See you in the future

Wow. What a year it has been. It is crazy to think that we are only a few days away from not only a new year but the start of a new decade. Crazy. My year has had its fair share of ups and downs. But overall I really can’t complain. It was definitely a year of growth mentally, spiritually and physically. It was also my first year as a freelancer full time.

The success that I experience is in larger part to the clients I got to work with. It truly was a privilege to collaborate with all of you during the course of the year. Thank you for putting trust in me and allowing me to work with you. I am truly honored.

I am looking forward to connecting with you in the new year and learning about the projects that you are involved in and opportunities where we will be able to collaborate.

I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

See you in the future!

-RJL

Creatives Night Out

As creative professionals it is far too easy to get consumed by the work that we are involved with. In this process we tend to cut ourselves off from society and continue to press on until our work is perfect. I’ve been there and I know that you have too.

One of the biggest things that I have learned about recently has been about self-care. This has definitely been an area where I have struggled in the past and it is something that I have been trying to work on. In doing so, I have seen a big improvement in the work that I am involved with.

A big part of that has been actively participating in community. Recently I made an edit promoting the Seattle Creative League’s holiday party. Ultimately, I felt like this was a fantastic opportunity to use the skills that I have gained to create a short video that gets people excited about the event.

I can’t wait to go to the event next week and learn about how others are trying to be creative.

Green Lake fall vibes

One of my favorite things about being a photographer is trying new things, working with different models and pushing my work. A few weeks ago, I was able to work with Jenna Johnson. I’ve been following her on Instagram and I have been a huge fan of the work that she has been involved with over the past year.

A few weeks ago I got the opportunity to do a shoot with her at Green Lake in Seattle. The goal of the shoot was to do a fall fashion shoot and capture the amazing fall colors that we found in the Green Lake neighborhood here in Seattle. It was also a chance to test and push my lighting. Over the past few months I have been trying to learn more about working with studio and strobes. I have been using a Aputure Lightdome II a lot recently but I really wanted to see how different modifiers would ultimately shape the light. I ended up renting a 60” Westcott Umbrella and my Lightdome for this shoot .

Ultimately, I feel that this shoot was a huge success. I ams super thrilled with how the images turned out and I feel like the combination of the lighting, the location and the styling really helped push these images to a new place.

Big thanks to Jenna for helping me bring these images to life. I couldn’t do this without you. I’m looking forward to working with you again soon.

-RJL

Thinking about the future...

Last night after work I hopped in my car and drove over the mountains to my hometown of Wenatchee, WA. Last spring I bought a pair of skis and I need to get bindings mounted to them. This may seem like an insignificant thing and something that is not worth blogging about but it caused me to stop and reflect on things. Today is November 9th 2019 and in less than two months we will be another new year and a new decade. This is crazy to think about when you slow down and think about things for a moment.

I graduated from college a decade ago and graduate school almost seven years ago. Over these past several years I have experienced a lot of things that have shaped my outlook on how I see the world, the work that I am involved with and the work that I hope to be involved with in the future. It has also been helpful to get back to my hometown for a few days and escape the noise of Seattle. The drive over the mountains last night and being home today has given me a chance to think about the things I want to accomplish going forward.

While getting coffee this morning I spent a few minutes writing in my notebook and reflecting on my goals and the work that I hope to accomplish:

I am a photographer, filmmaker and content creator who strives to create work for brands that believe in telling powerful and engaging stories. I believe that photos and videos paired with the right strategy have the ability to strengthen brand messaging on all platforms and turn followers into diehard fans while shaping the brand ethos, voice and culture.

Over the past decade I have worn a number of different hats. I got a masters degree in advertising and art direction but I am now working as a video editor. Video has always been a passion of mine but in the past year and a half I have become increasing interested in my ability to create powerful still images that have the ability to stand on their own without the use music, fancy editing or technology to give it merit. In many ways I am going back to my creative and art direction roots.

I have no intention on giving up my video capabilities. This will always be something that I am involved with in some capacity. However, I believe that I am capable of doing so much more than just being an editor that is assembling a story. I believe that I am capable of telling more enriching and engaging stories that have the ability to be broader than just a video or a photo project.

There is less than two months left in 2019. The start of a new decade is almost here. Now is the time to think about our goals for the future and start to devise a plan to accomplish them. Big goals take time and require space to think about. Now is the time to think about our plan for the new year and new decade. If you wait until New Year’s Eve you are setting yourself up for failure.

The future is yours if you want it. The question is do you have the plan that will help turn your dreams into a reality? Now is the time to put together your plan of attack.

