Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Brandon.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lauren. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
When I was younger, I always had an interest in photography, following after my Dad who had done some creative film photography work many years prior to music row in Nashville. I had no direction but I knew I enjoyed it. I kept up with it through college years, dabbling in some projects and volunteer photography work. When I graduated I began shooting sessions for friends and family. I knew immediately from the start though that I didn’t want to just be “a girl with a nice camera”. I wanted a brand, a name, a real business. Little did I know that growing a business and brand would be as much as the passion of mine as the creative pursuit of photography.
I invested and sacrificed a lot in the beginning, time, money, and relationships – as much as I don’t like admitting it. I never wanted to sell any piece of my business short. When I knew that weddings were my foremost passion I was dedicated to creating the highest quality experience for every bride. I pursued refining my skills shooting film photographs, which for me was not only the best step I could make for the quality of my wedding photos, but also sentimental for me in that it was what I had originally learned from my dad.
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
I think that the hardest part was finding my niche and setting myself apart. Nowadays so many people can pick up a camera, buy a web domain, and call themselves a photographer. I wondered in the beginning…So what? How do I seem any different? But for me taking beautiful photos is only a part of the bigger picture of my business. I dedicated myself to my brand, investing in the right equipment (and backups of ALL my equipment – this is HUGE), and the quality and professionalism of my work. When I committed myself to this from the very beginning and launched a BUSINESS, not hobby with a website to show it off, I was amazed at the feedback.
Refining consistency was huge too. When a client purchases a photography service, you are buying a product of work. You want what YOUR photos to looks like the product YOU purchased based on the way they look. Refining the consistency of my product so that in any place, in any light, my product will ALWAYS look like what you associate with my business. Creatively, that was a huge challenge.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Lauren Brandon Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
My business specializes in fine-art style film photography. It has a heavy emphasis on weddings, engagements and couples, and the style of my photographs are romantic, airy, and organic. My posing is rather non-traditional – I would label it as “refined but genuine”. I will set the couple in a place and a pose, but once were there, I inspire moments that allow the couple to react genuinely. So that the smiles and laughter are real and don’t look forced or staged. It is the best of both worlds because it’s super easy for couples who have never been in front of a camera to look like immediate models!
Shooting film is definitely the biggest aspect of my business that makes it unique, different and beautiful. Its such a dying art but at the same time completely timeless. Sure, it’s more work, more loading film cartridges, more assistants, more cameras strapped to me on a 10 hour wedding day, and way more money, but the end product is worth every bead of sweat and every penny. It was what I learned in the very beginning, and what to this day, makes my photos stand out in a digital world.
So, what’s next? Any big plans?
I have just completed a HUGE office remodel and I feel like now my next big adventure would be expanding and adding new employees. I’m still at the point where I think “that would be absurd…your little business you started from nothing?” but the reality is I really can’t continue without it. It’s hard for me to even believe!
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurenbrandonphotography.com
- Email: lauren@laurenbrandonphotography.com
- Instagram: instagram.com/laurennbrandon
- Facebook: facebook.com/laurenbrandonphotography
Image Credit:
Hannah Haston
Lauren Brandon
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