Shoot with Luke

I Never Stopped Creating

Fri, 26 Jan 2024 17:48:57 GMT

Creators not Consumers

Wow.

It's been 7 months since I posted on Instagram.

I stepped away early in the summer because I realized that God had a lot of work to do in my life. So, I turned my gaze inward and began a spiritual battle that had needed to be addressed for a long time. I will probably share more about that process in the future, but right now, I am still healing and the Lord is still moving in my life—I don't want to hinder any of that with my own words at the moment.

So—for 7 months—I have continued to shoot, I have continued to create, and I have continued to do what I love. But, I did not share any of my work online. All of my photos are stored on hard drives, all of my stories are scattered in journals, and nothing has reached my online world. And it was probably one of the most beautiful things I have ever done.

I finally got a true answer to a question that I have asked myself for a long time: "Do I only enjoy creating content because of what other people will think about me?"

Every time I traveled to a shoot, I did so knowing that I would not be receiving any validation from other people. No one else would get to see into my world. No one else would even know what I was doing... and I still loved it.

I loved the people. I loved creating. I loved all of the little mistakes that turned into magical moments on camera. I loved coming home and editing hundreds of photos that no one was ever going to see. I loved journaling words for only myself to read. And for the first time in a long time, I felt healthy. I was healthier in a mental sense when I wasn't constantly consuming media that made me feel like I was constantly not doing enough. I was healthier in a spiritual sense as I began to really walk with the Lord towards recovery. I even began to be healthier in a physical sense as I began gaining weight as I instilled healthy habits into my own life.

It was truly remarkable, and to God be all the glory for how he has changed me over these past months and how he continues to do so.

That being said, I had to remind myself that social media is not evil, it is not some terrible devil. But, it can be. I have witnessed it take over my thoughts, my creative process, and way too much of my time. Through all of this, I realized I have a desire to be a creator without having to be a consumer. It's like that cheesy Christian saying of "being in the world, but not of the world."

But is it really that cheesy? I realized that I had never known where that quote came from. Well, turns out it stems from John 17 when Jesus is praying to the Father regarding his disciples knowing that He will leave them shortly.

"I pray for them. I am not praying for the world but for those You have given Me, because they are Yours. Everything I have is Yours, and everything You have is Mine, and I have been glorified in them. I am no longer in the world, but they are in the world, and I am coming to You." - John 17:9-11

Because Christ has left the world physically, his glory exists in his church—the body of believers. We as believers are called to glorify him on Earth—to be a physical manifestation of his glory to the world.

"I am not praying that You take them out of the world but that You protect them from the evil one. They are not of the world, as I am not of the world. Sanctify them by the truth; Your word is truth. As You sent Me into the world, I also have sent them into the world. I sanctify Myself for them, so they also may be sanctified by the truth." -John 17:15-19

That'll preach any day of the week. It is not time for us to leave this world. We are not called to run away from what makes us uncomfortable. We are called to remain amongst all of the gross sin, among all of the injustice, among all of the selfish ways of the world. But we must not fall to it. We must not grow weary of it. Christ sanctified himself so that we might be sanctified in Him. We are sanctified when we dress ourselves in truth; when we live each day among all of the trash and choose something better. That is how we light up the dark world. By remaining in it, but not of it.

So, that's what I am going to do. I'm going to start posting again, but I'm not going to go back to my old consuming ways. I don't accept that I have to use social media as the world instructs me to use it. Practically, that looks like setting a screen time for 10 minutes a day which will give me just enough time to post anything I want to. It allows me to keep my creating time separate from everything else. I can work on projects without running to social media. I can create in silence without all of the busy notifications. I can release my content into the world without opening myself up to the world's content, and I can allow my heart to be sanctified by truth.

The End of Luke Montgomery Media

Thu, 20 Apr 2023 16:04:24 GMT

Two Years Later... I Did It

Two years ago—before I moved to college—I told my boss that I wanted to shoot for Ben Rector. He responded how any practical adult would: "You'll never be able to shoot for someone like that."

He didn't mean to be rude—he was honestly just being realistic—but that interaction started me on a journey that I could never have imagined.

I spent the next month scouring the internet for pieces of information about Ben and his manager—names, numbers, emails, anything I could find. Finally, I stumbled across his manager on LinkedIn. With no real plan I introduced myself as a new photographer, provided my contact information, and asked if I could shoot Ben's Old Friends Acoustic Show with Cody Fry in a few months. I honestly wasn't expecting a response—who checks their LinkedIn DMs?

To my surprise and utter joy, I had an email from Ben's manager THE NEXT DAY asking to see some of my concert work.

But, I was left with an awkward reality... I had never shot a concert in my life.

How had I thought I could shoot a Ben Rector show with literally no experience?

Not wanting to give up on my dream, I approached my church and asked if I could shoot the worship sets that weekend. They obliged and soon I had my "portfolio" to send to Ben's manager.

Over the next few days, I checked my email regularly in constant suspense. Would my work be good enough to get me into Ben's show? With my phone glued to my hand, I refreshed my emails over and over again. And, the day finally came—I got the gig.

Naturally, I called my brother screaming and once I finally got the words out, he didn't believe me. After all, this was huge news that I never dreamed I would be able to share. I began telling everyone I could about the gig and it quickly became an integral part of who I was. I was the photographer who was shooting for Ben Rector. I was special. I was good enough.

That's the mindset that I started college with.

The first thing people knew about me was that I was a photographer and I was shooting for Ben Rector. Photography became my whole identity. But, that would change very soon.

A month into college and a few weeks before Ben's show, I received the unfortunate news that it was being canceled due to venue complications (this was happening at the end of COVID, so everything was still weird).

Needless to say, I was devastated.

Everything that I had prided myself on was stripped away in a moment. My "success" vanished before my eyes and I was just another normal kid with a camera. And, honestly, I needed that. God was teaching me what it looked like to find my identity in something else.

He was teaching me that I didn't need to seek validation from other people because I was already validated because of Him. My work would always fail me because it could never measure up to His work on the cross. I didn't need a big name to demand attention—I simply needed to walk humbly by His side. He would take care of the rest.

It goes without saying that I didn't learn that overnight. It was a slow process. But, in time, God began giving me small tastes of concerts again. Over the course of six months, I shot for Skillet, Kolby Cooper, and Grady Spencer. A whopping three concerts. My progress was slow, but it allowed me to put my entire effort into my work.

Grady's shoot was sort of God's blessing over me as I entered the concert photography space again. I offered to shoot the show for free and Grady was kind enough to have me out. The lighting was truly terrible and I was forced to experiment with styles of photography I had only heard about like long exposures, reflecting light, prisms, etc.

At that concert, I began to find my unique style. Long exposures are now a staple of my work and I can shoot in almost any lighting condition.

After I delivered the photos, Grady sent me one of the most genuine and encouraging emails ever. He boosted me up as an artist and complimented the mess out of my work. He loved the photos so much that he ended up paying me anyways. It was exactly what I needed after struggling for half a year.

Those photos led to me meeting a variety of publishers and publications and ultimately my connections at Live Nation that have gotten me to the place I am today—having shot for dozens of artists. AND I CAN'T TAKE CREDIT FOR ANY OF IT! As soon as God humbled me and reminded me where my gifts came from, he opened the door for my work to take off at an unimaginable rate.

That being said, a few weeks ago my story came full circle when I had the opportunity to complete my dream of shooting for Ben Rector. But, once again—and in typical fashion—God didn't miss the chance to remind me why I'm here.

I reached out to Ben's manager, only to find out that he no longer manages Ben. He did, however, put me in contact with Ben's new team. After a few emails, they informed me that my services were not needed, but I could shoot the typical first three songs if I came with a publication.

And so I did. His openers were two of my favorite artists: Jordy Searcy and Steven Day. The first three songs of each set were incredible but, something was different about this show. Usually, when I shoot a concert I receive a photo pass and a review ticket so I can stay for the show if I wish. This time, however, I only received a photo pass. So, upon the completion of the third song security had been informed to ensure that I left the venue. Here I was at my dream concert finally completing the dream I had so long ago, and it was coming to a swift end.

God is kind of funny like that.

Sometimes He lets you get to the point of no return before He blesses you out of nowhere.

"Luke!" I heard my name from behind me. Looking over my shoulder, there was a man I had met just a month earlier at the front of a Muscadine Bloodline concert. He noticed my situation and informed the bewildered security and a just as bewildered me that he had an extra ticket for the seat next to his and that I would be joining him for the remainder of the concert. And—just like that—I followed him to his seats and enjoyed a night of Ben Rector's Old Friends Tour with my new friend.

I truly could not have written a better end to this story if I tried. It's almost like the storyteller behind this one has been telling stories for a really long time.

That being said, the story of Luke Montgomery Media has reached its end. I got into this industry to shoot for Ben Rector and I did that. Along the way, God changed my heart for why I am in this industry in the first place. I started because of what it could do for me, but I'm here now because of what I can do for Him.

The next step in that process is removing my name from my work, and I could not be more excited about it. I'm so excited to be launching my new company and publication: Ellium's Spot!

WHAT WE ARE GOING TO DO:

-launch a podcast this summer covering the music and creative industries from a Biblical perspective

-start sending YOU to shoot shows for us!!

-train up more music photographers

-write articles about shows that go deeper into lyrics and Biblical themes

-create Instagram and Tik-Tok content covering the music industry

-begin to shape the conversation about music and contribute to a more informed and engaged community of music lovers who are committed to living out their faith in all areas of their lives

I am so excited to be moving from the role of photographer into the role of editor/producer. After two years of working in this industry, I can't wait to get more people involved. I'm excited to be able to provide other artists with the platform to create.

That being said, this is not going to be easy and we will likely not see results immediately. However, I am confident that as God has guided my journey in the past, he will continue to guide my path as a new journey begins.

The best way you can help us is by following our new account on Instagram @elliumsspot and sharing our first post!

Thank you all for your continued support, I can't wait to see where this new journey goes!

-Luke

A Biblical Look at Ally Yarid's Controversial Maverick City Post

Wed, 08 Feb 2023 08:21:29 GMT

The Heart of Worship

I really debated writing about this hot topic, but I felt led to share with you all what I have learned about worship over this past year.

*Disclaimer: I encourage everyone to go and read Ally's full post before reading this blog (The link is at the bottom).*

Working in the music industry, I have the amazing opportunity to see some of the greatest artists ever perform under the bright lights. Many nights, it blows my mind how huge crowds of hundreds and sometimes thousands of people gather together in front of a stage to scream, shout, dance, and sing along with their favorite artists. The most extreme fans know every word of every song. It's crazy.