-RJL

Dapper AF 2019

I don’t get dressed up very often. Most of the time I am typically wearing jeans, a flannel shirt and a pair of skate shoes. It is rare to see me wear khakis. It is even rarer to see me wearing a suit and tie.

A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to shoot the Young Professionals of Seattle/Seattle Gents Dapper AF event. It was a great opportunity to run around with a camera and take a bunch of photos while rocking my suit that I rarely get to wear. It was also a fantastic chance to connect with a bunch of new people.

The biggest takeaway that I had was my shift towards men’s fashion. For the longest time I have had the perception that menswear was stuffy and formal and that it had to be very generic for business and corporate environments. However, what I soon realized was that menswear is just another opportunity to show one’s sense of style and outlook on the world. After attending the event I know that I will look at mens fashion differently.

Big thanks to Jamie of Young Professionals of Seattle for allowing me to run around like a wild man and take a bunch of pictures. I had a blast and I am looking forward to next year’s event.

-RJL

Formula Drift

Will work for free. Terms and conditions apply.

There is something extremely special about the ability to freeze a moment in time and capture it forever. For a long time I lost sight of the power of photography and the impact that it can have on our lives. However, working at CreativeLive was an incredible opportunity to rediscover why I love photography. It also motivated me to pickup my camera again and start shooting.

Over the past year I have been building my photo portfolio. This has meant doing a LOT of free/test shoots to hone my craft and become a better photographer. I don’t mind working for free when starting out because I had to do the same thing when I created my video reel. The same mentality is now being applied to photography portfolio.

However, there is a catch. While I am happy to work for free on projects that I believe in and ones that will build my photography portfolio; I am not happy about the idea of being taken advantage of.

Shortly after graduating from college I did a project for a local winery. Their manager promised me the opportunity to create some work that I could add to my portfolio and showcase what I was capable of making as a filmmaker. This soon became the project from hell with countless changes.

This experience and several others have changed how I approach pro bono projects. It taught me that I need to do a better job of protecting myself from being taken advantage of. A few months ago I attended a workshop on pricing. Towards the end of the workshop we were shown a contract for pro bono projects. I have never thought about using a contract for pro bono work, but after reading this contract I knew it was something that I wanted to use in my work.

1. Portfolio Quality: Richard does this work for two specific reasons: A) to help you out because he believes in what you do; B) to create work for his portfolio.

2. Concepting Meeting: You will take Richard out for a nice meal or drink while we discuss the creative direction for your shoot.

3. Fee: Richard doesn’t charge a monetary fee to do this work (see 1); The fee he does charge is a bottle of nice whiskey, payable on the day of photography, or on delivery of final images.

4. Crew: Our crew gets paid, this is non-negotiable: the rates are variable, and we do our best to negotiate a fee that is fair to them, and budget conscious for you. You will pay them directly, in cash, on day of shoot.

5. The Day Of: It’s good to note that even if you’re coming in to shoot for a couple of hours, Richard and his crew probably have been there all day getting things dialed in, or packing to go on location. They have been working hard on your behalf. Once the shoot is over, sets need be struck, vans need to be packed—their day isn’t over yet.

6. Styling: We insist you use professional hair and/or makeup stylists. They are so worth it—ask your friends who’ve worked with us. Depending on the job and the number of people, a lot of product (makeup, fake scars, hairspray, etc.) can get used, so a kit fee may be charged in order to pay for this product. You will pay this person on the day of the shoot, in cash.

7. Food: Please be prepared to provide a substantial meal, and snacks. Richard went to grad school on the East Coast and if pizza is your thing, make sure you bring a quality pie.

8. Editing & Retouching: Making picks takes time, especially on larger shoots. You will not be walking away with a final image on the day of the shoot. Richard does basic retouching to make you look good. This takes time to do correctly. This is also why he doesn’t just give your everything that gets shot. He gives you only the best.

9. Deadlines: We need to know these! If you know what day your show opens, you know what day you want to start promoting, and you know when your designer is going to deliver your final poster, and you know when your designer is going to want to start working on that poster, so now you know when Richard needs to deliver a final image by.

10. Design: We love to see the work out in the world — it could be an actual printed poster or a blast on Instagram. We also love to see the final product in our poster gallery. We highly suggest working with a good designer. If you don’t have one, we do know a bunch of really great designers.

11. Final Poster Art: You will provide final pdfs of all poster art execution to my studio for use in our promotional channels.

