A native of Wisconsin, Len Luterbach joined the United States Navy shortly after high school. Working in communications, Len served a number of posts worldwide. His first assignment was in Italy, serving aboard an attack submarine support ship off the coast of the Mediterranean island of Sardinia. In Italy Len revived his childhood love of black and white film photography and purchased a (very) basic 35mm Nikon. Many of the images used in Len’s current portfolio are images of Rome taken during his three years in Italy.

Subsequent Navy assignments included Saudi Arabia, San Diego, and the Pentagon. On September 11, 2001 Len was working as the Navy’s Communication Watch Officer (his first day serving in this role) and lost nine of his direct reports in the terrorist attack. Following these events, and their personal toll, Len found it difficult to appreciate the aesthetic and worked tirelessly to improve Navy Command and Control systems that were used to coordinate efforts during the attack.

Following a series of personal losses, and an examination of self, Len once again found his passion for photography. Len doesn’t consider himself a disciple of one school of photographic thought or another; instead, he prefers to let others find parallels to “the master photographers” if they chose to do so. His work is most often compared to the styles of Edward Weston and Richard Avedon. In such cases, though, he’s quick to point-out that he does not consciously mimic famous photographers; although, as a student of philosophy, he realizes that at a subconscious level a person is constantly exposed to stimuli that influences how they act and, especially, how they create.

Len’s portfolio is predominately fine art photography. He uses both digital and medium format film to create his black and white images of the human form, nature, and destinations.

Len is an alumnus of Georgetown University where he majored in public policy and philosophy. He graduated, with honors, in 2005.