From Applying Light to Recording It

I have retired from lighting application, product design, engineering and marketing as of 2020. I enjoyed a great career that spanned 41 years, from lighting application to product design, through marketing. My experiences have included virtually every aspect of the industry, providing me many opportunities to learn and grow. The application of light – placing it in spaces – to creating products that emit it, has been my passion and focus. This included investing in the development of 3D printer uses in lighting products, which culminated with my presentation at Lightfair 2022 on 3D printing in lighting products.

An Organic Career Track

I believe in organic career development. If what you do makes you happy and attracts paying customers – it’s a win. If what you do is enjoyable, but is not creating income, it’s a hobby. If it’s hard work and not completely fulfilling, while producing no revenue – it’s a waste of time. For decades, lighting was both satisfying and attracting customers and employer interest – so I stayed the course. This led to a wonderful exploration of the industry from multiple perspectives that few have experienced. Unfortunately, in contemporary business think, this diversity, entrepreneurship, and length of time in service becomes a liability. Unable to find a good match between my passions in the business with customers or employers, I decided it was time for a change.

I have a good 20 years left to build on new interests, so the time was right for a large change.

A Bit of a Walkabout

Since 2020 I have explored the landscape of various fresh approaches and directions looking forward. This has included art in lighted form, a little writing, taking classes in oil painting, attended a few art shows, done some vehicle inspection work, built a car for a customer, filled a few orders for 3D printed parts, and made some things for customers in the shop. Nothing popped out as being irresistable. Nothing came back as a potential source of sustainable income.

Art is a great avocation and hobby, but not much of an income generator. Lighted art just confuses customers – is it art? or, is it a table lamp?

A Step Back to Move Forward

This led to a re-visit of an ongoing interest in photography that has always been in the wings – including doing all of the photography for Winona Lighting and later for Kim Lighting. But it was always a side interest to the main pursuit of all things lighting.

What got me into lighting in the first place was photography, and the work I did with it in a prior life. Photography is just light recording, where lighting design was, to me anyway, the work of placing light to be seen or “recorded” by the eyes. Made sense then, and even more now.

You know you have something to work from, when an idea is not only exciting, it presents immediate opportunities to generate revenue, with minimal effort (the organic thing).

From Application to Recording

With some updating of my equipment, and a little hunting, I have already landed contracts and a position photographing cars. It’s humble right now, but significantly eclipses what lighting and art were producing – so is more interesting to me.

The universe of digital photography is exciting. The emergence of AI editing software on top of images captured with large sensor high MP cameras, is magic. I’m doing the deep dive into all of this, and enjoying it.

To get an idea where I am going, you can visit my new site – KWillmorthPhoto.

The Lumenique site has been simplified, and will continue to present art objects, lighted and unlighted, as I put them together.

This blog will remain active, as long as ideas related to lighting continue to flow, and to present works at Lumenique. I’ve edited the post “Seeking Opportunities to Contribute” to reflect the new direction as well.