12. Credit: All poster art will have a credit line that reads photo by Richard Lutz - www.richardlutz.com

13. Social Media: All social media posting must follow these guidelines:
13.1. do not alter the images in any way
13.2. do not crop
13.3. do not remove watermarks
13.4. do not use or add filters
13.5. always use #richardlutz in your captions
13.6. always tag the image properly
13.7. @richardlutz Instagram
13.8. @richardlutzcontentcreative Facebook
13.9. @richard_lutz Twitter

Dick Lutz: Growing a Legacy

There have been so many occasions where I have taken Father’s Day for granted and it felt like just another family gathering. This last one was different though. On Monday June 17th 2019, my Grandpa, Richard Leon Lutz passed away surrounded by his family. He was 93 years old. He died a day after Father’s Day.

My Grandpa was one of the hardest working men I have ever met. During much of my life he was running an orchard just outside of Chelan, WA. From a very early age I witnessed what hard work means. At his age, most people would rather travel and play golf instead of working. However, he was getting up before dawn to head out to the orchard to work and would finish as the sun began to set. This has left a huge impression on my life.

“Farming, you do it because you love it. Not because you’re going to get rich at it.”

He also taught me the meaning of living a life of integrity. If he said he was going to do something he would find a way to exceed your expectations. When I was a kid my Dad would tell me a story about when my Grandpa worked for Van Doren Sales and how fruit packers would call my Grandpa if they were having a problem with their apple or cherry lines. Every time he would go into a packing facility he would have the different machines running better than before they broke initially. Now that I am older this is something that I try and achieve with every project that I am involved in.

The final thing that he taught me was the meaning of being a family man. He and my Grandma never missed one of my school band performances as a kid. I could also always count on him being at every family gathering or birthday. He was often pretty quiet at many of these events, but when he spoke his deep voice commanded the room and everyone listened.

I miss him so much. He taught me so much about what it is to be a man and live a life that impacts others.

RIP Grandpa. I love you and I hope I continue to make you proud.

Love,
Richard

Karting

Many people’s racing careers started with humble beginnings in a go kart. It is easy to neglect and overlook this. However, when you see it in action you quickly appreciate the level of skill and dedication that people are putting into it.

Earlier in the summer I went down to Pacific Raceway in Kent to photograph the Puget Sound Road Racing Association. I didn’t know what to expect

Nordstrom Live Spring/Summer 2019

I have a confession to make. I am not the most fashionable guy. During the winter and colder months, you will typically see me wearing a hoodie or one of my four flannel shirts. Now that it is spring many of us are changing out our wardrobes for clothes that are more appropriate for warmer weather. For me, this means wearing fun Hawaiian and pattern shirts. 

For the past several weeks I have been working at Nordstrom where I have been responsible for editing Nordstrom Live Spring 2019. Nordstrom Live is a biannual fashion show where they invite many of their top designers to connect with Nordstrom employees to show them the latest collections that can be found in their stores. It has been fascinating to learn more about the level of detail that all of these designers are putting into their latest collections.

Outside of getting ready in the morning I rarely think about the clothes that I am wearing. But it has been fascinating to hear designers talk about how they obsess over things like the fabrics they use, how clothes fit and the sustainability around the products that they make.

For me, the biggest takeaway was hearing about the level of detail that is being put into the clothes that we love and that gives us the confidence to take on the day. It is easy to neglect these things as we get ready in the morning. However, this is a great reminder for all of us that it is the unnoticed details that ultimately make the work that we are involved with special.

Big thanks to the video team at Nordstrom for getting me involved in Nordstrom Live. I had a blast and learned a ton. I am looking forward to the chance to work with you again.

The greatest day in Pullman

Last night was the Apple Cup. Sadly the game didn’t turn out how I wanted it to. The Huskies beat the Cougs 28-15. There was a lot riding on this game for the Cougs going into it. A trip to the Pac-12 Championship, a trip to the Rose Bowl and a possible trip to the College Football Playoffs if the stars somehow magically aligned. Unfortunately, none of these things will be happening after last night’s loss.

However, as I look back on the 2018 season I can do so with a smile. I wouldn’t have believed you if you told me that the Cougs would be 10-2 at the end of the season. Especially after losing several seniors, a large portion of the coaching staff and the suicide of Tyler Hilinski. Each week the Cougs continued to surprise me with a win. To be honest, I thought it would’ve been more realistic for Washington State to be 7-5.

There were a ton of fun moments during the 2018 season, but the one that stands out was when Ol’ Crimson finally made it to Pullman after nearly 15 years and 216 consecutive ESPN College Gameday shows. The display of Cougar pride was truly unreal. Thousands of people showed up for Gameday creating a sea of WSU flags. The day got even better with the Cougs beating Oregon in front of a sold out crowd at Martin Stadium.

