Answering Your Questions: Instagram Q&A

Over the long weekend I asked my followers on @editingluke if they wanted to ask any questions regarding my photography, travel, film, past posts, etc. I was incredibly impressed with how engaged everyone was, so instead of letting all the questions disappear into the void I thought I'd recap and share a few of the highlights from this spontaneous Thanksgiving weekend Q&A.

If you have more questions be sure to send a message through the Editing Luke Instagram and I'll try to answer more of the most asked ones in a future Q&A.  

 

Editing Luke in 2020 ... Not Quite A Recap

Since Editing Luke launched in 2007 I've always put together a year end recap to share some of my highlights and creative achievements as a way to reflect, gain perspective, and to take a moment to appreciate the journey the year provided. 

Obviously, 2020 is an entirely different can of worms.

It's not that there weren't achievements this year. In fact, if I'm honest I've had a relatively strong year all things considered. From visits and travel shoots in California, promoting existing film content to new audiences, releasing hundreds of new images and building up online print sales, and even managing several weeks of travel shoots in France - I've definitely had considerably worse years than 2020.

Snapshots from Editing Luke in 2020.

What's changed is that at the end of this year I don't particularly need any more time to reflect. The year has provided nothing but time to reflect and I'm eager, if not completely distracted, by what 2021 has in store. Between the measured optimism of all the things I want to see and do, there's also still a considerable amount of uncertainty in the mix.

Unlike 2020, which had moments and projects that could be salvaged or altered because the planning predated the chaos, it's been almost impossible to predict or try to confirm anything with accuracy in the new year. My experience in France was no exception to how chaotic trying to make things work in this 'new normal' can be. Are we even out of the storm? I don't know.  

The reality of running a small production company that specializes in travel, documentary, and general promotional content can be mentally exhausting at the best of times. I've discovered it's a 'one day at a time' scenario when the world has paused and you have nothing but time to marinate in your own insecurities and have had your ambitions put on hold. 

I'm even finding it hard to distract myself with content these days. I have thousands of unpublished images from numerous travel shoots waiting in the wings that aren't even worth releasing until people can go places again. And there's another checkmark for 'things I never knew would be a problem in my lifetime'. 

I know I'm not alone in feeling the frustration and stress. I know this year has created challenges that we'll all be dealing with for years to come. And even in thinking about my own recap this year, I've realized that maybe I don't have context for this yet while I'm still in the middle of it.

I'm doing fine, but I'm coasting. Just waiting like everyone else.

Things could be worse. Things could be so much better too.      

So, forgive the lack of a recap this year, and in breaking a 13 year tradition on this website, but I'd rather be looking forward right now. I'm sure many of you can relate. 

Please join me in willing 2021 into being something amazing. After the haze that was 2020, I think we're all going to need one another more than ever.

  

Editing Luke in 2019

It was a year of incredible challenges, competition, and stress, but also a year of reinvention, growth, and undeniable achievement for Editing Luke. Once again, I won't bore you with every project that I was involved with in 2019, but here are some of the standout moments and personal bests that made this year one that I'm particularly proud to share: 

January 2019 - My year kicked off with an invitation to speak and share a bit of my story with hometown photographers at the Medicine Hat Photography Club. One of the coolest things about the invite is that it provided an opportunity to really reflect on my approach in a way that I hadn't considered or contextualized before. 

January 15, 2019 - A series of travel shoots in Calgary, Alberta resulted in the release of a brand new photo set featuring the architectural details of Calgary's newly built Central Library. In addition to one of the images trending on Instagram, the post quickly became the most viewed set on Editing Luke in January.

January 30, 2019 - My documentary, On 2nd received additional attention after playing at the 2019 Mayor's State of the City Address in Medicine Hat, Alberta. 



February 12, 2019 - A new photo set featuring Death Valley National Park in California became February's most viewed post on Editing Luke.

February 2019 - The Hey, Canada travel photography series was officially launched.

March 1, 2019 - With the production company growing, I took a moment to celebrate the 5 year anniversary since Editing Luke became my full-time operation. 

March 11, 2019 - An overnight frost and well-timed shoot lead to this photo set going viral and easily garnering the most views on Editing Luke in March.

March 21, 2019 - Editing Luke was interviewed on CBC Radio Calgary.

April 1, 2019 - A series of new travel shoots took place in Edmonton, Alberta.

April 8, 2019 - A new photo set of an old lodge in a Florida swamp attracted the attention of the Tallahassee tourism board and lead to this post becoming April's most viewed.

April 2019 - After several months in talks, planning, and negotiations, I secured funding to produce a new feature length documentary.

May 1, 2019 - This new photo set of the Kennedy Space Center in Florida became the most viewed post of May on Editing Luke. 

May 17, 2019 - Documentary production went into full swing.

