Ron Lutz II ~ Me!
May 3rd, 2022
May 3rd, 2022
Ronald Earl Lutz II
Ronald Earl Lutz II
Freja & I swimming in the emerald waters of Slippery Rock Creek. 07-12-2018
So today marks the end of the kid's summer break and the beginning of a new school year. We can't believe just how quickly it went by. At the start I was worried the kid was going to be "too old and cool" to play with her dad this summer. As it turned out I had little to fear. I know that sooner or later she won't be wanting to climb on me, or be around me as much. It's inevitable and normal. But this past summer she was my "Baby Kaiju." We had so much fun and I will always remember it. I especially loved her coming into work with me once in a while. Many thanks to my wife for snapping this awesome photo of us playing in my home waters of Slippery Rock Creek!
April 21 - 2018 Photo by Teri Lutz
I came very close to breaking my routine this week. On Monday I went in but had to MAKE myself lift. Part of me kept saying, "You could use a week off. Just this week." I've been climbing the walls a bit too. I've not trained with @thalesblaso in an entire MONTH! My family has been needing my at home. Doing the "Dad thing" is the most important thing to me but I am dying to get back to training. I also had a plumber come into my home on Wednesday to quote a job that needed done. @therealmadtitan came in and we naturally talked about gym stuff. The only thing is that the next day while in the gym I felt "weak & small" by comparison. It was the first time I had to fight through a workout not due to laziness but due to feeling out of my element. I shared my plight with the gym manager @andrewst44 and he summed it up perfectly when he said, "Welcome to weight lifting where you are Forever Too Small!" LOL Today things seemed to return to normal for the first time all week! Wew... #barbell #fitnessjourney #fitness #martialartslife #wendlers531 #training #strength #weightroom #lifting #anytimefitness #gym #gymlife #fitnessaddict #gymrat #weights #freeweights #weightraining #531 #jiujitsulifestyle #bjj4life #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsu #graciejiujitsu #martialarts #bjjlife #jiujitsulife #goodmornings #deadlift #formcheck
For the past few years I've done a bit of art modeling for the UW art department. I try to do as dynamic posing as possible while tying to stay perfectly motionless. It's not easy. I begin with a series of 30 second quick poses in which I try to convey action. By the end I'm holding motionless for up to 30 minutes. This particular sketch was done while I was holding a 20 minute pose while standing. I take these frozen moments to really practice my meditation and mental focus. For instance during a 30 minute pose last night I began to play around with how I perceived the very space around me. While keeping my eyes locked on a specific spot I began to pay attention to all the dark areas in my peripheral vision. Once I have them defined I began to focus on all the lightest areas while holding onto the dark patterns. Then I began to reverse the light & dark. I'd then let it all go back to shadows being dark but now all the mid tones would be more evident. Everything within the direction I was facing then would snap into a hyper 3D awareness, including the subtle motions of the artists drawing me. I'd then return to "normal" vision. Once that returned I'd begin the process all over. Each time it became easier and easier to control my brain processing how I viewed my surroundings. It felt as if I was literally training my mind just the same as when I lift weights to train my physique. I became so engrossed at times that I'd forget about even having a body! #art #draw #drawing #sketch #lifedrawing #figure #figuredrawing #figurativedrawing #figurativeart #figurestudy #figuremodel #pencildrawing #pencilonpaper #model #artmodel #artmodeling #artistmodel #nudeartmodel #nudeart #lifemodel #lifemodelling #bodylanguage #nudedrawing #contemporaryart #postcontemporaryart #artistsoninstagram #artcollector #art_spotlight #artoftheday #contemporaryartist
I've been sitting on this photos since I took it over two months ago. I thought I'd keep it until I had something to really "say" about my life up to this point. Well, two months later and I just turned 50 years old and I still don't have anything to really "say." I've been an artist all my life but will never be known as one. After years of experimenting and working in a variety of mediums I eventually choose photography as my means of expressing myself. Unfortunately this coincides with a time when being a photographer is greatly devalued. This has resulted in my never having become rich or famous (which was never a goal to begin with). It has also caused moments of self doubt and feelings of worthlessness at times. Being an artist still has power over my identity. It's changed over the past ten years from being what medium I working in to how I live my life on a daily basis. It's no longer so much about the method