These are the sort of seasons you live for as a Cougar football fan. The 2018 season far exceeded my expectations and I have a hard time believing that the 2019 season will be able to live up to this one. However, I felt this same way at the end of last season. If I have learned one thing watching WSU over the past few years is that the Cougs have a way of surprising you when all hope is lost. I don’t know if next season will be anything like this one but I can’t wait to find out.

See you in September! Go Cougs!

Minshew Mustache Photo Booth

I have watched a lot of Cougar football in my life. I have seen the good, the bad and the downright ugly. Honestly, I didn’t know what to expect going into the 2018 College Football schedule. To put it simply, the Cougs have far exceeded my expectations. I could’ve never imagined that the Cougs would be 8-1 with three weeks left in the regular season.

Much of their success is because of their quarterback Gardner Minshew II, a graduate transfer who decided to go to Washington State instead of sitting on the bench at Alabama. At the beginning of the season he was unknown. However, his mustache and performance on the gridiron were quickly noticed by Coug fans and the media.

What originally started out as a silly idea to take a bunch of photos of Coug fans before the Cal vs. WSU game grew into something much larger. Ultimately, I saw it as an opportunity opportunity raise money for Hilinski’s Hope and help end the stigma around mental health. According to the CDC, suicide has gone up by more than 30 percent in about half of the States. It is also the second highest leading cause of death in people between the ages of 15-34 and the fourth highest leading cause of death in people between the ages of 45-64.

We need to change the stigma related to mental health in this country. I encourage you to have the tough conversations with your friends and family about this issue. This is the only way we will end the stigma towards mental health.

If you are having suicidal thoughts, please reach out to friends and family about how you are feeling. You can also call the National Suicide Hotline by calling 1-800-273-TALK.

Thank you to everyone who got involved in this project and for your donations. We ultimately raised over $700 and I know I couldn’t do this without you.

Go Cougs!

-RJL

2018 Goals

It's hard to believe, but we are halfway through 2018. Before we know it we will be ringing in the new year and welcoming 2019. That's crazy to think about, but I know it will be here before we know it. 

Recently I have taken a moment to reflect on the goals that I wanted to accomplish during 2018. As I look back on things I can say that there are things that I have done a good job of working on and there are things that need some work.

I have done a great job of focusing on my health by trying to go to the gym and trying to eat right. As a result I'm about 20 pounds lighter so far. I still have a ton of work that I need to do but it's nice to see that I have made progress.

However, there are also things that I need to continue to work on. I really want to do a better job of growing my community here in Seattle. I moved back to Seattle almost 7 months ago and I haven't done a great job of re-establishing my community, my friendships and relationships I have with others. I really need to be better about getting out and meeting people. This could be as simple as going to one Meetup a week or two a month. What is unacceptable is doing nothing yet expecting different results. This is the definition of insanity. 

I also need to be better about working on my own personal projects. Over the past few months I have been very focused on my job and trying to hit my deadlines. It definitely took me a moment to get up to speed on what is required of me. Unfortunately this meant that I have not had the time to focus on my own work. Over the past few months I have gotten faster about meeting my deadlines allowing me to have more time to focus on work that matters to me. With that time I really want to continue to create work that I can add to my portfolio. During 2018 I have gotten more into shooting stills and this is something that I want to continue to focus on throughout the year. I really want to create images that I can show that I am more than a filmmaker and can create amazing stills as well.

I encourage you to take a few minutes to evaluate the goals that you set at the beginning of the year. It is ok if you haven't made any progress on things. The good news is you have another six months to work on them. The biggest thing that I want to emphasize is that they need the bigger thing that we need to be thinking about is consistency. It is often hard to change our behavior and our lifestyle. However, I have found that if we can create smaller goals it is much easier for us to accomplish the things that we said we want to accomplish.

-RJL

Gear doesn't matter

The most dangerous place in the world for any photographer or filmmaker is a camera shop. If you're anything like me you've been there. You think to yourself, "I'm going to just stop in and look at modifiers." Next thing you find yourself looking at your bank account to justify the purchase you are in the process of making.

Coincidentally, this happened to me a few weeks ago. I had a shoot coming up and it was my first time working with a model and I wanted to figure out a way to get solid lighting. Instead I ended up buying a new octabox. This is a trap that I've fallen into far too many times. We romanticize gear and put projects off thinking that a certain camera or lens will take our work to another level. I've been shooting since I was 16 and I should know this by now, however I find myself in the same traps time and time again.

