Not everyone who has visited or who frequents The Luminous Landscape met my father, Michael Reichmann, the founder and true voice of this site and anchor of the community. Michael passed away 5 years ago today, with Irene my wife and CTO of Lula, and I at his side.
Those that did meet Michael may remember his generosity, his no-nonsense, deeply capable, and grounded expertise. And for anyone who knew him, really knew him, they knew his gentle nature and his genuine belief in civility and goodness. They knew he was not a fearful person. He was sure of his knowledge, humble, and carried the capacity to be a teacher and explorer, which for many meant they found a worthy mentor or true peer.
He was an inventor of early telecommunications tech, a pioneer in the digital photography space, and a consummate artist.
For me, he was a father far above all other roles. I forgave my father. That is something not all children and not all men have the chance to do. In so doing, I was able to see him, faults and depth and all, and I enjoyed our adult friendship. I respected him without inflating or deflating him.
Our relationship was too complex to summarize here further. I’ve had many people reach out and express their admiration for him. But what has been encouraging are the words and the love I’ve felt from those who offer supportive energy and understand that his family now carries Michaels’s legacy and that it is a privilege to keeps the site’s culture aglow.
Michael was very loyal and trusting, and ultimately, he was always searching. In this way, his spirit guides us all in unique paths beyond photography.
We will be launching our updated gallery service soon, and Michael’s galleries will showcase our new service.
The Luminous Landscape sees more visitors per article per month than in any time in its history. Some people can’t fathom this, considering the site’s juice from when my father created it as a blog to its apex days during the digital revolution. I would offer that it is because of his tireless work, passion, honest voice, and humor that gelled a community hundreds of thousands strong that Lula grows year after year, its reach finding new eyes, hearts, and minds every day.
May you all reach out and express your hearts to those you love, and may you follow the tender passion that set you on the path to seeing, to seeking, to photography, art, and life that you are on.
Photolucida carries the torch of the now-shuttered Luminous Endowment and has created the Michael Reichmann Project Grant which has awarded many exceedingly talented photographers.
Josh Reichmann
May 2021
Author
Elevate Your Vision
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