However, one night in particular, really put everything into perspective for me. In April of last year, I had the opportunity to shoot a concert for Chris Renzema in Dallas. I had shot for other "Christian artists" before—Skillet and Gable Price and Friends among them—but something was different about Chris' set. People's hands weren't lifted to their favorite artist, they were lifted in praise, and that was truly a sight to behold. As I continued photographing the concert, I began shooting less and less of Chris and more and more of the crowd. It was so evident that God was moving in people's hearts amidst the crowd, that I forgot all about the concert that was happening on stage. It just seemed less relevant. I began watching—in wonder—so many people worshiping and I hope I did a good job of capturing that for Chris' team.

That being said, there is a drastic difference between worship and performance. But, this is true in every area of life not just singing on stage. Tozer writes that in "the total life, the whole man and woman, must worship God. Faith, love, obedience, loyalty, conduct, and life—all of these are to worship God." (The Purpose of Man, 2009). When a person becomes a Christian, all areas of their life—excluding habitual sinful ones of course—become outlets for the worship of their newfound Savior. Each Christian exists with the primary function of worshiping God. There is no higher calling than for the Christian to bring glory to God through his or her worship. This is what David means as he yearns after God in his Psalm.

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you;
my soul thirsts for you;
my flesh faints for you,
as in a dry and weary land where there is no water.
So I have looked upon you in the sanctuary,
beholding your power and glory.
Because your steadfast love is better than life,
my lips will praise you.
So I will bless you as long as I live;
in your name I will lift up my hands."

-Psalm 63:1-4

This is the purpose of man. This is what fills the void that has existed in every man's heart since the Garden. The pursuit of God in every area of a person's life—a complete surrender in the form of unending worship. As a person thirsts for water in a desert, so also do we long to bring glory in the form of worship to our Savior.

Because of this, before we condemn the worship of anyone, let us first check every area of our own lives and meditate on how we may better worship and seek the God who deserves every part of us. We would be foolish to waste our time judging another's worship if we do not worship as we ought to.

Now, onto Ally's post. Her first slide reads:

"I'd rather worship God through theologically thoughtful praise for His glory than lyrically repetitive emptiness for my enjoyment." -Ally Yarid

I'd like to pick apart this statement piece by piece starting with "I'd rather worship God." To that, I say Amen! Someone put that on a t-shirt and I'll wear it! Literally, anything could come before that sentence and I would agree. "I'd rather worship God." Let that be how I live my life for the rest of my days here on earth.

"Through theologically thoughtful praise for His glory." Once again, Amen sister. May my worship be done in a manner that brings God glory and in a reverence that reflects everything he is in a theological sense. May my worship be thoughtful and intentional to show the whole world who the God that I worship is.

And the last part, "[rather] than lyrically repetitive emptiness for my enjoyment." I believe she had good intentions writing these words, however, I am going to nitpick because I do not think that I agree wholeheartedly. As a whole statement yes—worship is not done for my enjoyment—it is done to bring glory to my God. But I love doing it! Worship brings me so much joy! Worship is literally me fulfilling my purpose! It brings me more joy than perhaps anything else! So, while it is not done for my enjoyment, my enjoyment is a direct reflection of how much I love my God!

The part that troubles me the most, however, is the phrase "lyrically repetitive emptiness" as if my repetition means less. This could not be further from the truth. Does Isaiah not tell us exactly how the seraphim worship God in heaven?

"Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: With two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying. And they were calling to one another: "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is filled with his glory." -Isaiah 6: 2-3

Holy, holy, holy.

Again, holy, holy, holy.

Over and over and over again. That is who my God is and that is what I will proclaim. May we be quick to repeat over and over again everything that is true about our God and may we proclaim it with confidence. Let our repetition not be empty but let it be an act of meditation as we yearn to know the character of God more and more.

In her next slide, she condemns Maverick City Music specifically, by using their own Instagram bio.

"Maverick City is a group of unorthodox, free spirit, rule breakers, that break away from the herd. Everything they claim to be contradicts what a Christian is called to be. A Christian is indwelled by the Spirit, obedient to God's laws, and part of the flock of the Good Shepherd." -Ally Yarid

Here is where a major part of Ally's argument is flawed. She assumes that Maverick City's band members are unorthodox, free-spirited, rule breakers, who break away from the herd—of Christianity. This is simply not the case. They are seeking to do those things in the same way Jesus did. Was Jesus not the most unorthodox, free-spirited, rule breaker, to ever break away from the herd?

Yes, my Bible says that I am indwelled by the Spirit (1 Corinthians 3:16). Yes, it commands my obedience to God's laws (Romans 3: 28-31), and calls me to my community in the flock of the Good Shepherd (1 Peter 2:25).

But, my Bible also tells of an unorthodox Jesus. One who fulfilled the old law and gave us the new law (Matthew 5:17). It tells of a free-spirited Jesus who traveled from city to city under the Father's direction ministering to everyone he could without caring for social norms (John 4:3-26). It tells of a "rule-breaker" Jesus who healed on the Sabbath (Mark 3:1-6). And, it tells of a Jesus who broke so far away from the herd that the herd called for his crucifixion (Luke 23: 18-25).

There is, therefore, no contradiction by either party. There only appears to be a contradiction because Ally straw-mans everything that Maverick City Music claims to be by interpreting their words for herself and not through the lens of Scripture.

The last part of her post that I will address is her call to action.

"If you take the worship of God seriously, I pray you will seriously consider looking into Maverick City Music, Bethel, Elevation, and Hillsong deeper than just listening to their songs. Do some research. Pray over it. Is their worship God-focused or self focused? Are their ministries preaching prosperity gospels, heresies, and all kinds of corruption? You will find the answer to be yes. I encourage you, I do not condemn you. Let us worship God together in Spirit and Truth."

-Ally Yarid

We should all take the worship of God seriously. As I said earlier, the worship of God is our greatest purpose. I encourage all of you to look into all of the songs that you listen to—not just worship. Do they glorify God? I am certainly guilty of listening to songs that I probably don't need in my life. I will not, however, tell you the results that you will find. Make an informed and educated decision for yourself. Remember that the people writing these songs are broken people like you.

And finally, remember the most important part of worship is your own heart toward the Lord. Each person will worship him differently depending on the gifts that the Lord has given them. Worship is not just the words in a song. Worship is not just singing in a group or alone in your car. It is how the believer lives their life as an offering to the Lord so that they might show the world who their Savior is.

-Luke

Ally's Instagram Post: https://www.instagram.com/p/CoV6hsrrjmU/?hl=en

A Night with Phillip Phillips

Fri, 03 Feb 2023 17:04:10 GMT

Just one show?

Big decisions—Hard decisions—Saying "no"—Priorities—Commitments. Life is filled with each of these, but they are certainly not easy.

Last October, I had the privilege of taking photos for Phillip Phillips in Fort Worth as he performed on his Where We Came From Tour . It was probably my favorite show that I have had the opportunity to shoot.

Upon my arrival at the venue, Phillip's manager met me out front and brought me backstage to the green room. He introduced me to the band members (some of the coolest guys I have had the pleasure of hanging out with) and Phillip. Phillip was a class act and one of the nicest and most genuine artists that I have had the pleasure of working with thus far. He thanked me for coming and had me put my gear in the back room with his.

From there, I proceeded to spend the entire night with Phillip. We hung out in the green room, talked with the band and crew, ate snacks, and I captured all of it.

At one point, Phillip wanted to go for a walk around downtown Fort Worth, and I went along for a stroll through the city lights at night. We went shopping for a gift for his little son and took portraits in the street. He loves photography as much as I do and had his own camera as we wandered around taking pictures.

When we returned, Phillip went into the backroom to get ready for his show. At first, I stayed back—unaware of his preshow routine—but his manager encouraged me to follow him. What followed was truly one of the most special times I have shared with an artist. For about an hour, we talked about our mutual passions for music and photography as he picked on his guitar. He gave me great advice on the industry and told me countless stories from his career. He has some amazing stories from his time on American Idol, his many tours (including one with John Mayer), and his process for making music. He even played me a song that he had been writing that is now set to be released a week from today on February 10th. "Dancing With Your Shadows" is such a sweet song and I can't wait for the world to hear it.

The show went incredibly well and I got some beautiful concert shots. At the end of the show, Phillip's manager found me and gave me the news that I had been waiting to hear since I began this journey of concert photography: Phillip wanted to take me on the road for the next two shows to Memphis, Tennessee and Lexington, Kentucky before flying me back to Dallas for my show with Jordy Searcy.

At first, I accepted—of course—and sped home to pack my bag to meet the tour bus. But, during the drive, I began to realize everything that I had going on that weekend. I was supposed to be in Austin shooting a formal for a fraternity as well as shooting an engagement back in Dallas the day after.

I called my friends and other photographers with my predicament and received many answers: "You're crazy if you don't go," "You owe it to the people you committed to first," "Can you get your other gigs covered?" "You'll regret not going for the rest of your life."

That night I had to make one of the hardest decisions I've ever made. In the living room of my house—with my "All Access Pass" in hand—I called Phillip's manager to tell him how sorry I was, but I had to honor my prior commitments and would not be able to make the tour. Later that night, I was reminded of a Proverb.

"Commit your work to the Lord, and your plans will be established." - Proverbs 16:3

In the moment, it was incredibly hard to make that decision. Especially, because I had made it before. Phillip was the second headline tour that I declined in the span of a year despite my dream of going on the road. However, I was reminded that my plans fail in comparison to God's plans for my life. My dreams are great, but God works in ways far greater than I ever could.

My dream of going on tour lives on—now, especially with Phillip—but I will patiently wait for God's timing to surpass mine. Throughout my journey of building this brand, I have seen God move in ways that I truly do not understand. Opportunities arise from places I never would have dreamed of and I am so thankful that I serve a God who knows me and my future more than I ever will. He has promised to watch over my footsteps and establish my plans. As I remain committed to him, I continue to love him more each day and am falling more in love with the journey he has me on.

My 100th Instagram Post

Tue, 27 Sep 2022 22:01:49 GMT

Then vs. Now

Ok, so not really. Technically my 100th post was two weeks ago, but here's my 102nd post.

Reaching post 100 is honestly crazy. I started this account a little over one year ago to document my progress in photography in the hopes that I would be able to use it to look back and track my growth. Wow...I can certainly do that. A quick scroll through my feed reveals different presets, styles, and even types of photography. I began shooting random candids for my school's senior trip, worship sets at my church, and other portraits of my friends. I had a weird black and white season of editing where I let the reds come through—and of course, so many random shoots with my buddy, Cort.

