Say hello to Lucienne Nghiem, known in the digital world as luxxienne, a Richmond-based photographer, whose artistry is painting the town in shades of dream-pop and disco. Lucienne has transformed her passion into a full-time endeavor, infusing her work with a distinct feminine aesthetic inspired by early 2000s chic and the vibrant pulse of 70s disco beats. As we delve into her journey from dabbling in high school photo classes to styling entire shoots as a creative director, Lucienne reflects on the growth of her career and the vibrant Richmond scene that fuels her creativity.

ed. note: This interview was originally published in RVA 40 back in March of 2023, Lucienne is now tour photographer for Chappell Roan. Super happy for her.

Who are you? I always say your name like Lux-zine. But someone said it’s actually Loose-zine. 

It’s all good. I always say– anything said with love. My real name is Lucienne. I guess a lot of people call me looks Lux on the internet. I don’t really know how the name started, but I like it. It’s cute.

What do you do?

I’m from Richmond and I’m a photographer. I also style, and love to act as a creative director. And I do it full-time now. This is my second year doing it. I hope to get into more tour work this year. I’m definitely thankful to RVA Mag; I think I got my first PhotoPass from you guys about five years ago maybe? 

How long have you been shooting photos?

Six years this year. But I started really taking it seriously three years ago.

Did you go to school for photography?

No, but I did take classes in high school. I had a photo class and a graphic design class. Graphic design caught my eye and the teacher really taught me how to manipulate in Photoshop. 

Your photography seems very feminine and dream-pop-based. Where does the inspiration for your photography come from? Is it a specific era? I see some 70s disco and modern techno in it.

Yeah, my favorite genres of music are pop and hyper pop. I love the 70s Disco vibe. I get most of my inspo from early 2000 movies. I love 13 Going On 30 and all of the girly movies. I’m interested in how those girls in the movies dressed and how they paired accessories, like earrings, with their clothes. I try to get colors to pop. I love sparkly anything–I love pink and red and purple. Love the show Euphoria. 

How’d you get into event photography?

I used to live right by a coffee shop that did open mic nights on Thursdays. So still to this day, Thursday is my favorite day. When I was in high school, I really wanted to be a makeup/beauty YouTuber. So I got a little digital camera and I started bringing it around to the open mic nights. And I was like, wait, it’s fun to take photos of people who are performing. I was enamored, I would stay really late. I’d be the last one there. 

Later I got disposables from CVS and I started doing photography by shooting birthday parties for my friends, like sweet sixteens. I’d get my photos printed at CVS or Walgreens. One time someone asked if they could pay 20 bucks for one of my rolls of film and I was like wait, you can make money from that? I thought it was so much fun and I just kept doing it. I’ve been doing it ever since. 

I definitely started on film. The photo class I took in high school was film-based and that taught me a lot, like how to shoot with colors and how to get the lighting right. I did give up the YouTuber dream but I definitely still kept up with photos. I’m really thankful to have lived and grown up by that coffee shop. They don’t do open mics anymore, but I’m hoping to find another one in Richmond. 

I snuck my camera into the Bradbury one time five years ago and that was the first show I had ever been to by myself. I had no idea what I was doing. I had no idea that there was a gate in front of the stage. I remember thinking, what is that? Why are photographers there? I have a camera– why can I be there? So I tap the guy’s shoulder in the front and he told me that I had to have a press pass. He set me aside and explained to me what it was and how to go about getting on. I was like, Whoa, I have no idea what any of this is. But it seems really cool. I did a Google deep dive when I got home. And yeah, I’ve been doing it ever since.

That’s when you hit us up, right? 

Yeah, it was about that time. 

Your work has really matured in the last year and a half. Can you talk about that transition and where your career is going? 

I think I just started taking it seriously. Versus doing casual shoots and casual approaches. Over the last year, I put a lot of thought and effort into how people are dressed and the shoot location, and the lighting. Through friends that are into YouTube, I learned more about lighting and editing this year. I found my own style. I’ve always had a kind of colorful style, but I think I’ve finally found something that I’m happy with and that I’m sticking with. I’m using warm and disco-inspired colors. I’ve also tried to be as booked and busy as possible. And practicing really often is important. I hope I’ve grown over the past year. 

Definitely. You mentioned before the interview that this is your full-time gig now. Was it scary to take that leap?

Very. I used to be a swim teacher and I was happy to quit. Committing to it was scary and stressful, but I think I love it so much that it makes it worth it. I have a lot of friends and people that support me and are willing to help out and assist– they let me borrow clothes for shoots. Having a close loving group of people around you that are supportive is huge. 

What are you excited about for this year?

I’m really excited to start traveling more for gigs. I was in New York a couple of weeks ago. That was the first time I was booked for a photoshoot in New York and the whole experience was eye-opening. And really, really nice. I have a couple of photoshoots booked for the month of March in Nashville that I’m very excited about. 

So yeah, I’m looking forward to going to other places and being not exclusively Richmond-based. Although, you know, my family lives here. I’m from here, and it’ll always be home. 

What do you feel that, as a creative person, Richmond provides for you?