of how I create something but about experiencing life as it unfolds and trying to really appreciate what is happening around me. Life seems to keep placing me in the exact right places at the exact right times. I don't take any of it for granted. I'm a very fortunate man indeed, even though I am not wealthy or popular. My barometer is my family, especially my daughter. I'm also constantly amazed at how my timing seems to just "work out." Take this photo for instance. I've come to this dock at night for many years just to think. I ended up here randomly after a night in self reflection, listening to the drums of the Tuchux as I sat nearby their encampment. I happened to have my camera and tripod and decided to take a self portrait. By the time I took this shot, holding still as I meditated, the moon had risen above me. I left feeling resolved to continue trying to be the best father & husband I could be. It's how I stand against the darkness in the world. #morainestatepark #lakearthur #artist #artistsofinstagram #art #selfportrait #artistlife #artwork #nightscape #fs_longexpo #nightshooters #nightimages #longexposure #longexposures #longexposureshots #nightsky #nightphotography #longexposure_shots #buddhist #buddhism #learningthedharma #meditation #spiritual #spirituality #mindfulness #pennsic #pennsicwar #tuchux #worldprime #earth_shotz
Taken with a timed exposure at Moraine State Park. 2017
Over the past couple of years I occasionally pose for figure study classes. It's an interesting experience having to stay perfectly still for long periods of time. It's somewhat taxing, but mainly it's very meditative. As for being nude in a room full of people, it just doesn't bother me. Only the first time I did this was I even a little nervous and that flew out the window when I dropped my robe.
Over the past couple of years I occasionally pose for figure study classes. It's an interesting experience having to stay perfectly still for long periods of time. It's somewhat taxing, but mainly it's very meditative. As for being nude in a room full of people, it just doesn't bother me. Only the first time I did this was I even a little nervous and that flew out the window when I dropped my robe.
Over the past couple of years I occasionally pose for figure study classes. It's an interesting experience having to stay perfectly still for long periods of time. It's somewhat taxing, but mainly it's very meditative. As for being nude in a room full of people, it just doesn't bother me. Only the first time I did this was I even a little nervous and that flew out the window when I dropped my robe.
Last night I was awarded my Blue Belt in Brazilian Jiu Jitsu by Thales Blaso, a 2nd Degree Black Belt under Luiz Claudio. While I am very proud to have earned this and left the White Belt behind, I truly feel I am just beginning this process. There is so much I still don't KNOW how to do. So many techniques elude me, and I am not reacting to opponents quickly enough to always take the lead in sparring. During the drills last night I left myself open to attack a number of times. I was taken down over and over by upper-belts, and I mismanaged my energy levels. My situational awareness was really spotty, especially as I began to fatigue. I have to keep in mind that it's just the BEGINNING. By earning this Blue Belt I've been able to prove to myself that I can indeed remember techniques. That I can survive sparring. That I do have the willingness to step out onto the mats. First, I was lucky to have Infusion MMA prepare me for almost two years. Master Instructor Brandon Tracy really "knocked the burs off" me as I transformed from an overweight, untrained ape. Now he and Thales are helping me "file off the edges." How fortunate I am to be able to train in as pure, old school Gracie BJJ as can be found up here in the icy North? Rickson Gracie>Luiz Claudio>Thales Blaso> and then there's me learning as a 4th generation of this lineage! My goal is to be a sharp Black Belt. #bjj #bjj4life #brazilianjiujitsu #jiujitsulifestyle #jiujitsu #graciejiujitsu #martialarts #grappling #bjjlife #jiujitsulife #fitness #bluebeltproblems #bluebelt #gym #fighttraining #Selfdefense #bjjtraining #martialartslife #fitnessjourney #artesuave #oss #mma #graciejj #bjjmadison #bjjwisconsin #riseup #riseupmartialarts #infusionmma
11/15/2016
While on a camping trip, just the two of us, we both had some fun with my camera gear. I'd recently added a number of new flashes and modifiers to my took kit. It was simply just a lot of fun to set up portrait shoots. I'd intended for this to be a setting for another series with Teri but she talked me into being the shooter instead. Our campsite was right next to some very steep cliffs that ran along a bluff above the Bad River. With the sun going down I thought it offered some great natural textures to play around with as far a lighting them. As for me, well, I guess my age is showing and my hair is once again growing all crazy. Must be the summer heat...