And then I made it to DBU. When I first got here my pride was off the charts. I was scheduled to be shooting for Ben Rector in a couple of months and I believed that I deserved it. I believed I was that good when in reality it was just a blessing that I even had the opportunity.

Because of that confidence (deserved or not) I brought my camera out to DBU's Welcome Back Party and shot photos of the band: Gable Price and Friends. Technically, I should not have done that without permission, but no one stopped me. Gable loved the photos and reached out as soon as I posted them.

Not long after that, God humbled me fast. Ben's show got canceled and I lost everything that I had built myself upon. I had put my entire identity into that shoot and it was gone in a second. Confused and disappointed, I stopped shooting for two months and tried to figure out what I wanted to do next.

Then came Skillet, my first "official" concert shoot. I shot that first "official" concert exactly one year ago on Thursday. It was crazy, and I was pretty overwhelmed. I was nervous and had no idea what I could or couldn't do. The entire time I kept expecting someone to get onto me or tell me I couldn't be there. The photos came out decent, however, and I slowly began to build my brand.

Over that semester I would only shoot one other concert: Kolby Cooper. I traveled to College Station and got more experience in the concert world. I worked on angles, and different camera settings, and tried to tell the story of the night the best I could. That story is crazy in itself—see my previous blog: The Longest Night .

Life was rough with some personal issues for a few months after that and I wouldn't post any more concert content until March of the next semester. Grady Spencer and the Work brought me out and it was probably the hardest concert I had shot up to that point. The lighting was terrible and so I had to try out new methods like long exposure shots. That being said, they were spectacular images. To this day I consider them some of my best work.

After I sent Grady the images, he sent me the kindest email I have probably ever received and just encouraged me as an artist. It was something that I really needed and he probably had no idea was so important to me. One of the four images I have hanging on my wall is from that concert.

Following that, I began to land bigger and bigger gigs and I continued to gain experience in the industry: Clairo, James Arthur, AJR, etc. I was so blessed to have so many amazing opportunities.

But what now?

After spending the summer off, my business lost a lot of momentum and I've taken a small step back from shooting. However, I am super excited about the projects that I am currently working on. One of those projects includes a magazine featuring stories and images from some of my concerts last year. It's still a work in progress, but I hope to have it out by December in Dallas coffee shops. It has been so fun to work on as I have interviewed different artists over the phone.

This season of my life looks wildly different than the last. I used to chase gigs all over the place, whereas now I have a few projects that I am working on. However, I believe that I am creating my best work right now. I have no idea what lies in the future because I would never have imagined I would be where I am now.

I'm reminded of Proverbs 27.

"Don't brag about tomorrow, since you don't know what the day will bring. Let someone else praise you, not your own mouth—a stranger, not your own lips." -Proverbs 27: 1-2

When I began photography, I felt a desire to prove myself. I felt like I needed to be the best always. People needed to know who I was and what I did. I constantly brought up my accomplishments and, honestly, was so filled with pride. It took God taking away what I wanted the most for me to realize that it was a gift from Him the whole time. Losing the Ben Rector shoot was probably the best thing that could have happened to me. It forced me to realize who had given me my creative eye in the first place and made me question who I would use it for. Once God removed that idol from my heart, he gave photography back to me with a new perspective and used it in ways that I still cannot believe.

As for the future? I have no idea. I'm still chasing the dream, but it's a new dream. My future looks wildly different than it did when I started. New people, new passions, and new experiences have shaped me over this past year and I would be kidding myself if I said I knew what I would be doing in December, let alone a year from now. I'm sure I'll still be creating, but it may look a little different. I'm just thankful for the people around me who will let me discover whatever that may be.

-Luke

A Mountian Poem

Tue, 30 Aug 2022 20:21:00 GMT

05.27.2022

elevation 13,000 feet

mountains all around

a small cabin on the mountain

snow falls to the ground

stars light the night

while clouds dark the day

an array of emotions

like them seem profound

others may walk you

none do now abound

your beauty rips the skyline

peeking full display

must you exist in spite

our nature's playground

you carry on without me

silence makes a sound

i stare rudely in wonder

maybe once more today

Meanwhile this Summer...

Tue, 23 Aug 2022 20:40:08 GMT

Life on the Mountain

Texas sunsets. That's one of the things I missed the most while I spent the summer in Colorado. There's something just memorizing about a blazing orange sky that cannot be achieved with mountains all around.

That being said, the mountains were insane. I never got tired of them all summer. And of course, the stars. The stars were incredible. Just little beams of light piercing the perfect darkness. I spent so many nights in my hammock staring up at them in awe—each one perfectly placed by a creator on a canvas of blue and purple sky.

Creation had me in awe of our creator, but this summer in general taught me so much about Him. I learned in-depth about sacrifice, service, and community.

It sounds insane to have taken a step back from media—something I have been pursuing for over a year—to go to a small camp in Westcliffe, Colorado... for an entire summer. I sacrificed tours and other amazing media opportunities to go serve families on the side of a mountain. Everything I had worked so hard to build got put on hold. My photographer friends called me crazy, but I was confident that the Lord wanted me at Sky Ranch this summer. And so, I didn't shoot, didn't post, and didn't email for three months.

So what did I do instead? Each week I got two or three families and got to do life with them. I served meals, went to activities, hung out with their kids, and had amazing conversations. I heard some incredible stories and received some incredible wisdom from some amazing people who have done life longer than I have. I got to watch families interact and love one another. I got to wake up every day and seek what the Lord would have me do to bless these families. And, it was probably one of the most fulfilling things I have ever done. Don't get me wrong, it was physically exhausting. I was tired, my stomach didn't like the camp food, and I had very little time to myself. But, it forced me to get my energy from elsewhere. Relying on my strength was simply not enough to get me through a 14-hour day for three months. So, I started each day in Scripture.

I read through Jeremiah this summer and if I'm being honest, it's one of the most depressing books of the Bible I have ever read. God promises to deliver his people into the hands of the Babylonians and Jeremiah brings that message to a people who do not want to hear it. He pours himself out, though, and lets God use him. He delivers one of the first promises of the coming Messiah, Jesus.

"'The days are coming," declares the Lord,

"when I will raise up for David a righteous Branch,

a king who will reign wisely

and do what is right and just in the land.

In his days Judah will be saved

and Israel will live in safety.

This is the name by which he will be called:

The Lord our Righteous Savior.'"

-Jeremiah 23: 5-6

I read that chapter on a day that I particularly needed some encouragement and that's about the best encouragement I could have gotten. Here, God promises his people that He will not abandon them. Instead, he will redeem them through his son and bring them back into a relationship with Him.

Encouragement was super important this summer, and I certainly got it through the amazing community that surrounded me. My co-counselors and staff were some of the most incredible people I have ever met and God had each of us there for a purpose. I love them so much and I would not have made it through this summer without them. They were such an example of what a godly community looks like and I loved getting to do life with them for a summer.

Our weekend trips were crazy and allowed me to create just for the love of creating again. I took photos for the fun of taking photos and having them just for ourselves. I worked on new songs, my book, and fell in love with reading again. I read so many books this summer and they changed my perspective on so many things— but more on that later ;)

This summer was one of the best of my life (if not the best) and it's all because of the people. My life simply doesn't look the same as it did after knowing them. Thanks for showing me new music, new phrases, and new styles! I am so thankful for everything God did this summer and I can't wait to see what he does in my new season of being back in Dallas.

Thanks to all of y'all for waiting while I took the summer off. I've got some really fun projects in the works that I'll be announcing next week!

-Luke

3 Concerts in 3 Days (Part 3)

Sat, 14 May 2022 00:41:46 GMT

James Arthur

Shooting this concert was an absolute dream. If James Arthur isn't my favorite artist of all time, then he's definitely top three. But, young Luke definitely would have had him leading the pack.

Of anyone I could have finished this season of concerts with (well almost finish—Clinton Kane photos dropping soon) I'm so glad it was with James. His album Back From the Edge is my favorite album ever. Period. There's not a bad song on the entire record. It will wreck your heart with songs like "Can I Be Him" "Sober" and "Finally." And it will take you to an even lower place with "Train Wreck" before it brings you full circle with "Remember Who I Was." The album is one I listen to to get my feels on or when I am going through it, but the vocals are simply memorizing.

Of course, the infamous song from this album is "Say You Won't Let Go" which topped charts around the world in 2016. The song follows the journey of a person and their lover across their lives—and perhaps thereafter.

"I wanna live with you

Even when we're ghosts

'Cause you were always there for me

When I needed you most"

- "Say You Won't Let Go"

The song was one of the first songs I learned to play on the guitar, so it holds a special place for me personally. The iconic cord plucking is recognized around the world and by all ages. Lyrically, it's incredible and gives a wide range of topics for listeners to relate to. The lyrics are beautiful in part because of the love that the singer has for the one to who he sings. It is a love, in fact, that most people believe to be rare.

The main chorus "Say you won't let go" is universally desired. Everyone seeks someone whom they can trust—someone who they can trust not just tonight, but for forever. Someone to hold them in times of extreme bliss, and someone to hold them when they can't get up on their own.

Call me crazy, but I've yet to see someone perfectly show that kind of love. In the handful of relationships that I've endured, I have experienced heartbreak, deceit, and hypocrisy—I certainly have been guilty of some of those. Of course, I am only 20 and have yet to experience what exactly it means to love to its full extent. However, I would still submit that no human is capable of showing a perfect version of love.

Anyways, the concert was absolutely unbelievable. James was still recovering from an illness, but he nailed every song in his set. Some of my personal favorites were "Sermon" in which James rapped the usual feature of Shotty Horroh, himself, and "Last of the Whiskey."

James was incredible to shoot from the pit (see my Instagram for the rest of the photos). If he wasn't low-key posing, then he is the most photogenic artist I have ever shot. Each shot seemed to line itself up perfectly and I could see my experience starting to pay off.

I am so thankful for the opportunity to shoot for one of my favorite artists and it was truly a scene from a dream I've been having since I was a kid. In the moment it didn't feel real and I sometimes find myself looking back at the photos to remind myself it was. God has been so good to me in this season and I am immensely grateful to everyone who has supported me and my art. I can't wait to see where this journey takes me next semester, but I look forward to the break this summer.

Everyone has called me crazy for taking a break right as I have started to see the first fruits of my work. I turned down two dream tours this summer, but I truly believe that I am being called to take a break from social media and the grind that I have been on recently.

