Meet Leslie Lutes | Photographer, Seeker, Observer

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

Hi Leslie, what do you want your legacy to be?
One of the main themes in my life that I would like to be remembered for is having a never-ending curiosity! Curiosity about how things work, why things are, to strive to know more, connect more, and be more understanding, which I believe leads to being a better person.

This quote has always struck me…
“The more I learn, the more I realize how much I don’t know.” – Albert Einstein

I also love the quote…
“If you are the smartest person in the room, then you are in the wrong room.” – Confucius

Having the practice of curiosity in life is not bound by age, gender, education, financial status, or any status in life. Curiosity is as individual as the soul who is asking the questions!

Aside from my professional vocation, being curious has also fueled my photography endeavors. For as long as I can remember, I have been captivated by beautiful things in nature, authentic interactions between people, and the beauty in subtle, small, nuances that often go unnoticed. With that curiosity has come a desire to capture those moments in photos. Photography feeds my intuitive, empathic, and sensing side, and I am continuing to move forward to see where it takes me. With my tech knowledge that I have acquired over the years, I have been able to build my own website where I display some of my artwork.

I am a firm believer in developing my mental health and it has been encouraging to see that mental health is becoming more a norm than not in our society. Over time in my own mental health endeavor, this writing has helped me through hard times. It is by Glennon Doyle, and it reads:

Keep going.
That’s all you have to do, ever.
You really don’t have to be amazing,
or fierce or beautiful
or successful or good.
Just keep going, please.
Slowly is fine.
Crawling is fine.
No feeling is final.
Except hope.

This rings true for me to continue in my curiosity journey and to…

Discover
Wonder
Capture glimpses
Be awe-inspired
Realize
See
Learn
Be who I truly am!

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
Wanting to know more has led me down various paths over time. I was the first in my immediate family to graduate college. I knew at an early age that I wanted to be in the tech field, even though I did not know where that was going to take me. I was curious about all of it! Because I worked full-time to pay the bills, I took college courses as I could at night. I finally landed on the Information Technology field. At the time, it was rare for women to be in IT let alone getting a degree in it. But that was also a curiosity challenge! Attaining my degree was just the springboard and gave a foundation to know and understand the fundamentals for more.

I have had multiple roles over time in the digital world ranging from website building/management, networking, and digital marketing. Currently, my work is as a web data analyst. I analyze data and present it in such a way that it communicates what I see, and what can be improved upon for growth. A strength that I bring to this field is my never-ending curiosity, which helps me to see what others either cannot, or do not have time to look for. I can see what is missing and forecast how a change may help improve it.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am fortunate to live in a city where we have access to most anything you can imagine! Beaches, mountains, deserts, museums, zoo, varying cultures and historic areas. My go-to is always the beach. The sand, the waves, the smell of salt air, is always relaxing and therapeutic for me.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Oh goodness… There are too many to list among my family, friends, and colleagues over the years. Many people in my life, have recognized more in me than I could ever comprehend! I have received love, encouragement and patience from so many!

Website: https://LeslieLutes.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leslielutesphotography/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leslielutesphotography/

Other: My dog Nyla has her own Insta! https://www.instagram.com/nyla_bean_dog