Experience the Magic of the Alps with Rick Steves
It's hard to believe that 2022 is over. As I reflect on the past year the highlight that stands out for me is spending two weeks exploring Europe and The Alps with Rick Steves' Europe. This was a trip of a lifetime and I can't wait to go back and continue to explore the Alps.
Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster
The Fender Stratocaster is one of the most recognizable guitars ever made and has had one of the biggest impacts on music. It has also been played by some of the world’s most influential musicians like Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Stevie Ray Vaughn and countless other talented artists. Recently I had the opportunity to edit a short film featuring Los Angeles based musician Tim Stewart where he shares his thoughts on the Fender American Vintage II 1961 Stratocaster.
Thankful...
Here is the latest video that I made for Guitar Center! It's not every day that you get to work with Lady Gaga's guitarist, Tim Stewart. He also plays with Ed Sheeran and is in the American Idol house band.
I'm extremely thankful that I get to say that this is my job. Over the past year, I've grown so much and created some of the best work of my career. I can't wait to see where this adventure takes me next.
I hope you all have a fantastic Thanksgiving!
The Biggest Project of My Career Thus Far...
When I first started color grading I was very naive. I thought I could simply apply a LUT to my footage and call it good. I clearly had a lot that I needed to learn.
Over the last several years color grading has become a major passion of mine. I love how I can manipulate footage and help shape the tone of a video.
Recently I had the opportunity to work on the color grade for a project featuring Grammy-winning producer Andrew Watt for Guitar Center. This is the biggest project that I've worked on to date and I'm extremely proud of how it came together.
I can't wait to see the future projects I get to work on.
New Beginnings
It’s the end of February and a lot of things have changed in my life.
A few weeks ago I took a job as a Video Editor at Guitar Center and moved back to LA. This meant saying goodbye to the Pacific Northwest again and packing up all my belongings and driving down I-5. It’s been a little over two weeks since I’ve been back in SoCal, and in many ways, I’m still trying to get myself established. This includes finishing my move and finding an apartment of my own. I feel like I’m getting close on this and should be signing a lease on the first of March. I’m stoked to have a place that I can call my own. However, in many ways, this is only the beginning.
During much of the pandemic, I didn’t feel like I was growing in areas of my life. I felt like much of my life was stagnate and it was affecting my emotional wellbeing. With this new chapter in my life, I’m hoping to make changes in my life.
First and foremost, I want to focus on my career. I am extremely excited about the opportunity at Guitar Center because it is a chance to grow professionally and learn more about how I can be a better editor. It is also a chance to learn more about color grading and color correction, audio mixing for video, and other areas of post-production. My goal is to learn from my peers and take my craft to the next level.
I also want to focus on my own social life and build a community of friends outside of work that I can explore LA with and get into adventures. During much of the pandemic, I was a hermit not doing anything or seeing anyone. To put it simply I was very lonely and felt very isolated. It impacted my mental health because I felt like I didn’t have a community that I could reach out to. I want to use this opportunity to meet other creative professionals. Los Angeles is one of the best places to meet and interact with creative professionals on a regular basis. I want to surround myself with these people and call them my friends, be inspired by them, and use them to chase after my own creative projects and hopefully make my dreams become a reality.
Finally, I also need to start prioritizing my health and get back in shape. During much of the pandemic, I was using food as an emotional release to cope with a world that felt overwhelming and scary. As Covid-19 continues to move towards becoming an endemic I need to start working out on a regular basis and do a better job of eating healthier. I’m not exactly sure what this means or what this looks like. I have ideas though.
Change is hard. However, it is critical to grow and take our lives in a new direction that will bring us meaning. I know that this journey will have plenty of ups and downs along the way and I know there will be times that will challenge me. But I need to remember these trials are only there to make me stronger. I need to focus on my goals and why I moved to LA, especially when times get tough because they will.