I'm tired of the constant need to post to keep my momentum going. I'm tired of the constant push for engagement on my profile. While I love to create, it is also easy for me to fall into a cycle of creating the same thing over and over again simply because it works. I don't want to create because I have to. I want to create because I love to. Sometimes I can do both, but right now I need a break. So, (as talked about in previous blogs) I am going to serve in Colorado this summer. I'll be dark on social media starting Monday and I'll return on 08/15/2022.

Thank you all for the support you've given me in my first year.

Season 2 starts in August. I can't wait.

-Luke

3 Concerts in 3 Days (Part 2)

Wed, 11 May 2022 23:47:00 GMT

Nathaniel Rate liff

This concert was so special. However, it's probably not for the reason you think.

To start, Devon Gilfillian was absolutely incredible. His opening set placed a very high bar for the main feature, Nathaniel Rateliff and the Night Sweats (which they met). I have been listening to his music all week and have still not gotten tired of it. "The Good Life" hits different, go check it out.

What really made this concert special was the community of photographers. I learned so much from the older men and women that were there. I heard funny stories from previous concerts and mistakes that each had made in the past. I laughed at myself as I realized how new I still am to the space and how much more I have to go. Most of the concert—in my head—was overshadowed by the conversations I had before and in between shows.

I learned practical tips, but I also felt included. It was amazing the community that was so natural between us—although I have heard that is rare among photographers in the pit.

I also realized how thankful I am for what I get to do. I am literally living the dream that I have had since I was a kid. As a music lover, I am shooting for some of my favorite artists and getting to create my own art through them. I get to exercise my creative abilities while admiring the amazing creativity of these artists.

It is an outlet that not many people have and I consider myself so blessed to be able to do it.

In my reading recently, I came across Proverbs 16:3.

"Commit your work to the LORD, and your plans will be established" - Proverbs 16:3.

As I try to find my way through the crazy worlds of college, concerts, and everything else life is throwing at me, I am confident that I am exactly where I need to be because I have committed myself to do my best work for the LORD. I am thankful that I have the opportunity to honor God through it.

That being said, I am super thankful for a break from all of that craziness this summer. I am excited to get lost in the mountains of Colorado, serving families as I seek what God has next for me.

Just a reminder that I'll be gone from all socials from 05/15/2022-08/15/2022!

Have a fantastic week!

-Luke

3 Concerts in 3 Days (Part 1)

Tue, 03 May 2022 19:44:17 GMT

Bang!

Last week was unreal.

It was a taste of what I've been working so hard at building this semester. In three days—Thursday to Saturday—I shot tours for AJR, Nathaniel Rateliff, and James Arthur. Each night was filled with moments that will be influential for the rest of my photography career.

I think I'll tell Thursday's story this week—the opening night of AJR's "OK ORCHESTRA" tour. This was easily the best concert I have ever shot, witnessed, heard, (insert anything else here). It was spectacular. And I almost missed it.

When I got the green light for the concert a few days before I was in disbelief. I had requested the show forever ago and had low-key forgotten that it was coming up. The concert was taking place at the Pavilion at Toyota Music Factory—a venue I had never shot at before, so I got there early to make sure I could find my way around. Thank goodness for that.

I show up at the venue to pick up my pass, and the lady at will-call (bless her soul) just could not find my media credentials. She gave me a "that's tough" look and told me that I needed to contact my contact, otherwise, I wouldn't be allowed in. This was super unfortunate for me because my only form of communication had been through email and there was a very small chance that my contact would be checking her emails the day of the concert.

For those who know me personally, I hate confrontation with strangers. When people honk at me on the road it freaks me out. If a restaurant gets my order wrong I usually just try to ignore it. I just don't want to be "that guy." If I could just carry on with my day that would be great.

I'm not sure what exactly came over me (probably my love for AJR) but I was just not going to be told that I couldn't get into the venue when I had already been confirmed. I continued speaking with the lady even after she had told me there was nothing she could do—approval has to be given by the artist and also cleared by the concert venue. I pulled up all of my emails on my phone and she finally gave me a number that I could call to try and work something out. The man on the phone was super nice and confirmed that I was on the list for tonight and he wasn't sure why there was not a pass for me at the window. They ended up having me wait in VIP until the matter was sorted out and a lady came to give me my pass.

The whole situation was handled so professionally and I have only good things to say about Live Nation and all of their venues.

Que the opening act: GAYLE.

Who's that? You know her, you just don't realize it yet.

ABCDEF...GHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ.

Yeah, she sings that song. And she killed her set. Imagine being 17 and opening for AJR. Homegirl is so talented.

About halfway through her set though, I ran into some high-school friends which was just so fun. Having friends at a concert automatically makes it better whether you're working it or not.

I should also mention that I was cleared to shoot the entire concert as opposed to the normal first three songs of each set. That sounds great (and it was), but in reality, it just allowed me to overshoot (which I did), and then I hated myself later when I had to go through the footage.

Finally, it's time for AJR and I take my place in the pit. A massive screen spans the entire stage as a giant face bursts through it! It pokes fun with the crowd before the screen splits in half as the three brothers are revealed on stage—and so begins the craziest hour ever.

Each brother has his own unique skills and they each performed without a hiccup. The visuals in the show were some of the greatest visuals I've ever seen concert or not. The band does a fantastic job of creating a full experience for their fans. It really is a show, not just a concert.

I penned this quote the night of the show:

"Watching AJR live is like watching a show of the Four Horsemen from Now You See Me." -Luke Montgomery 04/28/2022

This is the best way to describe their show. It's filled with fantastical sounds, disappearing magic, and technology innovation. As soon as you think you have them figured out, Ryan, the middle brother, tells a story that rivals the best stand-up comedian performance.

It was truly such a blessing and dream come true to shoot for these guys, and I can't wait to release their photos later this week!

Just a reminder that I'll be going dark this summer on social media starting May 15! :')

Parts 2 and 3 of this series will be dropping soon! Thank you for reading!

-Luke

It's Almost Summer

Tue, 26 Apr 2022 22:22:58 GMT

Bye Bye Instagram

Thank goodness this semester is almost over. There's one more week until finals and then my freshman year of college will have officially come to a close. While I'll be slightly saddened at its passing, I'm excited for what's to come.

This summer I have the amazing opportunity to serve at Sky Ranch Family Camp in Horn Creek, Colorado. Sky Ranch has had a huge impact on my life as I grew up attending summer camp in Van as well as Family Camp at Ute Trail. I am so thankful for the many counselors that have poured into me over the years pushing me further in my faith, challenging me with tough questions, and shaping me into much of the guy that I am today. Because of this, I am super excited to give back to the camp that has given me so much.

As a result, however, I am going to be taking a step back from posting content over the summer. In fact, I will be staying off Instagram from 05/15/2022 to 08/15/2022. I want to be fully present at Sky and have the most opportunities to make connections and serve. God has me there for a reason and I cannot wait to spend my summer serving families.

While I won't be posting content, this does not mean that I am taking a 3-month break from creating—I'm pretty sure that would be impossible for me. I'm sure I'll have my camera along for weekend trips in the beautiful mountains of Colorado and I can't wait to experiment with the old Polaroid featured above. I plan on doing a series of Polaroids that will be featured in my content over the next year along with a story for each of them. Those who have been reading my stuff for a while now know how much I love for my photos to tell a story, so I am thrilled to have stumbled upon this old Polaroid and shoot organic moments on SX-70 film.

I'm also looking forward to journaling in the early mornings and getting inspiration for some of my next projects including a short novel that I have been working on since January that I hope to release and get published in the next year. It's a sentimental allegory that I have poured my heart into and I can't wait to get it into readers' hands. Other writings I hope to develop include poems, letters, songs, and prayers. I want to step up my writing game next year, and I am so thankful that I have had these blogs to confirm that for me (I still plan on posting a new blog every Tuesday after this summer)!

I want to end this sort of "summer announcement blog" with a verse that I am praying for myself during these final weeks of school and going into this summer.

"Therefore, since we are surrounded by so great a cloud of witnesses, let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God." - Hebrews 12: 1-2 ESV

Social media and photography are not sins in my life per se. In fact, they are often the means through which I am granted amazing opportunities and even a great source of income. But I think that they may have become weights that are limiting my ability to chase after Christ. This is not to say that they always will be, but, how often am I chasing deadlines—waking up and sending emails—before I sit and spend time with Christ? How often do I edit late into the night listening to secular music and watching shows that offer little value to my life?

The past two weeks I have been so swamped that I feel it affected my ability to love others well. I found myself in need of seeking forgiveness for my words simply because I was so stressed; I allowed myself to become aggravated by the smallest things—things that would not matter had my mind been focused on Christ.

By setting aside my desire to post my work this summer, I believe I will get a new perspective on my content. Everything I shoot I will be doing for the love of what I do rather than for the approval of others. I'm sure I'll end up keeping many of the Polaroids just for myself because of what they mean to me. I look forward to being free from the stress of feeling like I have to post every day or I'll "lose my momentum." While that is certainly possible, I trust that God will allow me to pick back up where I left off as soon as I'm back.

That being said I look forward to what this summer has to offer, but I just wanted to let y'all know why you won't be seeing any content! I'm super excited about what the next season of creating will look like for me starting back up in August! There will still be two more blogs before I leave so be watching for those on Tuesdays!

-Luke

A Snail's Pace

Wed, 13 Apr 2022 01:15:49 GMT

A Creative's Thoughts on Creating

Time has flown by recently. Life is moving so fast that it's hard to believe that my first year of college is almost over. Yet, at the same time, I feel that time has never moved slower. It's a game of perspectives. On one hand, my schooling and relationships seem to be passing me by very quickly, but on the other hand, my work cannot progress fast enough—it's moving at a snail's pace.

In reality, that's not true either. Over the past two months, I have shot more concerts than ever and have been hired to shoot for various organizations, churches, universities, and even have my first wedding coming up at the end of April. Yet, somehow, I still want more. I feel that I could be doing more than I am to further my career. I could be sending more emails, making more phones calls, and spending more time honing my craft. I'm probably right. I could do all of those things. However, I recently made the realization that I want more than just bigger and better shoots.

At this point, I think most of you know my love to create. It's so much a part of me that I have to set aside time to not be creative. If I had a day to myself—where nothing was required of me—it would probably be spent taking photos, playing guitar, reading a book, listening to podcasts, and sitting at my desk writing my own stories. The fact of the matter is I serve a creative God, and for some reason, he has blessed me with part of his creative nature. At my best, I seek to reflect Him through my own creations.

But are they my creations? And if they are, do I want them to be?