May 2019 - In what became my most ambitious travel shoot of the year, for the second half of May I embarked on a 14 state road trip through the Northeast USA. This travel shoot was also noteworthy as following it I had officially shot photography and video (in varying capacities) in all 50 United States and D.C. 

June 4, 2019 - Cover images featured on the annual report for the City of Medicine Hat.

June 12, 2019 - Filming on the documentary continued in Vancouver, British Columbia.

June 26, 2019 - Following an exploration of RCA Studio B in Nashville, this new photo set went on to become June's most viewed post on Editing Luke.

July 1, 2019 - Travel shoots in Regina and Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.

July 15, 2019 - Documentary enters post-production.

July 25, 2019 - This recap of some of my past Canadian concert photography highlights became the most viewed post of July on Editing Luke.

August 2019 - Instagram features for @editingluke abounded this year from tourism related re-posts in places like Montreal, Dallas, Cape Cod, Seattle, Miami, Detroit, Toronto, and Los Angeles. As well as business features from companies like WestJet, McDonalds Canada, and Pizza Hut. 

August 10, 2019 - Long awaited details about what the new documentary I'd been working on for months was actually about were finally released. This also became August's most viewed post on Editing Luke.

September 18, 2019 - After a premiere at Medalta Potteries, my documentary Clay, Creativity & the Comeback debuted to the public online. After several months of shares and multiple streaming links, this post quickly became the most viewed of 2019 on Editing Luke. Additional details about the project were also released here. 

You can watch the complete documentary here.




September 27, 2019 - A collection of 40+ original art prints were installed in the newly built Stringam Law Office in my hometown of Medicine Hat, becoming the largest collection of my work on display in a single location to date. 

October 26, 2019 - This month was dominated by an epic travel shoot around Japan, and the subsequent launch of the Overseas Collection for all of the future photo sets to come. With so much content debuting on Instagram, this brief recap became the most viewed post of October on Editing Luke.  

November 8, 2019 - Work continued on the expansion of the Around Alberta series.

November 10, 2019 - With the WU17 Hockey Challenge in town, Editing Luke was contracted by TSN to shoot some material for them. This post became the most viewed of November.

December 15, 2019 - The year wrapped with a series of incredible travel shoots around New York City leading up to Christmas. While much of the content has yet to debut, a few of the early hits have included Jagged Little Pill on Broadway, Riding the Subway, Carnegie Hall, and the Rockefeller Center Christmas Tree.

December 23, 2019 - Featuring scenes around Old Quebec at Christmas, this new photo set became the most viewed post of December on Editing Luke.

A Production Company Grows Up!

Editing Luke officially became a full fledged production company at the end of February 2014 - and like many entrepreneurs before me, that leap from casual side-hustle to a full-time business of my own felt like a monumental leap. Now, here we are 5 years later!

While it would be a lie to say that the last 5 years haven't been without their challenges and growing pains, looking back I can't help but feel proud about what's been accomplished in that time. From travel shoots to documentaries to art commissions, Editing Luke has come a long way from a simple website I launched in my film school dorm room in 2007 to a company that now reaches millions of people around the world through various multimedia projects each year.

Even saying that out loud to myself still sounds pretty wild.

From the beginning I always believed that the key to growing this idea was in holding myself accountable to the things I said I wanted to achieve. This has meant continually experimenting, stepping outside of my comfort zone, pushing myself creatively, and challenging myself to surpass my previous milestones. I won't pretend that any of that has been easy or has always worked, but consistent effort has certainly opened a lot of doors. 

In many ways the success of Editing Luke is a result of simply defining the types of content I wanted my company to be known for and then always pushing for new opportunities within that arena. For example, Editing Luke is a photography & video production company, but it's never been a portrait studio or a wedding video business - instead, the focus has always been about producing narrative, experiential, or lifestyle content, often with a promotional component. 



This simple distinction really helped to define the kind of work that Editing Luke became recognized for - and 5 years in that's truer than ever. Back in 2014 it was a gamble to intentionally restrict production jobs within an already competitive market when there were no guarantees. As is often the case though, big risks can lead to big rewards. It worked. 

That's not to say the work is done. Every year presents new challenges.

Editing Luke owes a lot to the daily audience, clients, collaborators, and businesses that ultimately helped this company to thrive. Thank you to all of you who have continued to support, share, and engage with the projects we've released over the years. It really wouldn't have been possible to keep this dream alive without you. Genuinely, thank you!


