---
title: Home
permalink: "/"
layout: 'base.njk'
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<div class="container">
	<h1>Rik Berkelder</h1>
	Lighting Designer | Software Engineer | Nerd
</div>

<div class="homepage-images">
	<a href="/portfolio/tivolivredenburg">
		<img src="/portfolio/tivolivredenburg/001.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>

	<a href="/portfolio/doornroosje">
		<img src="/portfolio/doornroosje/03.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>

	<a href="/portfolio/sowulo">
		<img src="/portfolio/sowulo/33.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>
</div>

<div class="container">
	<h2>About</h2>

	<p>
		I am a freelance lighting designer/technician with a passion for the intersection of technical problem-solving with creative expression. My journey in lighting began in primary school, where I didn't want to perform in the school play and got put behind the technical desk instead. At that point, something clicked in me, and I've found a drive to pass that feeling of magic along to audiences through creating unique live experiences. I grew to greatly appreciate how light can affect mood and atmosphere, and I've found it fascinating to explore these relationships through technology.
	</p>

	<p>
		This passion for stagecraft is contrasted by a long-running interest in computers, and a solid background in software development. Aside from working in software for a living before transitioning into lighting full-time, I still program for clients on occasion. The software projects I take on now usually involve some blend of art and technology. Such projects have included custom integrations with external tools for live show concepts, automation tools for solo live-streaming and remote production tools that have helped enable remotely-produced events during social distancing.
	</p>

	<p>
		A perfectionist by nature, I deeply value preparation, attention to detail and reliability without losing sight of the spontaneity that fuels the creative process. I always aim to bring professionalism and technical precision to the table, blending it with a love for creative problem-solving and, in the end, a never-ending drive to make any project the best version of itself it can possibly be.
	</p>

	<p>
		I strongly believe that, in this highly specific and inseparable mix of art and technology, a new kind of magic is to be explored.
	</p>


</div>
<div class="homepage-images">
	<a href="/portfolio/tivolivredenburg">
		<img src="/portfolio/tivolivredenburg/007.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>

	<a href="/portfolio/sowulo">
		<img src="/portfolio/sowulo/3.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>

	<a href="/portfolio/luxorlive">
		<img src="/portfolio/luxorlive/91.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>
</div>
<div class="container">

	<h2>Skills</h2>
	{%include "skills.njk" %}

	<h2>Highlighted Projects/Clients</h2>
	{%include "highlights.njk" %}

	<h2>Contact</h2>
	{% if site.site != "rblicht" %}mail@riksolo.com / {% endif %}rik@rblicht.nl

	<h3>Find me elsewhere</h3>
	<ul>
		{% if site.site != "rblicht" %}
		<li><a href="https://dook.business/@RikSolo">Mastodon</a> <small>(dook.business)</small></li>
		{%endif%}
		<li><a href="https://instagram.com/RikBerkelder">Instagram</a></li>
		<li><a href="https://github.com/rikberkelder">GitHub</a></li>
		<li><a href="https://git.riksolo.com">Gitea</a></li>
	</ul>
</div>

<div class="homepage-images">
	<a href="/portfolio/femina">
		<img src="/portfolio/femina/02.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>

	<a href="/portfolio/luxorlive">
		<img src="/portfolio/luxorlive/32.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>

	<a href="/portfolio/musis">
		<img src="/portfolio/musis/1.jpg" width="750" alt="" />
	</a>
</div>