I suppose the obvious answer is "of course." I spend hours on them after all. Whether it's staring at a photo over and over again trying to find that one imperfection or sitting for long periods of time thinking of the perfect title—the work I put into my projects personalizes them to myself. My writings are my words and I certainly do not want to discredit my skill. Or maybe I should. I think it's easy for creatives to see themselves in their work. I would even argue that it is natural. A songwriter may write a song about something they experienced or an author may write in a protagonist that reflects themselves. A painter may alter his or her style throughout different seasons of their life. This is the reality of creating.

In no way will I suggest that these are bad things, quite the opposite. I think that it shows sincerity and genuineness which are vital to the success of the best artists, however, as Christians I think creatives have to be wary of becoming "the best artists." And no I'm not saying that it is bad to work hard to be the best at what you do. Paul calls us to work hard in Colossians 3.

"Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people." -Colossians 3 NLT

If every Christian is truly working their hardest, it seems apparent that some of us will no doubt become "the best" in our fields. However, I think creatives have a unique challenge because becoming "the best" in a creative field has a direct tie to oneself as an individual. This is different than any other industry except perhaps sports. For example, let's use an entrepreneur (in the business industry) who creates a successful business—Doritos chips. While some may know him or her (I certainly don't) millions more know the brand or the company: Doritos. While an individual may be responsible for starting the company, it is now much larger than any one person and thus it relies on many people to be successful.

That is wildly different than a creative's journey. A singer, photographer, painter, or actor may have a manager and people around them for support, but they are the brand. There is no logo or company name because their name is in lights. They or their work are what people pay to consume.

Therefore, I would submit that it is incredibly easy for a creative to lose sight of God's work through them and for their work to become about their creations. As soon as that switch happens, it becomes ten times easier for their identity to be shifted into their work and how they create. Just like that, they have been rendered useless to the advancement of the gospel.

And so the question becomes: As creatives, will we let our own stories get in the way of Christ's?

Once again, I would like to emphasize that I am not shaming people for telling their own stories. I only wish to pose the question: What if our story is not God's story?

All Christians have a story of redemption meaning that they have been made new in Christ. This is the most important story we can tell. Crazily, the protagonist in every single one of our stories is the same: Jesus. It's not ourselves, it's not our friends. This whole "main character/side character" discussion in culture right now is stupid and fruitless. But I digress.

"Remember that the Lord will give you an inheritance as your reward, and that the Master you are serving is Christ." -Colossians 3:24

This verse is just as important as the previous one because it speaks as to why we are to work hard. It is not for money, success, or even to become "the best." It is to serve Christ. To serve. If you view your work and your craft as a service, then it becomes way harder for your identity to fall into it. Your identity falls to who you serve: Jesus. If our identity falls to Jesus, then the stories we seek to tell and the art we choose to create will reflect that. That is ultimately where fulfillment lies for the artist—not in taking shortcuts to success, but in the snail's pace of service.

-Luke

A Brief Music Recommendation

Tue, 29 Mar 2022 21:27:08 GMT

Jonah Kagen

Trying something new this week with a music review. It seems like two months ago, one of Jonah Kagen's songs, Drowning , was in my Apple Music Recommended—yes, I know it's a hot take, but I use Apple Music, not Spotify (because it's better)—but that's a conversation for another day. His music resonated with me and I have probably played his songs hundreds of times over the past couple of months.

Fast forward to two weeks ago, I was shooting a concert for Maisie Peters at the Cambridge Room. That was exciting in itself because I knew her from songs like Favourite Ex and Feels Like This . She was performing her new album You Signed Up For This which will put you in your feels big time. Anyways, the night before the concert I realized that the opening artist was none other than—Jonah Kagen.

I guess you could say I was a little excited. I do my best to only shoot concerts for artists whose music I enjoy, so this was a huge victory to be shooting for two artists whose music I was a massive fan of.

As the stage lit up, Jonah won over the crowd as soon as he walked onto the stage and then smashed his set from start to finish. 10/10 would go see him in concert again. Crazily, it was his first tour, but he had so much charisma on stage that no one would have suspected it if he hadn't said so. As his set came to an end he announced that his new single, Turbulence , was dropping that night.

Turbulence is an amazing song—add it to your sad boi or girl playlists. But, if I were to rank my top five songs of his they would be as follows:

Broken
Moon
Drowning
Turbulence
Catching A Dream

Shout-out to Moon. Even though I have it at #2 it is so good on a late-night drive with the windows down. Each of his songs does an amazing job of telling a story as his rhyme and wordplay pull the listener in as the best artists do. I really can't wait to see what this guy puts out next (hopefully an album soon).

Well, that's it for this week—short and sweet—go check out his music and let me know what you think!

I'll be in College Station with Surfaces this weekend! Pull up to Island Party if you can!

-Luke

Welcome to the (Photo) Pit

Wed, 23 Mar 2022 01:00:03 GMT

Where a Kid Can Be a Kid

I recently had the opportunity to shoot a concert at the House of Blues Dallas for Chelsea Cutler. It was one of the most memorable times I've had as a photographer and while the performances were amazing, the people around me made it so much more.

This concert was one of my first times not shooting directly for the artist, but rather shooting through a third party. I am very fortunate to have a partnership with LiveNation for this blog that allows me to attend certain events and concerts with media credentials. On this particular night, four other photographers were shooting for various media outlets. One of them, James, had an amazing personality and naturally wanted to get to know us. All of us ended up introducing ourselves and sharing our photography journeys. It was truly amazing to get to hear from other artists about their unique paths and why they love to create.

As we all exchanged stories, I noticed that I was the youngest one there by about five years. The female photographer closest in age to me was shooting her first concert which was so exciting! The oldest among us—a very charming man—named Justin had been shooting for over 25 years and was still shooting on a Nikon film camera (which was the coolest thing ever). He said something to me that resonated with me for days to come.

"Take time to enjoy this. You didn't get here by accident. You earned this." -Justin

He reminded me that people work super hard to be able to shoot big events like that concert and many don't ever make it. It was no small feat that I was already being given these opportunities at such a young age. I am so thankful for the gifts that God has given me and I cannot wait to see where he ends up letting me use them.

Shooting in the pit with other photographers was a new situation for me. I was nervous about getting in people's way and/or blocking their shots. What if someone got mad because I kept stealing their spot? However, I was surprised at how naturally it came to me. It's almost like a sixth sense I had to have to keep my attention on the artist, but also know exactly where people were around me. As the night went on, I became more and more confident with going where I wanted to get my shots, rather than trying to avoid other people's. It was a fine line of respecting other photographers while also making sure that I was doing my best work.

Because there were two opening acts before Chelsea—ROSIE and Adam Melchor—there was plenty of time to talk and get to know people between acts. I met an amazing guy from Australia, Findlay, on the front row who was attending the concert with his fiance. Another group asked for some photos and I was happy to shoot a few for them. I'm not sure who was in charge of the aux between the performances, but that crowd was loving every single song. It was just a crazy atmosphere overall.

One of the most memorable moments came when someone on the front row dropped their cup over the barrier. I had been moving right under Chelsea (she was on the edge of the stage) and I totally didn't see it because I had my camera in one hand and my prism in the other. I tripped backward and ended up flat on my back. It was so humiliating. I swear Chelsea had to have seen it, but her professionalism gave her the ability not to react. In that moment I was so embarrassed, but the front row ended up just laughing with me and it's a funny story to tell now.

I am so thankful for all of the people that I met there and I can't wait to see what the photographers and musical artists create next!

I don't know about y'all, but this week is crazy busy for me so make sure you find time to relax a little bit too! Also, I'm excited to release something new next Tuesday, but more on that later!

-Luke

YouTube Sucks (Not Really I'm Just Tired)

Wed, 16 Mar 2022 00:36:30 GMT

Look Who Changed His Mind Again

I know what you're thinking: "Wow, another blog so soon?"

Yup. It's Tuesday. Strap in.

Last week was amazing, and I'm so thankful for the community of artists in the Dallas area (as well as those who traveled here) and the support they showed me over various shoots. In one week, I had the opportunity to shoot for Grady Spencer and the Work (my favorite band as of late), Chelsea Cutler, Adam Melchor, and ROSIE.

Each of those shoots deserves its own blog and I will probably write them soon because I learned so much about the creative industry this week. For the first time, I have so many projects going on at once that I have multiple cards with hundreds of images that I haven't had time to edit! On one of my biggest shoots ever—Chelsea Cutler—I am still waiting to deliver the photos over to management because I have not found the time to put a final folder together.

Needless to say, I'm stupid busy, and not having my laptop last week didn't help the situation. On top of these edits, I am working constantly to schedule new shoots, perform client management between shoots, and find time for myself—because ultimately I create my best work when I'm in a healthy place mentally and spiritually.

One thing that I have learned in the past couple of months, is the power—as a creative—of saying no to a project. I think a lot of us think that to grow, we need to say yes to everything. I was definitely guilty of this as I used to be constantly terrified that if I said no to a project, then I would miss a chance and never get one like it again. I found myself burned out very fast and every aspect of my life including creating was suffering. I was worse at relationships, school, commitments, and lost energy way faster than I could regain it.

For these reasons, I have gotten comfortable with making decisions that are best for me. A big one, recently, involved me giving up one of my dreams—shooting Ben Rector's tour this summer—in order to go back and serve at camp I grew up attending—but I'll touch more on that another time.

Previously, I said that I wanted to start a YouTube channel. I may have jumped the gun on that one. While I still desire to pursue that eventually, my initial dream of getting a video out every two weeks is simply not feasible in my current stage of life. I filmed an entire vlog of my day shooting Grady Spencer, but I have no desire to release it—partly because of some editing that still needs to be done, but also because I enjoy other forms of creating more. Shooting a video all day drained my energy and just wasn't as fun as I thought it would be. In the future, I think my videos will just be whenever I have time to sit down and create a story—one that is organically me and doesn't require me to put on a face 24/7.

So, I think I'm going to go back to a new blog every Tuesday. Any videos will just be done on top of that, and I don't want to tie myself down with a commitment to making them. When I'm ready, I'll choose a more consistent posting schedule for YouTube.

On a completely different note, now that the weather is warming back up, I get to do some of my favorite things again. In the past, items associated with my brand included hammocks, hats, and Arizona tea. I have found that I do my best writing, schoolwork, and edits when I'm outside, so I'm super excited to get back to those things. A dream day for me involves hanging out my hammock between two trees and sipping a can of tea as I listen to whatever music I'm feeling that day.

The location in the photo above is one of my current favorite places to go and study off-campus. It's a small pond less than 10 minutes away from campus, but it is beautiful and the water is as clear as I've only seen in Colorado. The best part about it? The solitude. I usually have the whole place to myself except for a few old men who walk it every day that I have grown fond of talking to. I'll hang my hammock right on the water between two huge trees. As I hang over the pond, the reeds sway around me and the air smells of spring finally coming. It fills me up in a way only nature can and I always come back from it recharged. While I'm there, I can accomplish anything and it allows me to take a step out of my crazy busy life every so often.

