Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Vlad Levine. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Vlad thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Did you always know you wanted to pursue a creative or artistic career? When did you first know?

I remember exactly when I started to think about pursuing this path professionally. Our production studio was open, and we saw many different types of clients coming through for productions, portrait sessions, and smaller projects. This let us see firsthand different creatives, meet them in person, and understand what they were about. I already knew I really liked artists. I was involved myself in creating my own hand-painted canvas backdrops that I used for my photography. A long time before that, I took some art classes, so I always considered myself an artist. I see photography and videography as my medium now.
What happened was, I was helping a friend document a big collection of valuable artwork. For me, that was like… well, it was amazing because instead of us going from artwork to artwork, the artwork was coming to us. We could touch it carefully, look at it up close. We chatted with the gallery owners about the backstory, the artists, and their creative process. How often do you get to see the back of a painting or the signature? I could just experience going through every single artwork myself, uninterrupted, and I really enjoyed it. It felt kind of perfect.
I realized that to do this kind of work well, you need not only expertise but also taste. I’m a big believer that doing things you really enjoy brings a lot of joy, and this work fits the lifestyle I like. Doing that job, I realized, ‘Yeah, that’s exactly what I like.’ I knew I had the expertise – something many artists focusing only on creating might not prioritize – but I also had the appreciation and understanding of the artwork. This made it enjoyable for me, and I felt I could give the art the best representation, capturing the feeling because I have an eye for it as an artist myself. By doing this specific work, I realized how much I wanted to focus on this area. I saw there’s a whole market where I could work primarily with artists, not just documenting art, but really working with them and telling their stories.
I’ve invited many artists just for coffee so I could ask them about their work and process. Helping them create branding videos or documenting their shows isn’t that different from those coffee meetings, except now we can provide tremendous value through the work we do together. Realizing I could build a lifestyle combining the photography and videography I already do, but specifically working with people and professions I really care for – that was the moment I knew that was the direction to take.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My name is Vlad Levine, and my company, The Lightroom Studios, which I started with my wife Jasmine Levine, has been around for a few years. We had studio locations back in Dallas, Texas. Our main work still stays loyal to helping artists bring their vision to life. Before, we did this largely by renting out our creative setups and space. As of right now, our approach is different – we focus directly on photographing artwork and creating branding videos and photos for the creative community, helping tell their stories. So, while how we help has evolved, the core mission of supporting artists’ visions remains the same, something we’re actually really proud of.
We now specialize in things like high-quality art photography, product photography specifically for artists, creating branding films and artistic portraits, documenting events like exhibitions, capturing gallery installation visuals, and making marketing content that helps artists connect with their audience. Basically, creative videography and photography centered around the art world here in NYC.
How I got into this comes from my background. I’ve always been creative, and I gained technical skills from running production studios. I saw that artists are often underrepresented, maybe because putting their work out there isn’t as straightforward as it might be for, say, a lawyer or a financial firm. That’s actually where I started my own business journey, doing work for commercial and corporate clients (and sometimes still do). But my passion lies with the art community. Often, people see art in a gallery or online but don’t get the full picture of why it was created. That’s the main problem we solve – we help tell that story.
We recently relocated to New York City to be closer to the art community and galleries. Galleries are great clients for us too because they represent many artists and have established connections, allowing us to help provide strong visuals for the artists they work with.
What sets us apart? I think it’s that I understand things from an artist’s perspective myself. We don’t just take pictures; we collaborate, understand the vision, and bring it to life authentically. We combine that understanding with professional photo and video skills.
I’m most proud when an artist feels their work and story have been represented accurately and powerfully through what we create. We want people to know The Lightroom Studios is dedicated to supporting artists, understanding their needs, and collaborating to make something amazing that truly reflects their vision.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

Yes, there’s definitely a mission. With technology changing so fast – AI, new media – the art world is also shifting rapidly. Every artist I meet talks about needing to be adaptive. Some are entering the art world working only with new digital tools.
With things changing at such a rapid pace, I believe there’s a need for equally fast and effective ways to show and explain the art being made. The way artists share their message needs to keep up.
That’s where our passion for storytelling comes in. We aim to provide that crucial link. As an artist myself, I bring that understanding to the table. We blend our storytelling approach and passion with the technical expertise needed to deliver strong visuals. We want to help artists communicate effectively in this fast-changing environment, making sure their message and vision come through clearly. Providing that kind of adaptive, understanding visual support is our main goal.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

For me, the most rewarding part of being creative, especially in the work I do now, is the connection and the process of working together with other artists. It’s really special to be invited into their space, hear about their ideas, and see how they create.
Then, taking that understanding and figuring out how to capture it visually – through photos or video – so that it truly represents their work and who they are, that’s really satisfying. It’s about finding the right way to show their art and tell their story honestly.
When an artist sees the final photos or video and feels like we got it right, that we helped them share their vision in a strong way, that’s the best feeling. It’s more than just finishing a job; it feels like we’re contributing something positive to the creative community. Using my skills to help support artists I respect – that combination is what makes this work rewarding.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thelightroomstudios.com/
• Instagram: thelightroom.studios

Image Credits

Haley Guilfoile
Jasmine Levine
Vlad Levine