And finally, what anniversary would be complete without sharing a few highlights? Here are some of the things that Editing Luke achieved in the last 5 years:

• Over 1000 photo essays have been shot and shared on this website alone. 
• I launched new travel photography collections including the Middle America series, Roadside California series, Around Alberta series, Hey, Canada series, and massively expanded on the Pacific Northwest series and Around the Hat series.
• Production work expanded from simple promotional videos in 2014 to larger scale documentaries, cultural showcases, and travel campaigns - including new Editing Luke specific projects (like On 2nd) that received independent backing. 
• I was awarded Young Entrepreneur of the Year in 2016.
• I began shooting professional concert photography which lead to capturing artists like the Tragically Hip and gaining media access to music festivals like Shambhala.  
• Commissions for Editing Luke photography increased dramatically - an achievement that became especially noticeable in my hometown of Medicine Hat, Alberta. 
• Thanks to a growing online audience, social media shares, and consistent networking, in 2018 the impressions of Editing Luke content on this website surpassed 50 million.
• What else ... these projects lol.
• And perhaps what I'm most proud of - in 2014 my production company felt limited to projects only in Alberta, but it's since expanded to include collaborations with clients all over North America - from national brands to local tourism boards. Honestly, the potential has never been greater. 
• Here's to continued adventures and the next 5!

Editing Luke in 2018

Records broken, personal milestones achieved, and some of the most ambitious photography and video projects produced by Editing Luke to date - 2018 was a formative year in the growth of this brand / company. I won't bore you with every single project, edit, brand deal, or shoot - instead, here's a sampling of some of my year's most memorable online moments:

January 2018 - As the Editing Luke Instagram following doubled in size through 2018 there was a sharp increase in collaborative / influencer opportunities presented. This included creating content for watch companies, men's clothing brands, brewing companies, travel partners, and a renewed year long contract with McDonald's Canada.

January 26, 2018 - I posted a new photo set on Medicine Hat's historic train station. This was January's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website. 

February 2018 - Expanding on a concept that began the following year, I released over 100 new images of Medicine Hat, Alberta over the course of 2018 on the Editing Luke facebook page. Not only did this attract several thousand new followers, but it provided some great highlights through Winter, Spring, Summer, and Fall. 

February 18, 2018 - New images of the modernized Medicine Hat High School were released. This was February's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

March 6, 2018 - Exploring Writing-on-Stone Provincial Park in Alberta. This was March's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

March 10, 2018 - Around the Hat was largely reworked with new edits and additions made, as well as a new promo for the photo series released. 

March 2018 - One of the year's most ambitious travel shoots took place behind the wheel of a muscle car through Texas, Oklahoma, Kansas, and New Mexico. More here.

April 6, 2018 - The first video in the series I'd shot and edited for the Canadian Badlands (Spirit of the Badlands) travel campaign was released.


April 29, 2018 - Exploring the otherworldly Red Rock Coulee in Alberta. This was April's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

May 3, 2018 - After over a year in production, the first clips from my schoolwide documentary were finally released. Here's the story of a how a schoolwide documentary changed everything. This was also May's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

May 16, 2018 - I worked with the Medicine Hat Fire Department to produce a river safety video that was released later in the summer. The opportunity provided an opportunity to shoot some amazing views from the water.

May 31, 2018 - I reflected on the 11 year anniversary of launching Editing Luke.

June 16, 2018 - Production was in full swing on a new documentary project, still unreleased, but set to be completed in 2019.

June 23, 2018 - A new series of 15 prints went on display in my hometown. This was June's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

July 1, 2018 - I released two new edits of the Canada Day 151 fireworks.


July 18, 2018 - Exploring Beale Street in Memphis, Tennessee. This was July's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

August 12, 2018 - I launched a new postcard series, taking a closer look at the stories behind vintage Alberta postcards that I'd collected over the years.

August 19, 2018 - After filming in the area, I was invited to come for a private tour of the former Manyberries Train Station. This was August's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

September 1, 2018 - I compiled some of my most popular Alberta travel photography sets into the 7 Natural Wonders of Alberta. This was September's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

September 2018 - Another major travel shoot this year took place through the American Midwest - notably Illinois, Wisconsin, and Minnesota. More here. Editing Luke's Day Off.

October 12, 2018 - Exploring the historic Craigdarroch Castle on Vancouver Island. This was October's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

October 2018 - By October the third party features of my work had reached a new high on Instagram. In 2018 this included features in Nashville, Memphis, Toronto, Victoria, Chicago, Milwaukee, Minneapolis, Miami, Los Angeles, Detroit, Orlando, Dallas, Galveston, Austin, Houston, and Palm Springs. Of these some notable landmark features included O'Hare in Chicago, Beale Street in Memphis, and the CN Tower in Toronto. 

November 8, 2018 - I had the largest canvas prints of my photography produced to date.

November 12, 2018 - I recapped 9 places where my work can be seen in my hometown.

November 18, 2018 - I hosted my first ever Q & A on Instagram. Highlights here.

November 30, 2018 - After weeks of build up my documentary short about 2nd Street, On 2nd officially debuted. This was November's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.


December 3, 2018 - I shared a bit of novelty with a visit to the Home Alone house in Illinois. This was December's most viewed new post on the Editing Luke website.

December 2018 - With just enough time for a whirlwind Christmas adventure, my last major travel shoot of the year took place around Ontario and Quebec. More here.