I think it's important that everyone has a spot like that. Just a place to recharge and escape. For some people, it can probably be their room but because I live in the dorms, my room isn't much of an escape. As an introvert, most of my inspiration for my projects comes from moments like those when I'm alone in nature.

"One can be instructed in society, one is inspired only in solitude." -Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

So many things become clear when I spend time meditating in silence. I make better plans, wiser decisions, and I think I am even more likable on days when I have charged myself up at my little spot. So, go find one of your own. Spend time exploring your own neighborhoods and communities until you find a spot that resonates with you.

I'll be at the Cambridge Room at House of Blues Dallas this Thursday shooting Maisie Peters and Jonah Kagen, so be on the lookout for photos dropping from previous concerts: Chelsea Cutler, Adam Melchor, and ROSIE, soon.

Go chase a dream this week.

-Luke

A Late Birthday Post

Sat, 12 Mar 2022 02:36:21 GMT

Peter Pan Lied

This week marked the completion of my 20th lap around the sun. If life were a marathon and years represented miles, I would be over 3/4ths of the way finished. I'm thankful it's not.

The 20-year mark definitely resonated with me differently than any other birthday, however. My recent birthdays (17, 18, 19) have all felt pretty much the same—just another year closer to being further on my own. Closer to being fully independent. Turning 19 was a big step as I moved to college, got my own space—as much space as a person can have in a dorm—and began managing a lot of my own money. But something about that number 2 in front of my age really rubbed me the wrong way yesterday. I'm not a teenager anymore. I no longer get to blame immaturity on "being a kid" or count on the fact that I'll "grow out of it" later.

The future is closer than ever, and I guess that begs the question: What does the future hold?

My answer: I don't know.

There is so much that I want to do in the near and far future including but not limited to:

- Growing Luke Montgomery Media as a company into a dynamic content creation team that seeks to tell the greatest stories in the world.

- Completing a whole tour with one artist as a lead photographer.

- Graduating college.

- Putting myself in a position to be fully independent and working for myself.

-Continuing to grow my craft of storytelling in the areas of photography, video, music, and written content.

These are only a few of the things that I hope to accomplish in my life, and on my 20th birthday, I realized there is so little time to do these things. I, honestly, had feelings of failure because my teenage years are gone and I am left sitting with mediocre achievements, average results, and a "normal" life.

Contentedness is something that I feel I have always struggled with. I think my creative mind partnered with my ADHD gives me a unique ability to always be thinking. I can be sitting right next to someone—in the middle of a conversation—and have absolutely no idea what they are saying because my mind is somewhere completely different. This can definitely be a tool, but it is often a curse as I have to constantly be working to stay present with the people I am with. I oftentimes sacrifice relationships in the present in the hopes of being somewhere else in the future.

Recently, in my quiet time, I started 1 John. Chapter 2 really stuck with me.

"Do not love this world nor the things it offers you, for when you love the world, you do not have the love of the Father in you. For the world offers only a craving for physical pleasure, a craving for everything we see, and pride in our achievements and possessions. These are not from the Father, but are from this world. And this world is fading away, along with everything that people crave. But anyone who does what pleases God will live forever." -1 John 2:15-17

As a creative, I get very caught up in my own image. How does my work compare to other photographers? What can I be doing to set myself apart? How can I look different—and thus be better than everyone else? My desires can easily shift to building a name for myself and storing up things on this earth. I find myself craving validation from my peers.

Thanks to some people close to me, I realized what a worldly perspective this is. I don't have to worry about separating myself from other people, because Jesus already did that for me when he saved me. Because of Him, I already stand out. If I am living my life to glorify him, then his path for me will become clear and it will automatically look different than anyone else's. My many goals will eventually morph into variations of themselves that will bring glory to Him, and those that don't will fade as my love for him increases.

So what does this mean for me? I am now 20 years old with my dreams very much still alive. It seems clear that God and I are on different timetables and I'm learning to accept that. While part of me will miss my teenage years, as a close friend said to me:

"How could a kid pursue all the dreams you have?"

Peter Pan was wrong. In time, we each have to grow up whether we like it or not. If we didn't, people would not be nearly as successful and as a Christian, I would never reach what God has planned for me. So much of the beauty of life comes from the time people spent getting to the end. And people are better off because of it.

So, I want to start investing more of my time and creative spirit into things that matter. I'm not exactly sure what that looks like yet, but I'm confident I will know in God's time.

I hope you all have an amazing weekend.

-Luke

Come Cloudy Days

Tue, 01 Mar 2022 21:09:20 GMT

Frozen in Place

I just want to take a moment to admonish Dallas' recent weather patterns.

What in the world? Early last week, I took my guitar and a bottle of Dr. Pepper down to the pond for a late-night jam under the stars. It felt amazing—lying on my back against the cool grass, plucking my guitar to my favorite songs, and staring up at the brilliant night sky—as brilliant as it can be in Dallas. As I gazed up at the little stars I noticed a breeze beginning to develop. A couple of clouds passed overhead, and then a couple more. They kept coming and coming until they covered the entire sky. When the next day came around, the temperature had plummeted and the streets were covered in ice. Classes were canceled and I found myself with tons of free time to do whatever I wanted (most of which was spent knocking out assignments).

While a little break was nice, it came with a spoonful of disappointment. Before the ice storm, I was scheduled to be in Fayetteville, Arkansas over the weekend to shoot an interview with Flatland Calvary preceding their concert. I was super excited for the project because it was a chance for me to continue moving into the video world while also keeping up with my brand of shooting concerts. Unfortunately, I couldn't make the journey with the streets so icy. I was literally frozen in place. It was yet another setback in my journey of hopefully making a career out of media.

While it sucked not going to Arkansas, I remain confident that it was for a reason. Perhaps I wasn't ready for such a huge shoot, or maybe God is giving me a little more time to get myself figured out before I take bigger steps. Whatever the reason, I know that there is still a mountain of potential in front of me that I cannot wait to climb.

"Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek his will in all you do, and he will show you which path to take." -Proverbs 3:5-6

This verse is quoted often, but I think it has particular significance for us when we genuinely don't understand what in the world is going on. There is so much going on in the world today—like seriously crazy things—that my missing one concert does not seem like a big deal. However, I am thankful that God knows each of us individually and chooses to know our hearts. He lovingly meets each one of us where we are and invites us to share our troubles and questions with him. No matter how big other events are in the world, he has time for every "small" concern we have. In 1 Thessalonians 5, Paul writes to the church and instructs them to pray without ceasing. This command is something that has resonated with me recently as I am seeking to worship God through creating media.

I pray that God allows me to reflect his story in all of the amazing stories that I have the opportunity to tell and that I will not boast in my natural ability, but instead in the redemption I have received from Christ.

Although the disappointment of a missed opportunity is still fresh, I am confident in God's ultimate plan for my life. I continue to be blessed with opportunities and I am so thankful for those of you who continue to support me with encouragement. Also, I am super excited to announce that I will be shooting for Grady Spencer and the Work this upcoming Friday at the Sons of Herman Hall in Dallas!

Have a fantastic week! A new video will be up on YouTube next Tuesday!

-Luke

What I Missed Yesterday

Tue, 15 Feb 2022 20:35:36 GMT

Making Time for Little Moments

Yesterday, as I drove to get lunch, I passed past a beautiful old car. It was white with a red accent all the way around. The mirrors were those old-fashioned circles and its tires had that iconic white ring. The car was so awesome that even I (knowing nothing about cars) knew it was valuable. As I pulled up next to the driver at the stoplight, I continued admiring its beauty. Quickly, however, the light turned green and it was gone—a moment missed. If I could go back and relive that moment I almost certainly would roll down my window, compliment the man's car, and hand him a business card with an offer to photograph his ride.

That is just one example of the many moments that pass us by every day. Each one contains an often unconscious choice—a choice I would submit most of us take for granted; I certainly do. We allow ourselves to become "busy" or "in a rush" oftentimes for something that we need not be and at the expense of every single opportunity that may reveal itself during that period. My lunch certainly could have waited a little while longer in order for me to pitch a shoot for a killer car. On a simpler level, what conversations do we miss with strangers every day as we simply walk past them? How often do we stand in awkward silence in an elevator filled with people with stories each unique as our own? Only yesterday, I walked next to someone for 5 minutes with our only communication being a mutual head nod. How many connections would we have if we genuinely lived curious lives?

As an introvert, it takes a lot for me to desire to put myself out there, but it is something that I have been training myself to do. While it comes naturally to some—particularly those extroverted—it is a skill worth developing in all of us. Those with entrepreneurial minds should see the value in this skill to a greater extent, so I'll speak to them for a second. You are your startup business' best advertiser. Almost all startup businesses originally grow by word of mouth. In other words, the more people you tell the faster your business will grow. Now, many other factors play a role, but as a general rule: the more people that know about your business the better your results will be. Take practical steps to sell yourself.

As a practical step last semester, I wore my camera everywhere I went. No matter where I was, working or not, my camera was at my hip. Practically, that is something that every photographer should do at some point because it will allow them to capture moments that he or she would never have thought of. I cannot tell you how many times I have been out doing something and have seen a perfect photo only to not have my camera. But from a business perspective, it gives you the ability to start conversations about your services. Better yet, it will draw people interested in those services to you. I gained two customers in one day just by eating at Chiloso wearing my camera. That being said, there are many other important things to remember while selling your services, but maybe I'll write a whole blog on that later.

Most of the moments mentioned earlier have involved another person. But what about the moments we miss when we're alone? I took the picture above driving home one-day last year. With the windows down, I noticed a herd of cows with spectacular horns grazing in a pasture on the side of the road. Not having anything better to do, I pulled into a nearby parking lot and pulled out my camera. As I moved closer to the cows, they began to stir, coming closer to the fence—it was as if they were posing for me. What followed was an amazing time of content creation as I squeezed through the fence (trespassing laws are just suggestions for photographers) and attempted to get the cows to do what I wanted. I combined so many things I loved: photography, animals, the outdoors, etc. However, I would have completely missed out had I just continued my normal drive home.

Small moments like these surround us every day, but it takes an aware person to notice them. I guess one takeaway is to take a long way home every now and then. Be spontaneous when you can. Take chances. Live life. Meet new people. You never meet a friend until you've met a stranger. You never know what you're missing out on until you're missing out on it.

