer. Richardson's photos have been recognized by the White House News Photographers and the NFL Hall of Fame.