Meet Luke Montgomery | Photographer | Storyteller

We had the good fortune of connecting with Luke Montgomery and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Luke, looking back, what do you think was the most difficult decision you’ve had to make?
In October of 2022, I had the opportunity to shoot for Phillip Phillips in Fort Worth. It was just a one-night gig, but Phillip and I connected early on and had some amazing conversations while shooting photos around the Stockyards. During the show, I shot some of my favorite photos and was super pleased with how the night had gone. Phillip’s manager called me over afterward and said the words I had been waiting to hear since I started my business: “We want to bring you on tour.” He told me to go home and pack my bag and the tour bus would meet me in a couple hours. Needless to say, I was speechless. I raced home to begin packing and my mind began to plan on what all I needed to do. But, it was then that I realized what all I had going on that weekend. I was scheduled to shoot two engagements and a fraternity formal. My heart sank because I knew what I was going to have to do. I could have gotten other photographers to cover those shoots, but my clients had to come first. They were paying me for my work and my brand and I could not in good mind leave them out to dry at the last minute. So, I called Phillip’s manager and told him that I was not going to be able to finish the tour. He understood and we have stayed in touch since then, and I may have some tour news to announce this year!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
As soon as I graduated high school in 2021, I was working a job as a video editor. One day in the office I saw that Ben Rector was coming to Dallas in a few months and I made a comment that I wanted to shoot that show. My boss casually replied with some comment that I’d never be good enough to shoot for someone like him. I knew instantly that I would do whatever it took to be at that show. I spent over a month combing the internet for information on his manager. I finally found him on LinkedIn and sent him a DM that included my email. It was a long shot, after all, who checks their LinkedIn DM’s? A couple of days later I received an email from him introducing himself and asking to see some of my work because he had never heard of me. I was so excited but also panicked because I had never shot a concert in my life! How was I supposed to send him a portfolio? I ended up going to my church and asking them if I could shoot the worship set for free as long as I could use the photos for my portfolio. They agreed and I sent off my new portfolio to Ben Rector. His manager replied that he loved my work and that they would bring me out to the show. From that moment on that was all that I talked about. It literally became my identity. I was going to shoot for Ben Rector. About two weeks before the show Ben’s manager reached out and informed me that unfortunately, the show was going to be canceled due to venue complications. I was absolutely crushed. I had built up so much hype around this event and now it was not even going to happen. But, God took this opportunity to humble me. I realized the importance of a humble spirit which has taken me farther than I could have dreamed since then. I shot 2 shows in 2021—Skillet and a local DFW band called Grady Spencer and the Work. My friends loved Grady so I had reached out and offered to shoot the show for free. That show changed my life. The day after, when I delivered the photos to Grady, he sent me the kindest email I have ever received. I read it regularly to remind me of where I started. He hyped me up as an artist and even ended up paying me for the photos because of how good he thought they were. He recognized the specific ways in which I shoot that set my work apart from others. That show started the journey that I am still on today and has allowed me to make connections and shoot for artists I never dreamed of when I set my sights on Ben Rector. You can see the full story here: https://www.lukemontgomerymedia.com/the-end-of-luke-montgomery-media

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If I had a friend in town for a few days I would take them to EpicCentral’s water and light show at night for dinner. It feels like you are in Las Vegas. There are some amazing restaurants—in particular The Finch. We’d also have to attend a concert of course so they would probably tag along with me to the House of Blues, South Side Ballroom, or the Echo Lounge and Music Hall that I frequent regularly.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My friend, Cort Letcher, taught me everything about photography during my junior year of high school. Some of my greatest memories are of the two of us running around with our cameras making terrible content that we thought was the greatest. But, it paved the way for each of us to be where we are today in very different places, but both still creating! He works in Mexico creating media for missionaries overseas.

Website: lukemontgomerymedia.com

Instagram: @luke.montgomery.media

Image Credits
All photos taken by me except the photos of me by @skyler.weathers.