Having grown up in the Richmond creative scene, I feel like everybody knows each other. That’s helpful when you’re trying to get started versus if you had grown up in New York, getting your foot in the door would be harder, just because it’s so concentrated. There are fewer artists here compared to other major cities because fewer people live here. I like the fact that everyone knows each other. There’s a sense of community here, which is unmatched in a lot of other major cities. I loved being raised here because of that. 

Almost anybody can pick up a camera and start going, right?

Totally. And I hope people do. Make friends here. I think that’s the only way to get your foot in the door. And don’t be afraid to ask for help. 

Give her a follow at HERE

HUNTSVILLE, Ala. (TENNESSEE VALLEY LIVING) – If you’re a new mom or a mom-to-be, Jessica Lee Photography can help preserve one of the most special times in your life.

Dawn Pumpelly, editor, and owner of The Scout Guide Huntsville explored options with Jessica Silver of Jessica Lee Photography in the latest edition of SCOUTED.

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CINCINNATI — An Ohio photographer’s recent photoshoot is going viral after capturing a newborn with a mean side-eye.

Lauren Carson, the owner of Drawing in Light Photography in Cincinnati, told our news partners at WCPO that she’s been photographing newborns for a decade, but has never had a session like the one she had with a little boy named Trent.

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“I don’t think I’ve ever had a baby as expressive with as intense eye contact along with it,” Carson said.

Trent was giving looks his mom had become accustomed to as well.

“That’s just a normal face for him,” Carson said.

Carson shared several photos from the shoot on social media. The post has gone viral, racking up more than 155,000 likes and 35,000 shares.

>> PHOTOS: New kids area to open this weekend at Kings Island

“I never would have guessed in a million years that it would have gone to this level,” she told WCPO. “My inbox is very full right now.”

Trent’s photoshoot lasted two hours, which is typical for a newborn.

“He was perfectly comfortable. He wasn’t upset. He wasn’t crying. He wasn’t fussing. He was just scowling,” she explained.

©2024 Cox Media Group

After a 16-11 regular season and 4-6 showing during the Bucs’ first season in a difficult Eastern League, Mission Bay had done enough to earn a spot in the CIF playoffs with the No.11 seed in Div. III.

As the second lowest seed in the tournament, Mission Bay would need to embrace the role of underdog if they wanted to make a deep push this postseason. Still, even as the No.11 seed, the Bucs had plenty of reason to believe they could knock off the top teams in Div. III. In their final game of the regular season, they beat Div. II playoff team Coronado.

For their opening round bout, Mission Bay would make the 25-mile drive south to take on the No. 6 seed San Ysidro, the regular season champions of the Metro South League.

Mission Bay would play the six-seeded Cougars tight, but ultimately they would fall in the opening round 3-2, eliminating them from the playoffs.

Bucs head coach Kenny Hood would give the elimination game start to junior Van Playman. Playman, a pitcher who thrives on pitching and inducing soft contact, would give his team an excellent start. The right-hander worked five innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and one walk while striking out three.

Playman would also receive some quality defense behind him, as shortstop Mason Gallego would keep busy, recording four assists in the afternoon. While in the outfield, Owen Oswald would remain active as he would track down fly ball after fall ball, recording five total put-outs on the day.

While Playman dealt on the mound, Mission Bays bats would not provide much run support. The Bucs collected six hits on the afternoon. The only multi-hit performance came from Ruben Gallego, who would go 2-for-4 with two stolen bases. Mission Bay had one extra-base hit, a ringing double from Gavin Marzion.

The lone RBI on the afternoon would be provided by Oswald, while the other Mission Bay run would come via an error that scored Marzion. Even with the lack of hits, the opportunity for more runs was there. Mission Bay left seven men on base.

Mission Bay kept it at 2-2 heading to the seventh. Following Playman’s five quality innings on the mound, Mission Bay would turn to Kaden Jones, who worked a quality 6th inning. With two outs in the bottom of the 7th, the Cougars connected on a walk-off base hit to win the game.

Skylum has news that will be of high interest to portrait photographers. It’s an announcement of a dedicated app code-named “Project Barcelona.” It’s an app designed for professionals to enhance portrait retouching.

The company says it recognizes the increasing demand for time-saving tools in portrait photography that would enable professional and semi-professional photographers to focus on creative growth and client engagement.

Just as Luminar Neo provides convenient editing solutions for a broad set of photography challenges, this new app uses cutting-edge AI technology to help portrait photographers achieve top-quality retouching and inspire them with new creative possibilities.

Skylum is collaborating with renowned portrait photographer Julia Trotti to develop this specialized software solution. Set for release in September 2024, Project “Barcelona” will empower photographers by automating routine face retouching processes through an efficient, AI-optimized workflow that runs locally on the user’s device, making it as easy as applying presets. With the added advantage of precise and adjustable masking tools, it provides enhanced control and accuracy for perfect results every time. This, in turn, will allow portrait photographers to balance the time-intensive task of photo retouching with shooting and growing their photography business.

