Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Rick Raasch. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Rick, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Let’s start big picture – what are some of biggest trends you are seeing in your industry?
As a wedding, family, and event photographer, I see two big trends in the industry right now; AI and film photography. Ironically, these seem to be opposite of each other, yet both are significantly influencing the field of photography and gaining popularity.
AI is everywhere and has many photographers feeling apprehensive about the future of their careers, which is understandable. The speed at which technology has advanced in just a few years is truly mind-blowing. The capability to generate anything your mind can think of based on a simple string of text in Mid-journey, altering the composition of a scene in Photoshop using Generative AI, or fully retouching a photo in just seconds through Evoto AI is incredible! However, I don’t believe AI will replace wedding, family, and event photographers—at least not for another decade or two…hopefully. Photography has weathered various “photography-ending” advancements like the transition from film to digital, the creation of Photoshop, smartphone cameras, auto-focus tracking, and more, all of which have unsettled seasoned photographers. Similar to these tools, AI is the next chapter in photography, offering another tool in the photographers’ toolkit to aid in their creative vision and workflow.
In a recent discussion from SLRlounge titled “AI’s Game-Changing Influence on Photography,” photographers Pye Jirsa and Lee Morison discuss the topic of AI. There were many excellent points during the thought-provoking discussion but one section that stood out to me was how Pye argued that “Photography is simply an emotional anchor back to an experience we had.” Yes, AI creations will become more common but there will always be a need for “real” photography.
(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pYJ8GtSMfU8&ab_channel=SLRLounge%7CPhotographyTutorials)
Speaking of reality, film photography is seeing a big increase in popularity. Whether it’s wedding photographers adding film to their packages or 20-somethings buying disposable cameras for a trip, film is back, and I’m for it. Although I don’t shoot film, yet, I have a love for the film look, as one would see by all the photography books on my shelf. There is nothing more “real” and authentic than film, which is probably why it’s so popular again. Film photography- with all its grain, light leaks, motion blur, imperfections, and vintage organic tones- is a direct resistance and backlash to all the perfectly polished digital images, and now AI imagery, we are saturated with. With its increasing popularity, film is impacting digital photography in many ways like teaching digital photographers to slow down and be more intentional with their shots. There’s also been a shift in editing from high dynamic range ultra-vibrant sharp photos to more subtle and subdued edits that are truer to life. Sometimes with all the advances in tech, we forget where we came from and the roots of how it all started.
AI and film have helped me in my career over the past year. I have integrated AI editing with Imagen and culling with Narrative Select. These programs have significantly increased not only my gallery/deliverable turnaround time but also improved the consistency of my work. Also, this process has given me more time to invest in education, experiment with new techniques, pursue personal projects, and recharge before significant shoots, ensuring that I am fully present for my clients. AI editing is a win-win for photographers and clients and isn’t going anywhere. Photography will not be replaced, but it is changing, and I’m excited to see where it goes next.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello there! I’m Rick, a passionate professional photographer based in Long Beach, California. With over 5 years of experience, I specialize in capturing the most cherished moments of life through portraits, including engagements, weddings, family gatherings, and other special events.
I am committed to delivering imagery that captures your most cherished memories and moments beautifully and timelessly. Whether you seek beautiful wedding photography, precious family portraits, or stunning portraits, my passion is capturing your essence and vision eloquently and narrating your unique story. With over 5+ years of experience and hundreds of thousands of delivered photos, you can enjoy your day to the fullest and leave the rest up to me. It is my privilege to be part of your special moments preserving your memories as works of art that you can treasure forever.
In every gallery, my goal is to present you with a diverse range of images, spanning from classic “must-have” staged photos to candid, documentary-style snapshots that authentically narrate your story. Employing a modern, warm, vibrant, and true-to-life editing style with a subtle touch of flair, your photos are crafted to withstand the test of time. If you lean towards a vintage aesthetic, explore my film-inspired preset, meticulously derived from genuine Kodak 400 film scans, seamlessly blending the digital and film worlds. Additionally, my love for elegant black-and-white film ensures that your gallery will feature a selection of these captivating images.
My journey began with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology from Vanguard University of Southern California. During this time, I got my first camera from my roomate and found a passion for photography and visual communications. During my senior year of college, I worked at the Port of Los Angeles in the photo, video, graphics department and loved it! After college, I had the privilege of working in non-profit marketing. When that job came to an end, I decided to fully invest in photography and videography full time and go for it! Over the years, these experiences have enriched my understanding of people’s values, emotions, and stories, which I bring into every photograph I take.
Currently, I’m fortunate to be a part of the talented team at Lin & Jirsa. This immensely talented and dynamic environment allows me to continuously refine my craft and give you the photos you desire.
Beyond photography, I love drumming and music, snowboarding, motorcycle adventures in the desert, and delicious food and drinks. My true anchors and sources of life are my faith, my wonderful wife, our golden doodle Jax, and my family. They are my constant sources of support, inspiration, and motivation.
I have a genuine love for life and feel so privileged to be a part of yours! I love what I do and am blessed to give you the gift of photography. I believe you are created by God and your story deserves to be told in the most beautiful and authentic way possible.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
I wish I had known about SLRlounge and other online education courses for photography instead of scrolling through YouTube. Don’t get me wrong, YouTube is great and I owe a lot of my career and knowledge to YouTube videos, but with all the time I spent searching for quality content, I could have been learning and following a step-by-step course. For photographers starting out I’d recommend learning from an actual course and shadowing a professional in the industry you want to get into. Then, supplement your learning with YouTube videos by searching for specific questions. As one of my mentors and founders of SLRlounge, Pye Jirsa, says, “Quality education is the only investment that ALWAYS pays you dividends.”
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
For me, the most rewarding thing about being a photographer of people is capturing who they are and documenting their life. I believe we’re all made in the image of God and I love that I get to be a co-creator in that. I also love the people I meet that I may not have met if I didn’t have a camera. Life is beautiful and goes by too fast and being able to live life with people, be there for them for their important life moments, and give them a tangible memory they can keep forever is such a blessing. I’m so thankful I get to do what I do and am genuinely excited when I get a new inquiry.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.Raasch.Photography
- Instagram: @Raasch.Photography
Image Credits
All photos by Rick Raasch of Raasch.Photography