(and artist of random media including floral & garden design, mosaic art, and collector of natural heart rocks).
By Bob Winberry
Meet Long Beach photographer Raquel Landworth-Kleinhenz, whose specialty is capturing unique moments of human interaction and bringing them to life in her portraiture and fine art photography. She also pursues art through nature and gardens.
Her love for travel and learning about other cultures has also taken her into the world of photojournalism. “I have traveled to underdeveloped countries as a photojournalist for the humanitarian organization Operation Walk and have had the unique opportunity to use my artistic ability to help nonprofit organizations market their programs and raise funds for humanitarian causes and further their missions by illuminating their operation through the art of photography.”
Landworth-Kleinhenz has lived in Belmont Heights since 1990. Her work has been shown in galleries and exhibits from Laguna Beach to Long Beach including the Port of Long Beach gallery show, The Art and Architecture Walk events in Belmont Heights, and the Long Beach Arts Council shows to name a few. When she is not in her garden designing mosaic succulent patterns, succulent sculptures, or floral designs, you will find her gallivanting around the Southland photographing private and public events. “I am most at home photographing people and drawing out their natural charisma and capturing those moments caught between the clicks of the camera.”
The artist has been involved with nonprofit organizations serving women and children in Long Beach for over 25 years beginning with the Junior League of Long Beach. She has served on Boards and committees with many volunteer organizations in Long Beach including Literary Women, Belmont Heights Art Association, and Long Beach Little League Landworth-Kleinhenz has helped local LBUSD, too, including serving as the judge in the photography division for the national arts contest “Reflections,” a program designed to encourage and highlight children’s music composition, dance, poetry, drawing, painting, and photography.
Despite COVID conditions, Landworth-Kleinhenz has adapted, photographing her subjects outdoors and in small groups. “I find things around me every day that inspire my work. With the limitations of COVID come new challenges that have taught me creative ways to work and rethink how I do things. It is good to stretch your brain and rise to new challenges; that’s how we grow.”
You can find her work on her website at RaquelLKphotography.com.