-Luke

The Highest Honor

Tue, 08 Feb 2022 17:08:17 GMT

Always Faithful

What does it mean to have honor? Is a person born with it, or is it something that society invented in the hopes of maintaining some kind of order? Can it be developed or only lost? Society, today, would probably fail to answer any of these questions—or rather it would leave them open to interpretation by whomsoever wishes to answer them—I wish to.

The United States Marines Corps defines honor as:

"the base of a Marine's character. It is the quality that empowers Marines to exemplify the ultimate in ethical and moral behavior: to never lie, cheat, or steal; to abide by an uncompromising code of integrity; to respect human dignity; and to have respect and concern for each other. It represents the maturity, dedication, trust, and dependability that commit Marines to act responsibly, be accountable for their actions, fulfill their obligations, and hold others accountable for their actions." - Marine Corps Values

Last Veteran's Day, I had the privilege of attending and photographing the Veteran's Day ceremony at the Dallas-Forth Worth National Cemetery. The large turnout was surprising to me, however, I can guarantee you that there was not a veteran in attendance who was surprised by the number of people there. The community on display between the veterans and their families was something that I had only seen glimpses of in one other place: the church. Old and young, male and female, active and retired (if a soldier ever really retires) our soldiers showed up in uniform. Families gathered by the gravestones of the ones they had lost—some mourned, others celebrated, but all saluted.

As an outsider, I can only speak from what I saw and the stories that I heard. In no way do I claim to know this firsthand, but rather as just an observer. The community of military families is truly something of beauty. There must be a bond that forms between these people as they send off their children, their fathers, and their mothers to a place that they know they may never return from. A bond that says if they don't return, I'll still be here. And that's crazy for me to think about. I think it goes without saying (although is probably still not said enough) that these heroic men and women serving in our military have a sense of honor. But what I had not considered is the honor of the families who stay behind.

The families with loved ones serving in our military have the humblest pride about them. I believe there is an unspoken commitment that these people have to support each other. I'm sure each one has stories of their special person—that loved individual—that they delight in telling; they sacrifice making more memories with them every day in order to allow him or her to honor a calling to serve and protect the citizens of the United States of America.

As the ceremony was wrapping up and everyone was heading to their vehicles, a lone elderly woman stood among the many rows of perfectly placed gravestones. She wore a long red and black dress and gripped the stems of beautiful yellow flowers in her shaky and wrinkled hands. She smiled down at the grave, and as I drew closer, she spoke to it softly with a voice aged gracefully through time. I only caught the last few words she said.

"I'll miss you for a little while longer, but I'll love you forever." - Old woman by the grave

That image is burned into my mind. Out of respect, I didn't capture it with my camera, but I did later capture her flowers which can be seen above.

She was one of the most wonderful people I have ever met. I found that before I could even introduce myself, I was asking her about her story. Who was it that she came to visit? And how long had she been coming? And after she told me, I had another question and then another, and over and over I kept asking questions until I felt that I knew her. Her stories were beautiful, and I hope one day to tell them for all their worth, but here would neither be the proper setting nor would I have enough space. But I learned something as I sat and listened to her speak. Honor is not just shown on the battlefield by our veterans. It lies in the flowers that families place by their graves—in the time they spend by the names etched in stone. I am so thankful I, too, got to take part in that honor as I sat and listened to their stories. Not only was I able to honor our soldiers, but I was able to honor an amazing lady by simply giving her my time and a listening ear. It was truly an experience I will never forget.

-Luke

The Longest Night

Tue, 01 Feb 2022 17:38:33 GMT

Buckle Up Cowboy

This is going to be a fun one to write.

The following story reflects—in as much detail as I can fit into this blog—one of the best and worst nights of my life. Last December, I was super fortunate to have the opportunity to shoot for one of my favorite country artists ever, Kolby Cooper. When I got the green light for this shoot, I just about fell out of my chair (after I finished screaming like a child).

In all seriousness, I was honored to have the chance to shoot for this guy, and I began making plans for everything that I needed to have ready months in advance. The concert was taking place in College Station, Texas, so it would be about a three-hour drive for me from DBU. At the time this seemed like a minor detail—three hours in the car isn't that bad—and I had been on longer road trips. The only difference this time would be that I'd be the one behind the wheel of the car.

Looking back now, that's a huge difference.

The morning of the shoot, I woke up and drove to three different Starbucks. Two times, my maps took me to a Starbucks located inside of a Target and I would seriously rather drive five more miles than have to walk inside of a Target to order my coffee (also it's just never as good). After I'd had my caffeine I loaded up my gear into my car and set off for College Station around noon—the concert wasn't until 9:00 that night. To make the most of my extra time, I stopped by Baylor University and grabbed a bite with a friend in one of their dining halls which could not have been more different than what I was used to at DBU.

From there I finished the drive to College Station and made it in time for a late dinner at Double Dave's (Hot Take: they have the best pizza rolls in College Station). After riding electric scooters around Texas A&M's campus with my twin brother, Jake, it was finally time for me to head over to the concert venue. The venue had a line of concertgoers forming at the door, and like a fool, I completely missed the crew entrance. I waited in the entire line of people waiting to get into the concert. When I finally got to the front, they showed me to the side entrance where I literally could have entered the whole time.

Upon my arrival, I realized Jaden Hamilton was opening for Kolby, and I was super excited. I had been listening to his music since his first EP. He said something that stuck with me the rest of the night. I had been considering what exactly my next steps should look like with my business—should I stay in college and get my degree, or go out and see if I can make it somewhere else? He chose to drop out of LSU to pursue music, but he said,

"Ultimately, you're going to have to make a decision. What do you want? Once you know that, go for it. And don't look back because it doesn't matter what they think." -Jaden Hamilton

He absolutely killed his performance and I had a blast shooting photos for him.

Shooting for Kolby Cooper, I had my first opportunity to get on stage during a performance. I not only worked below in the photo pit but also mounted the stairs to get shots from the sides and behind. The rush of adrenaline I got from looking out at that crowd was amazing. I wasn't even performing, but to see a crowd singing, jumping, and yelling in delight was insane to witness from the stage. As I pressed my back against the barrier to get angles for some of my shots, people were grabbing at me and begging me to retrieve their lost drinks, rings, and who knows what else. So many people were dropping their phones over the barrier that I retrieved two or three before abandoning any effort to help—I didn't want to miss a moment of the concert.

By the time I finished shooting it was well past midnight and I wish the story ended there. Unfortunately for me, it doesn't. I packed up all of my gear and got ready to head back to DBU (I would have spent the night in College Station with my brother, but I had a Macroeconomics quiz at 8:00 that morning). About fifteen minutes into my drive back, I realized that I was going to need something to keep me awake for the rest of the drive because I was exhausted. I plugged a Love's gas station into my maps and figured I'd stop and get a Redbull.

Literally two seconds after I finished inputting my destination, I noticed two red and blue flashing lights in my rearview mirror. Whatever life was still in me at that point immediately left my body. I'd had so much fun shooting for one of my idols that night, but it looked like it was taking a turn for the worse.

It was.

After I pulled over to the side of the road, the officer approached my window and asked me if I knew why I was being pulled over. I looked that man straight in the face and said, "I have no idea, sir, I was going 70 mph." He laughed and said I sure was, the only problem was that the speed limit was 35 mph. To this day, I still fail to understand how that is possible. Apple Maps informed me to get on the highway (the speed limit was 70 mph), and I was to be there for 54 miles. I never exited the highway. Apparently, I had to learn the hard way about what people call speed traps in small towns.

Thankfully, the officer only wrote down that I was going 50 mph on my ticket so that I could get it removed from my record, but my next paycheck went straight towards paying off that ticket.

All that to say, I made it back to DBU and it made for a fun memory, but I don't think I'll ever be able to fully trust Apple Maps again. I'm super thankful for everyone that helped me out on that trip with things ranging from meals to hangouts, to life lessons. Jaden's words made me realize that I needed to make a choice. Ultimately, I did and I'm still here at DBU. My path may look different than others' paths, or even different than I thought it would have a year ago, but it has been filled with blessings and stories that I would not have gotten anywhere else.

Take care y'all.

-Luke

2021 Recap

Tue, 25 Jan 2022 17:19:50 GMT

Beautiful Moments

Howdy, y'all! It's been a while since the last blog, but I wanted to write this one to sort of summarize my 2021.

Last year was an amazing year of growth for me and I learned so much. Not only was I able to develop as a content creator, but I learned so much about myself and life in general. College is hard… and as much as it pains me to say that, I’ve had to allow myself to accept it. The pace of college life is like a marathon, but also a sprint at the same time. You run 100 meters as fast as you can and then you realize that there’s still more for you to do and the cycle repeats over and over and over. I tried to heed the advice of so many who have done the college thing before me: “get involved in as much as you can” “college is what you make it” “these are the best years of your life” etc. While there are certainly elements of truth to each of those statements, last year I think I finally found the value of specialization.

In my first semester of college, I rushed a fraternity, worked a part-time job for 10 hours a week, tried to stay afloat in school, found a church home, managed my small business, and spent countless hours shooting, editing, and designing. Needless to say, I was wiped. I realized that there was simply not enough time for me to do everything that I wanted. While I was doing a lot, I was not doing any of it well. Some of my relationships were strained, to say the least, my ego was off the charts, and I lost perspective of why I wanted to go to college in the first place.

As a creative, I feel like I am constantly looking for the next best thing. There’s always one more piece of gear I can accumulate to make my work that much better or one more connection I can make to further my sphere of influence. If I could just land that one shoot, life would be perfect and then I would be happy. I am thankful that it only took me one semester to uncover that lie because there will always be a next thing to look towards. There is peace when we spend our time seeking fellowship with others in the present.

I took the picture featured above on a Saturday last October when I was particularly stressed. In fact, I was in such need of an escape that I drove two hours to Oklahoma to capture this sunset (yes I’m that much of an introvert). It was such a beautiful moment for me because it gave me time to sit back and think about what I wanted. My life was a mess—and would get messier before the year ended—but that moment of peace was so important for me. I didn’t receive some special revelation from God or a message about the future, but I knew that I would have someone with me for the whole journey to come.

As great as it would be to do everything I want, I have come to realize that that is not what I am called to do as a Christian. If Paul’s letter to the Colossians calls me to work hard in everything I do, then I must limit what I do in order to excel at what I do. As 2022 has started, I have found beauty in consistency and routine. Hard work is fulfilling and college really is such a sweet time.