Features include:

• Skin Toning: Make subtle changes to the skin tone of specific areas thanks to an accurate facial skin segmentation model; remove the red hue or unify the overall color. On top of that, the new app’s state-of-the-art face mesh model provides unique makeup correction capabilities, allowing the application of extra textures like blush, highlight, and contour, and changing the color of lips, brows, and other elements.

• Eye Enhancement: Add iris flare, remove redness, and adjust eye shape with a comprehensive suite of tools to perfect a subject’s eyes in portraits.

• Teeth Whitening: Ensure radiant smiles with advanced teeth whitening and brightening capabilities.
• Makeup Application: Enjoy customizable options for creative makeup styles and colors to complement any complexion, clothing, or backdrop.
• Bokeh Effects: Create stunning depth-of-field effects with the bokeh feature, adding dimension and allure to portraits.
• Body Enhancement: Adjust bodily proportions to correct posture and account for unflattering angles, making sure portraits capture subjects in their best light.

Getting the App

An early bird offer starts June 25, 2024. Find out more on Skylum’s website and sign up for the waiting list for early access.

There’s no information on pricing yet, and Skylum wants to emphasize that this is a new app and new initiative. It doesn’t mean it’s replacing Luminar Neo, which is still in active development. Think of it as Luminar Neo for portrait photographers.

We should have a beta at some point in the near future and will report on how it works. Skylum says the app will be a native Mac and Windows app. No iOS or Android version, at least for now.

Many portrait photographers will see this as competition for Portrait Pro from Anthropics, a very popular portrait editor. 

Stargazers and photography enthusiasts, rejoice! Now in its 7th year, the Milky Way Photographer of the Year competition by Capture the Atlas has once again dazzled us with a collection of 25 breathtaking images. Selected from over 5,000 submissions, these photos capture the enchanting beauty of our galaxy from every corner of the globe.

Whether framed by the craggy mountain peaks of New Zealand or the endless, arid landscapes of the Atacama Desert, each photograph is a testament to the awe-inspiring brilliance of the Milky Way. This year’s entries reveal the galaxy’s glittering band of light in a myriad of spectacular settings, showcasing not just the vastness of the cosmos, but also the diverse environments that Earth provides for viewing it.

Among the stunning selections, Lorenzo Ranieri’s shot stands out with its kaleidoscopic arch of the Milky Way illuminating a rugged rock formation. This image vividly captures the dynamic interplay between the heavens and the Earth below. Another highlight is Tom Rae’s photograph from New Zealand’s Mount Cook National Park. In Rae’s image, the Milky Way bursts into the sky like a celestial flare, with twinkling stars reflecting perfectly in the tranquil lake below, creating a seamless connection between terrestrial and cosmic beauty.

The Milky Way Photographer of the Year competition not only celebrates the technical prowess of astrophotographers but also brings to light the universal appeal of our galaxy. These images invite us to pause and marvel at the night sky, reminding us of our small yet significant place in the universe.

As we await next year’s entries, these photographs continue to inspire both amateur and professional photographers to look up and capture the mesmerizing dance of the Milky Way across the night sky. For those eager to explore more, Capture the Atlas has made all 25 winning images available on their website, ensuring that the wonder of the Milky Way is just a click away.

Kavan Chay, “Starlight Therapy,” New Zealand

John Rutter, “Mungo Dreamtime,” Australia

Tom Rae, “Lightning Lake,” Aoraki, Mount Cook National Park, New Zealand

Yuri Beletsky, “Blue Lagoon Under the Stars,” Atacama Desert, Chile

Maximilian Höfling, “The Tajinaste,” Spain

Lorenzo Ranieri, “The Lions Den,” Atacama Desert

Stephanie Thi, “Starry Hoodoo Wonderland,” UTAH

Explore the cosmos and celebrate the stars with Capture the Atlas’ Milky Way Photographer of the Year 2024. Also, to learn about more art, and support artists, visit Colossal art hub online.

Students in the Photography Program at Florida Panhandle Technical College in Chipley learned that ‘It’s better to give than to receive’, especially when the ‘gift’ is OC spray.

Pepper Spray, also known as OC or Oleoresin Capsaicin Spray, is a lachrymatory agent that irritates the eyes and causes a burning sensation, pain, and temporary blindness, used in policing, riot control, crowd control and self-defense.

On May 22, 2024, the Florida Panhandle Technical College Digital Photography Program in Chipley, Florida visited the FPTC Corrections Program to document the OC Spray Training, a mandatory training for Corrections Officers, as seen in Part 4 of these photos by FPTC Photography student Chase Busby.

The program, a combination of Photography, Videography, Audio Production, Drone Technology, Marketing, Website Production, Responsible Social Media, and other life skills, is open to dual-enrolled high school students and adults.

Florida Panhandle Technical College continues to push the envelope in innovation, constantly upgrading the array of production programs available, to satisfy the marketplace demand for drone pilots, film creators, cinematographers, television production technicians, audio engineers and content creators.

Call 850-638-1180 Extension 6317, stop by 757 Hoyt Street in Chipley or email paul.goulding@fptc.edu for more information about the Photography, Video Technology, Audio, Drone and Television Production Programs at Florida Panhandle Technical College, with financial aid available but limited seating.