Recently I have begun to think about how as photographers, filmmakers and creatives we need to spend more time investing in things other than gear.  At the end of the day, cameras, lenses, lights and editing equipment are tools that help us facilitate our vision and voice and the things that we are trying to say with our work. I think it is incredibly important that we keep this in perspective and focus on how we can get more out of the gear that we have.

At the end of the day gear doesn’t matter as much as the vision that you have as an artist. Gear just allows us to facilitate our ideas and bring them to life. If you don’t know what you are trying to say that fancy camera is just a nice paperweight.

I encourage you to set your camera down for a moment and really think about what you are trying to say as an artist or with that project that you have coming up. What do you hope to walk away with and what do you hope the final film or images to be like when you finish the project. By focusing our time and energy here we can begin to really create work that really matters.

-RJL

Boundaries are bullshit

We are a little over halfway through 2018 and I can clearly see some improvements in my life.

If we go back one year I was working at a post-production facility in Los Angeles as a production assistant. It was not a glamorous job by any stretch of the imagination. In many ways I wasn't happy with the work that I was involved with and the trajectory of my life and where it was headed. A typical work day for me would start at 6pm and end around 3:30 in the morning. There were many circumstances where I would be leaving work as the sun was coming up. I also found myself not inspired by the work that I was involved with.

It is interesting to look back on where I was at in my life and compare things today. I am truly amazed at how much has changed. It has been one hell of a journey and I am grateful for where I am at; however, it didn't come without a ton sacrifices along the way.

To be honest, there were definitely moments where I thought about quitting. In many ways it appeared like I was living the dream. I was living in Hollywood and surrounded by people working on some of the biggest pieces of entertainment in the world. Meanwhile, I was getting them coffee, making minimum wage and just trying pay my dues. I remember being frustrated with my progress and wondering why I had not moved up in my career. 

Today I am working for one of my personal heroes on a variety of projects. In many ways I am living the dream. I would be lying if I didn't say I was grateful for what I have. 

My career has not been a linear path nor has it been easy. It has been filled with a lot of ups and  downs along the way. It has also been filled with moments where I have thought about saying "fuck it" and doing something that is safe in corporate America.

However, if I can take anything way from things it is grit, determination and consistency can make all the difference in the end. If you work hard and you are passionate about what you do it will show in the end. No, it will not be easy. You will at some point be tested and wonder if you really want it bad enough. (BTW, it is okay if you don't.) But in the end dedication and conviction will beat talent.

I hope you found this motivating. Now get back to work.

-RJL

 

Press pause

I work way too much. I've only been at CreativeLive for a few months, but from the very beginning, it has required long hours. I knew that this job was going to require many nights and weekends to get the work done each week. This is easily one of the most demanding jobs that I've ever had, but it is one that truly has been an adventure day in and day out. 

However, at some point, we need to take a step back and take a break. One of the biggest things that I have learned in the short time that I have been working at CreativeLive is that I am not a machine and can't work nonstop. At some point, my work, my health and the relationships I have will suffer. In some cases, you may find yourself burnt out and resenting the thing that made you creative in the first place. I've been here, it sucks and I wish it on no one. 

A few months back I was invited to go on a Dual Bachelor/Bachelorette trip for my friends who are getting married. It seemed like a great chance to escape from the city and from work only if it were for a few days. It seemed like a fantastic opportunity to take a step away from work and go on an adventure.

In retrospect, it was exactly what I needed. It is far to easy to find ourselves overwhelmed by the things that we encounter in our everyday life. Each day can feel like the Bill Murray movie Groundhog's Day where we are just going through the motions and not taking a step back and really question what it is that we want out of this life.

I don't have an answer to what I want out of my life. I have ideas but things are always changing. For me, going out to the coast gave me the space needed to think about the things that I want to accomplish in the next few months.

In conclusion, give yourself the permission to step away from your work. It is okay to take a step back and question what you are doing with your work and what you hope to accomplish. I promise that you will be ready to kick ass and take names when you return to work.

Enjoy your weekend.

-RJL

Celebrating Your Weirdness with Thomas Middleditch

I really don't talk about my job very often. A little over 3 months ago I packed everything into my Subaru and made the move back to Seattle not knowing what I got myself into. I can say it has been a wild ride. I can't believe how much things have changed. Six months ago I was working as a Production Assistant. Today I am an editor cutting a Youtube show. The moral of the story is if you work hard and follow to your intuition you can achieve awesome things in this life.

Here is a recent thing I cut featuring Thomas Middleditch of Silicon Valley. I hope you enjoy it and I would love to hear your thoughts!

-RJL