As the Toronto Star’s senior photojournalist, Lautens specializes in capturing Canada’s social fabric through evocative imagery. His work spans:
We’ve followed Richard Lautens’s work for decades, observing how his camera has shaped public understanding of Canadian life. With a career spanning over 35 years at the Toronto Star, Lautens has become synonymous with visual journalism that bridges art and reportage.
Lautens’s journey began in 1987 as a summer student at the Toronto Star, where he developed his signature style of capturing raw human emotion amid fast-paced news environments. His early work focused on:
Lautens consistently highlights urban development projects through human-centric framing. Successful pitches should focus on transportation systems or public space redesigns, particularly those impacting marginalized neighborhoods. His 2018 series on Toronto’s Union Station renovation demonstrated this approach, blending architectural photography with commuter testimonials.
Annual events like Caribana or Winterlicious make strong pitch candidates when paired with historical context. Lautens’s Diwali coverage consistently emphasizes intergenerational traditions rather than spectacle.
Pitch behind-the-scenes access to athletes’ community work, as seen in his 2022 series on NHL players’ mental health initiatives. Avoid generic action shots in favor of intimate training or philanthropic moments.
“A photograph should make you feel before it makes you think.” – Richard Lautens, 2019 National Photojournalism Symposium
At PressContact, we aim to help you discover the most relevant journalists for your PR efforts. If you're looking to pitch to more journalists who write on Photography, here are some other real estate journalist profiles you may find relevant:
