R.D. Kratz shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.
Good morning R.D., we’re so happy to have you here with us and we’d love to explore your story and how you think about life and legacy and so much more. So let’s start with a question we often ask: What is something outside of work that is bringing you joy lately?
Composing music has been a real source of joy for me lately. I’ve been playing piano for over 25 years, and at this point it feels less like a hobby and more like a part of who I am. Sitting down at the keys is my favorite way to unwind and clear my head: it gives me space to think, create and reset. Some days I’ll lose myself in pieces I’ve memorized, other days I’ll work through something entirely new, and often I just let my fingers wander into improvisation.
What’s interesting is that even though I’ve studied music theory in depth for more than a decade, I originally learned to play completely by ear and never really learned how to read music. That shaped the way I connect with music on a very personal and intuitive level. Mostly trained in classical and instrumental music, my influences range widely, from the elegance of Mozart and the emotion of Beethoven and Chopin, to the cinematic power of Hans Zimmer and John Williams.
Lately, I’ve been learning Mussorgsky’s “Pictures at an Exhibition”, learning note by note from the written score. It’s been both a challenge and a joy, not only because the music itself is so powerful and enchanting, but because it’s pushing me to grow as a musician as I learn to read and write music more fluently. For me, music is both an escape and a companion—it’s always there, influencing creativity in every area of life.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
Hi, I’m R.D. Kratz, the creative force behind R2K Productions. My love for photography and cinematography started more than a decade ago, but it was really born out of adventure and wilderness. I’ve hiked hundreds of miles of trails throughout the San Juan Mountains, and I’ve completed approximately 250 miles of the Colorado Trail, always with a camera in hand. Those journeys gave me a treasure trove of breathtaking footage, and about four years ago, I realized I wanted to turn that passion into my profession.
At R2K Productions, I work across both photography and video, capturing everything from sweeping landscapes to intimate portraits to live music events. On the video side, I direct, produce, shoot and edit projects that range from cinematic music-videos to personal storytelling pieces. What makes my work unique is the way every project is shaped by discovery, whether that’s finding a new trail or finding the spark in a random story. For me, no two days are ever the same, and that constant sense of exploration is what fuels my creativity.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. What was your earliest memory of feeling powerful?
Around age ten, I played Johann Pachelbel’s Canon in D Major on piano for a crowd of roughly a thousand people. I had my back to them while I was playing, and when I finally turned around the audience was on their feet—applauding, cheering. In that instant I felt something shift: a quiet, electric sense of power that came from knowing I had performed something that had moved people. It wasn’t about the applause so much as the realization that music could reach into someone’s feeling and change their mood, influence their thoughts and imagination. That experience has stayed with me and quietly steers a lot of what I do today, whether I’m composing at the piano, framing a photograph, or shaping the emotion within film.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has been one of my greatest teachers. It has taught me resilience—the kind of inner strength you don’t discover until you’re pushed to the edge and forced to keep going when there’s no clear path ahead. Those types of hardships strip away the unnecessary and leave you face-to-face with your vulnerabilities, and in that rawness you find your authenticity.
It also brings a profound awareness, not only of yourself but of others. When you’ve lived through pain, you begin to see and honor the struggles in people around you with deeper empathy. While success is rewarding, it doesn’t ask you to confront those truths: it celebrates the surface, while suffering holds up a mirror to who you really are. And in that reflection lies the information and wisdom you need—the lessons that shape growth, strength, and compassion.
Sure, so let’s go deeper into your values and how you think. What are the biggest lies your industry tells itself?
I think one of the biggest lies in the creative industry is the idea that music, photography, film or artistic expression of any medium has to follow a formula or meet some invisible standard set by critics or trends. In my own work, I’ve found that the most powerful projects are the ones that bend or even break those expectations.
When I’m out on a trail with my camera, or behind the scenes directing a video, I’m not aiming to replicate what’s already been done. I’m looking for the odd angle, the unexpected light, the raw emotion that doesn’t always look “perfect” but feels real. That’s the beauty of art, it’s supposed to be original, unique, even a little strange at times. For me, true creativity comes from leaning into those differences rather than sanding them down to fit what’s conventional.
Okay, so let’s keep going with one more question that means a lot to us: Are you tap dancing to work? Have you been that level of excited at any point in your career? If so, please tell us about those days.
Absolutely—I feel that spark of excitement every time a music video shoot day finally arrives. There’s so much energy built into those projects because of the immense amount of preparation that happens beforehand: casting, location scouting, scheduling, writing concepts. It’s a long process of aligning all the moving parts so that, on one particular day, everyone can come together to create and contribute to something bigger than themselves.
When that day comes, the set is electric. There’s a shared anticipation in the air, everyone knows the finished product is going to shine, and that energy fuels amazing performances. For me, being behind the camera on those days is pure joy. It gives me the freedom to explore, to capture both the planned shots and the spontaneous moments that end up being the most memorable in the final cut. Collaborating with talented teams of musicians and their crew is a privilege not everyone gets, and those shoot days are the times I truly feel like I’m ‘tap-dancing to work.’
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/r2k_productions_llc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hikingswco
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y7sd2fjsQW4&list=RDY7sd2fjsQW4&start_radio=1
Image Credits
R.D. Kratz
Brenda Bennett
Rebecca Syndergaard
Gustav Hoffman
