Meet Robby Mueller of Larchmont Village

Today we’d like to introduce you to Robby Mueller.

Hi Robby, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
As a kid growing up, I was always drawn to the idea of creating something. I was obsessed with making movies, little talk shows, anything I could dream up. I got my hands on a video camera pretty early thanks to my aunt and was constantly filming my friends, whether it was our everyday lives or our skateboarding adventures. One day, I left that camera on the roof of my friend’s parents’ car. They drove off with it, and that was that. It was gone. I was a broke young teenager with no idea how to get a new camera.

Luckily, my grandpa had a bunch of old film cameras and let me dig through them. I grabbed what seemed like the next best thing to filming and started taking photos of my friends instead. Once I saw what photography could be, I didn’t even miss the video camera. I got hooked, way deeper than I expected. I told my parents I was going to be a photographer, no question about it. I was so into it that my high school actually created extra photo classes just for me so I could spend more time learning from my teacher. I ended high school with taking a photography class every single semester.

When it came time for college, my parents pushed me to pick a major. Back then, skipping college wasn’t really seen as an option. they knew it meant a ton of student debt, but I didn’t have much of a say. I started at the University of Akron, which honestly just felt like a waste of time and money. I had visited Chicago once and remembered being drawn to Columbia College, so I figured out a way to get there. It meant even more loans, but it gave me a much better education and the space to grow as an artist.

In 2012, I visited Los Angeles and something clicked. I knew the industry out here was bigger than in Chicago, but I had no idea it would lead to the kind of work and life I’ve been able to build. I packed up and moved in 2014, and I’ve been here ever since. I’ve built a solid group of clients I work with regularly, and somehow, every day still feels like the first time I picked up a camera. I’m so grateful to have found something I love this much. Photography has let me explore things I never would have imagined and brought some amazing people into my life, including my wife.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
My main struggles have always been dealing with the absolutely terrible debt that student loans have led me to. Despite making decent money, the loans are always looming over me. $1200 a month is a ridiculous charge and the interest rates are absolutely disgusting. Most loan refinancers will not even touch the loans due to the balance and it’s a strange place to be in. Aside from that, I was lucky to have a friend that suggested I move here, who gave me a nice push when I moved here. Introducing me to many of the clients I began to work with when I first moved here. She really motivated me and understood what it would take to have success in los angeles.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I have always been a great people person, it’s a reason that commercial photography was a natural progression for me. I knew that i was good at taking the photos, but I did not realize that having the ability to communicate to clients, models and team members would be so important. I love to focus on creating creative identities for brands that do not feel like they can easily be dated.

I am mostly interested in pivoting to even more commercial photography sets, like the two years of Samsung campaigns that I was lucky enough to shoot in 2020 and 2021. The amount of knowledge I learned from being on these HUGE sets was more than I could ever imagine. I think my work can work in the editorial space as well as working for large commercial clients.

Where do you see things going in the next 5-10 years?
I believe that commercial photography is ever evolving. As it stands, people resonate most with raw, authentic-feeling imagery, and I can understand that. Imagery should make people feel something, and when you’re looking at photographs that exude emotion and have a raw quality, it’s easy to see that’s where the industry is heading.

I don’t know for certain where it will go, but I do think we’re getting a good glimpse of what’s to come in the next year or so.

Beyond that, I’ll do my best to push back against AI taking over jobs like mine. I know it’s easy to type in a prompt and generate stunning imagery, but as I mentioned before, people crave authenticity. There will absolutely be two camps on this, and I hope people come to understand that you cannot truly replicate a real human being when it comes to creating art.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://robbymueller.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/robbymueller