In summary, I’m stoked to be back in LA. I’m excited to see how I’m going to grow as a professional and I can’t wait to see where things take me. At the end of the day, I know it’s going to be an awesome adventure. Here’s to new beginnings.
Am I Making the Right Decision?
The last few days have been crazy. Since Friday I have been offered 4 jobs. I have been weighing my options all weekend and trying to determine what makes sense for my career and my life. I’ve also been trying to evaluate where I would be happy living. To be honest, I don’t know if I’m making the right decision. At this point, the only thing that I can do is trust my gut.
Over the past few years, I have been wanting to find ways to take my work to the next level. This has been something that has been on my mind on a very regular basis. However, I feel I haven’t found those people to really mentor me and help me grow as an editor, content creator, media professional. I would love this to be one person or a few that can challenge me and help push my work to that next level. I am ready to take that next step.
The real question is whether I’m making the right choice. As a result, I’ve had to think about what is best for my career and what would make me happy. This has easily been one of the toughest decisions that I’ve had to face over the past few years because I’ve had to stop for a moment and really think about what it is I want out of life. As I write this I’m still trying to figure that out.
If I’m honest with myself, I still want to make great work and be surrounded by great people while doing so. I want to continue to grow and learn from others while also feeling like I’m contributing to the team and finding ways to take our work to the next level. I also want to get into adventures outside of work whether that means going to the beach or getting invited to a concert with coworkers. I love what I do, but I know I need those moments where I can recharge and experience life. To be honest, I’ve found the work is better for these reasons. It is also critical to bring a fresh perspective to the work that we are making every day. Finally, I want to be in a place that can help foster my career. I’ve had opportunities that could take me all over the country. These opportunities also mean I could be traveling internationally. However, I know that I need to be in a city that will allow me to meet people and grow my career at the same time.
Again, I don’t know if I’m making the right decision. There’s always the chance that I could regret this in a few years. But at the end of the day, I need to go forward and not look backward and question my decision. I can’t wait to see where this adventure takes me.
Greeks to Greece
Over the last couple of years, I’ve grown extremely interested in how brands can create compelling video content for social platforms other than YouTube. Today people are spending their time on different platforms like Instagram, TikTok, Facebook, and others.
Recently I had the opportunity to work with EF Ultimate Break to create a 15-second edit for their Greeks to Greece program. This is easily one of my favorite projects that I’ve worked on in the last couple of years because it was an opportunity to create a video with a ton of energy while encouraging people to travel and experience other cultures. Over the last few years, I’ve gotten extremely interested in travel, seeing other parts of the world, and creating films to encourage people to do the same.
I am very grateful for the opportunity to work with EF Ultimate Break and bring this video to life and I’m looking forward to working with them again in the future.
Cougar Fight Song - Motion Graphics
I've been a Coug fan since I was a little kid. I've seen the good times like going to the Rose Bowl and difficult times where we went 1-11. Through the good times and the bad, I've been singing the Cougar Fight song.
For a while now I’ve been working on taking the Cougar fight song and creating a motion graphics version to help future Cougs learn the words. Going through this process has also been an opportunity to explore my motion graphic capabilities. As a creative professional, I’ve spent a lot of time learning how to edit and tell stories with media. But in the last few years, I’ve been trying to find new ways to push my work.
Going through this process has been a great chance to practice my design skills and creating artboards before taking the assets into After Effects and bringing the frames to life. For a personal project, I am happy with how this came together and I’m looking forward to more projects like it.
Why Cameras Matter
I've been playing with cameras since I was 16 years old but was recently reminded why they are so important to me. Yesterday my dog Kona died at the age of 10. She was surrounded by her family that loved her so much. She lived a very full life and made everyone she was around so happy.
I have so many wonderful memories with her and I miss her so much. However, I regret not capturing more photos and videos of her and the wonderful life that she lived. As a working professional, I often obsess over the camera specs and the image they create. However, the real beauty of cameras even if it's just an iPhone is their ability to capture fleeting moments preserve them forever.