Despite some of the setbacks of 2021, I am so thankful for the people who stuck with me and taught me more in such a short period of time than I thought possible. I am so blessed to be at DBU right now and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. I am looking forward to some of the projects I have coming up and I cannot wait to share them with y’all. My prayer for myself this year is Paul's prayer at the end of Ephesians 3. I just finished going through Ephesians, and this verse has been on my heart throughout it.

"Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen."

-Ephesians 3:20-21

I have no idea what this year holds, but I know that it is more than I could ever imagine. Hoping to get back to the weekly blogs (so be watching on Tuesdays!), but I will be managing my time differently this year so we’ll see! I am so thankful for all of you!

-Luke

Body of Water and Work

Tue, 09 Nov 2021 22:37:33 GMT

Torrent

This past year I put together my first exhibition: Body of Water and Work. It is comprised of five images I took in Colorado, Texas, and Missouri. Each image contains water as the main feature in its various forms: a still lake, a morning dew, or a brilliant waterfall. The photos are edited uniquely to eliminate all color. They are almost true black and whites if it were not for the streaks of brown I left throughout them. For me this represents a drowning out of the unimportant; it forces the viewer to look where I want and focuses their eyes on what matters in the images.

The photo featured above from my exhibition was recently curated into the Black Box Gallery's Focus: Trees and Water in Portland, Oregon. It has been up for over a week and I still don't believe it. I never thought that a photo I took would one day be considered good enough to be featured in a gallery dedicated to the exhibition of contemporary photography. It is interesting to note, however, that the photo curated was my least favorite in my exhibition. When I was selecting images for Body of Water and Work, "Torrent" almost didn't make it, and even after I decided to include it, I never thought that it would be curated.

For reference, the entire exhibition can be seen on my Instagram. Out of those five images, "Torrent" ranks the lowest on my personal favorites list. This is probably because I strive for each of my photos to tell a story. If you look at one for a while, you can almost imagine what the subject has been through. The small details fill you in on what you may not have noticed upon your first glance. Storytelling has always been one of my passions—hence why I started this blog—and it is amazing that I get to do that through photography. Even when I shoot portraits, I love to capture organic moments. Candid shots are far more enjoyable for me as a photographer because of the stories behind them. Catching someone mid-laugh or a couple locking eyes in a moment that only they understand makes the photo that much better. Stories are all around us, and my camera gives me the ability to freeze one as it happens so that it can be told in detail later.

Looking back at "Torrent" there is a story there, and it would never have been told if the photo were never curated and this blog had never been written. The photo was taken after a long hike with my family, friends, and a few strangers who joined along the way. The hike was laborious but filled with rich conversation and laughter as we hiked up the trail and reflected on the beauty around us. I made the hike with way too much camera gear on my back—a lesson I learned the hard way—I definitely did not need two camera bodies and three lenses. At the top, I pulled out my tripod, assembled my camera, and captured the waterfall without much thought. I spent the rest of the time cracking up with my brothers and—against our parents' wishes—getting as close to the dropoff as possible. The RAW photo stayed in my storage for months before I even thought to download it.

That last sentence reminds me of a quote I once heard.

“The graveyard is the richest place on earth, because it is [there] that you will find all the hopes and dreams that were never fulfilled, the books that were never written, the songs that were never sung, the inventions that were never shared, the cures that were never discovered, all because someone was too afraid to take that first step, keep with the problem, or determined to carry out their dream.” -Les Brown

If I had never gone back for that photo—even though I didn't think it was my best one—I would never have had the opportunity to be curated into my first art gallery. There are so many people with dreams that simply need to take that first step. It may be as small as going through your old stuff, but it can start you on a journey towards what you have always dreamed of.

There is so much that I long to do in this life. From photography to music, from writing to carrying out The Great Commission, it seems like I will never have time to do it all. However, I want to do as much as I can before I am laid to rest in the ground one day. I hope my grave is the poorest grave possible because I have spent my entire life seeking to be the best in every area that I can to further glorify Christ; so that when I die, I have left no stone unturned, no project unfinished, and no call unanswered.

-Luke

Rock Out

Tue, 02 Nov 2021 18:08:49 GMT

Off the Deep End

I hate rock music. It was unfortunate that I did not remember this until I was standing with my camera in front of hundreds of people eagerly awaiting a Skillet concert. Skillet, a Christian rock band, had offered me the gig a few weeks earlier and I had eagerly jumped at the chance. This was the concert that would officially initiate me as a "concert photographer"—I had shot for Gable Price and Friends earlier, but this was the first time that I had to sign contracts, split legal ownership of the images, etc. After listening to of few of Skillet's songs beforehand, I had not fallen in love with their music, but I was super excited to shoot for them nevertheless. Under the terms of the contract, I was to shoot the first three songs of their set, a rule very common at concerts (they do not want photographers to be a distraction the whole night).

The problem for me, however, lay in the fact that Skillet had two bands opening for them. I was only under contract with Skillet, so I technically had no right to photograph the earlier bands. Both of the opening bands were heavy rock bands, so I am not exaggerating when I say that it was painful for me to sit through. The band members were incredibly talented—especially the guitarists, but it was just not my kind of music. About halfway through the first band's third song, I was losing my mind just standing around with my camera. To be perfectly honest it was super awkward to be at the front of the crowd—alone—while everyone jumped around dancing behind me. Finally, I could stand it no longer and I decided that I would shoot the opening bands to "warm-up" and I would not use or share the images. This gave me something to do and ended up being a wise decision because I got to practice shooting in the unusual lighting situation.

As soon as I popped off my lens cap I felt right at home. I began moving around the venue and taking some amazing photos. By the time the second band, Adelitas Way, came out I was surprised to find myself enjoying some of their music. When they had finally wrapped up their final song, I was officially ready to shoot the main event. As everyone began cheering for Skillet to come out, I took my place in front of the barrier.

The next three songs went by faster than any other time in my life. Colored lights flashed, music blared, people screamed and pumped their fists, and I captured all of it with my camera. I ended up stepping back into the crowd to use them as foreground in my photos. The photo pit is great, but it can only give a certain look to your photos. Half of the time you are shooting up the artist's nose and the angles are weird. Once I moved into the crowd, however, there was a lot more to capture and many more stories to tell. Phones raised into the air made for great leading lines to the center of my photos. During the last song, the lead vocalist for Skillet strapped smoke canons onto his arms and shot them over the crowd. That photo remains one of my favorites today.

As soon as the third song finished, I gathered my gear and headed for the door. As much fun as I'd had shooting the concert, I had other places to be once my work was finished. As I headed through the back alley to my car, I saw the members of Adelitas Way packing up their trucks. I honestly did not think much of it until I got to my car and realized that I was missing out on a great opportunity. So, I made my way back over to them and introduced myself. I humored them with my story of shooting their performance and they ended up permitting me to post their photos as well. It ended up being a super cool experience and I made a connection that I totally would have missed out on it if I had not made the conscious effort to introduce myself.

This has proved itself time and time again in this industry. You will miss out on so many amazing opportunities if you do not take the time to reach out to people. Whether you make a phone call, send an email, or schedule a face-to-face meeting, make sure you take time to introduce yourself. Explain what value you could add to whatever the situation is and see what happens.

Hope y'all have an amazing week!

-Luke

Who is Luke Montgomery Media?

Tue, 26 Oct 2021 17:53:26 GMT

The Story Behind the Camera

Hey guys! I'm super excited to be posting my first blog. If there is one thing that everyone knows about me, it is that I love to create. I love photos, videos, music, storytelling, and any other outlet that allows me to be creative. I've wanted to start a blog for a while, and I've finally got stories that I am ready to share with y'all—I've already planned out some posts and I can't wait to share! In this first post, however, I wanted to give those of you who maybe have not been following me and my career for a long time, a chance to get to know me and my work better.

I'm from Dallas, Texas and I am currently a student at Dallas Baptist University. It's been a crazy time trying to balance work and school, but I hope to graduate with a degree in Politics, Philosophy, and Economics with a minor in Mandarin. Currently, the dream is to be able to use my media business as a way to fund my overseas mission journeys in China and wherever else God calls me, but I am open to whatever God has for me. I first fell in love with media in the seventh grade when I took Introduction to Film and Broadcasting. I was instantly mesmerized as I held a DSLR camera for the first time—the feeling was the same as when my parents handed me the keys to a car—I could not wait to see what I could do with it. I took every class on Film and Broadcasting that my middle and high schools offered and gained hands-on experience shooting sports games, events at my church and school, and personal projects.

Needless to say, most of my early experience was in the film and videography world. My favorite project that I worked on was a documentary about my family's history of flying. My grandfather, his son-in-law, and his grandson are all pilots, so I interviewed the two youngest on what it meant to carry on that legacy. Thousands of feet in the air as I captured my b-roll, I knew that I wanted to create for the rest of my life. Then, during my junior year of high school, I made friends with a super gifted photographer in my yearbook class. He was younger than me, but he taught me so much about photography—the basics and the not-so-basics—and eventually, I was able to spread my wings and shoot in manual all by myself.

I started off doing free photoshoots for my friends (mostly for the experience, but I also loved shooting that much) and shortly after that, I started serving at my church as a photographer. This was all great and I loved every minute of it, but it was not making me any money. Then, slowly I began to charge people for my services, $10-$30 at first, and then moved upwards (maybe I'll write a more in-depth blog about how to monetize yourself later). During the Covid outbreak, I officially launched my business as Luke Montgomery Media. I began to shoot for businesses, events, and eventually, moved on to my most recent endeavor: concerts. Concerts are a blast to shoot, and I have been so blessed with the opportunities that I have been offered. Now that I am in college, there are so many opportunities to use my camera whether for organizations, couples, or just someone who wants some amazing photos of themself. I cannot wait to see what else God allows me to do next.

Feel free to reach out with any questions you may have! I love hearing from you all!

-Luke

Shoot with Luke

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My 100th Instagram Post

Then vs. Now

A Mountian Poem

05.27.2022

Meanwhile this Summer...

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3 Concerts in 3 Days (Part 3)

James Arthur ﻿

3 Concerts in 3 Days (Part 2)

Nathaniel Rate liff

3 Concerts in 3 Days (Part 1)

Bang!

It's Almost Summer

Bye Bye Instagram ﻿

A Snail's Pace

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A Brief Music Recommendation

Jonah Kagen ﻿

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YouTube Sucks (Not Really I'm Just Tired)

Look Who Changed His Mind Again

A Late Birthday Post

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Come Cloudy Days

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The Highest Honor

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Body of Water and Work

Torrent

Rock Out

Off the Deep End

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The Story Behind the Camera

Creators not Consumers

Life on the Mountain

James Arthur

Bye Bye Instagram

A Creative's Thoughts on Creating

Jonah Kagen