Kona dog, I miss you so much. I miss your big personality and your willingness to get into an adventure at a moment's notice. However, I'm extremely grateful that you were able to remind me why I love the work I’m involved with, playing with cameras and preserving memories and moments. I will love you forever.
Bremerton Shoot
A few weeks ago I had the opportunity to do a shoot with Alethea Wood. I’ve been want to shoot with her for quite some time and I’m really happy with the images and how they came to life.
When initially trying to put this shoot together the hardest part was finding a location. As a photographer and filmmaker, I love shooting on locations that can help tell a story or convey a feeling. I was really excited to shoot on the Kitsap Peninsula, but the biggest challenge was trying to find a location that would help add drama to the images that I was trying to create.
When doing research I found a number of locations in Kitsap that could potentially work. However, I ended up going with the Waterfront Park in Bremerton. I went with this location because I loved the fountains and the leading lines it created. I also loved how I could potentially feature ferry’s in my photos.
This was my first time shooting with Alethea and she absolutely crushed it. We were able to knock out a few different looks during the shoot. I was also able to create a few images that I’m really happy about that I’m going to add to my portfolio. I’m looking forward to working with her again in the future.
Hockey is Back
For the last 19 months, Covid-19 has had a major impact on everyone around the world. In my hometown of Wenatchee, WA it has been nearly 615 days since hockey fans have been able to cheer for the Wenatchee Wild. On November 11th fans were welcomed back into the Town Toyota Center. Covid is still with us in many ways, but this is a step in the right direction.
Big thanks to David Rayfield of the Wenatchee Wild for allowing me to bring this video to life. I can’t wait to work with the Wild again in the future.
BMW Shoot
Seattle Fashion Week 2021
Earlier this year, a group of extremely talented models, designers, photographers, hairstylists, and makeup artists took over the streets of Seattle for a flash mob fashion show around some of Seattle's most iconic attractions. Here are some of the highlights.
Big thanks to Seattle Fashion week for getting me involved. I had a blast.
What's next?
It’s been nearly 16 months since Covid shut down the world. 16 long months that has caused many of us to put our lives on hold. A lot has changed in the last year. We now have a vaccine that has likely saved millions of people’s lives. Things are beginning to open up again and we are moving towards normalcy. As this happens I’m starting to think about what’s next for me and my life.
Nearly 16 months ago, I landed a job at Get Schooled. At the time it was the best option as we went into lockdowns and dealt with social distancing. Working at Get Schooled was the harbor I needed when many people lost their jobs, livelihoods and even their lives savings. I was also able to contribute to my 401k and my ETF funds. I am extremely grateful for this.
However, I haven’t been happy at Get Schooled. At many times I’ve been frustrated with the work that I have been doing and have wanted more than this. This has been a hard thing to deal with and it has left me extremely frustrated. To put it simply, I can’t stay at Get Schooled. I feel like my most production years are waisting away making videos that won’t end up on my reel. Something needs to change.
Unfortunately, I don’t know what this change is. I don’t know if it’s in Seattle, Los Angeles, or Guam. (I have no desire of going to Guam.) The point is I desire to do more than this. I want to make work that has more impact and be involved in projects that get me excited. I’m just not sure of how to get there.
As I sit here in my Dad’s office I don’t have many answers. However, one thing is clear. I have a lot of work to do. Venting about it and writing a blog post that I have no intention of posting will not help me make my dreams become a reality. The only thing that will is doing work and connecting with others.
How I Traveled to Maui During Covid-19
Back in October, I traveled to Maui with my brother and a friend. It was a chance to see the island in a way that I will likely never see again in my lifetime. Here are some of the things that I saw during my trip.
Van Edge Hair Shoot
I'm not going to lie, 2020 has been a rough year. It has been hard for me to find the motivation to pick up my camera. However, I wanted to take this opportunity to share some recent work I finished up that I am very proud of. Even during these difficult times, it is essential to be trying new things and taking our work to new places. I recognize that this is extremely hard to do in these uncertain times, but we really aren’t left with very many options. Keep pushing, and everything will work out
Big thanks to the team at Vann Edge Studio. I am extremely grateful for all of the hard work bringing these images to life. I can’t wait to work with you again.
-RJL
Summer Time at Mt. Hood
A few weeks ago, I took my first trip to Mt. Hood. Growing up I saw the terrain in countless ski movies and magazines. I can describe Mt. Hood in one word: Rad. It is crazy to think that some of the skiers and snowboarders I saw could be future World Cup Champions, X Games winners, and maybe Olympians. I’m glad I was able to make it there before the public terrain park closed for the season. I can’t wait to go back!
Mask up Wenatchee: Frank Kuntz
Times like these require leadership. There’s no question that COVID-19 has drastically impacted our everyday lives. Things like getting a drink after work, seeing our friends, going on a date or a simple trip to the grocery store has changed dramatically.
A few weeks ago, I had the opportunity to do a photo shoot with Wenatchee mayor, Frank Kuntz. It was great to connect with him and hear his opinions on what Wenatchee is doing to prevent the spread of the virus.
The biggest takeaway that I took from my shoot with him was the importance of masks. Like you, I don’t like wearing them. They are uncomfortable and a nuisance to be honest. However, wearing a mask is a simple thing that each one of us can do to protect our family, friends in the community that we love. It also allows small businesses that we love to keep the doors open.
At the end of the day, we are all in this together. Stay strong Wenatchee!
Goodbye PDN
If you're in the photo/video space or if you've ever been interested in it, you've probably seen PDN at your local newsstand. Yesterday I learned that PDN is no more.
I think this right here, this moment in time, is a really important thing to just stop and take a look at because you know it's been said time and time again that, "Photography in general as a career is in decline." We've seen numerous studies with this. Everybody has an iPhone or an Android and is capable of making solid and stunning photos. And I think the closure of PDN is just another example of that. I think it is just another moment in time that says, photography as we know it commercially may not have as much value as it used to. And I think that has been the trend for quite some time. I don't think there's any debate of that, but it just seems that in general photography has no value.
Yesterday many of us who are in the photo and video space learned that PDN is stopping production, sounds like the website's going to be shut down. The only thing that's really going to remain of PDN as an organization is their trade expos, WPPI, and PhotoPlus.
I'm relatively new to photography and trying to pursue more of it in my life. I loved going and picking up PDN at my local newsstand, getting inspired by what some of the professionals in the industry are currently doing and just really trying to stay up to date on how I can be a better business person.
This really sucks because I don't know what resources are out there right now. I read Fstoppers and I look at other publications that are out there, but PDN was great because it had a lot of depth to what was discussed. They really went into a lot of detail about how to make a living at this, how to bid, how to put together a website, how to do motion and still projects. I'm personally going to miss PDN. I'm going to miss the ability to just be inspired by what others are doing and the great images, but not just the great images, but the business knowledge that comes along with it and the marketing knowledge that comes along with it. So those are some of the things I'm going to be missing most about PDN.
I'm glad to see the expos, WPPI, and PhotoPlus are still going to be around, but for a lot of us, I know traveling to Vegas or New York each year is just not a viable option. As much as this sucks, we can learn from this, we can learn to adapt and we can learn to grow. I think if we take anything away from this moment right now, I think we have to learn how to rise above this. We can either wring our hands and be frustrated or we can get to work. So those are our two options at the end of the day.
I'd love to hear your thoughts and comments on the fall of PDN. What are other resources out there that I could be looking at and what this community in general could be looking at? I think it's important to have this conversation now since we're going to lose PDN. I'd love to hear your thoughts and opinions of what I should be looking at, what I should be reading, and what I should be thinking about in 2020 and going forward.
-RJL