Inspired, A Very Special Project | Jennifer Lauren Photography

Jennifer Lauren is an amazing photographer based out of Dallas! Her eye for portraiture is not only beautiful but fresh with a hint of funky!! I absolutely love her newborn work and her soulful black and white imagery! She is not only crazy talented but super sweet and has been a pleasure to get to know via our email correspondence and her gracious interview! I am completely excited to share her with you all!!

You can find Jennifer’s Website HERE and her Facebook page HERE.

Hi Sweet Jennifer!

Lets get to know you! How would you describe yourself in three sentences?

Above all else, I’m a mom to an awesome 5 year old boy and have an amazingly supportive husband. I’m very drawn to urban locations and textures, so anyone who knows me, is well aware that I prefer funky locations for both clients and my own family, seems I have a bit of a wild side left over from childhood! I have a serious love affair for photography and am beyond happy doing what I do!

What sparked your passion for Photography?

My family! Somehow I always knew I’d end up in a creative field, as much as I tried not too, lol. My Grandmother was a film actress for Universal Studios and RKO in the 30’s and 40’s, my family opened a film/video production business in the mid-80’s and my mom is a photographer who always focused on portraits and events! I’ve always loved taking pictures, even as a child, but was focused on landscape or animals. I worked for years as a producer in the film/video industry until having my son. It was time for a career change and photography was just in my blood. Portraits ended up being my real passion though, just never thought it would happen that way.

What’s in your camera bag?

Canon 5D Mark II (soon to be the Mark III when the kinks get worked) and all Canon lenses; 135L, 24-70L, 70-200L, 85 1.2L, 100mm macro, 50 1.4.

What Camera/Equipment did you start out with?

When I started getting serious business wise, a 40 D and 5D. I bought my Mark II the minute it hit the market and I love it, issues and all.

If you could only use one lens an entire session which one would you choose and why?

Probably my 50 1.4 since I do more newborns than anything, it’s my favorite for them. After that, I LOVE the 135 2.0L

 

What advice would you give to someone just beginning in photography and hoping to have a business of their own?

Photography is a tough business, so make sure you are ready for the whole deal before opening shop. I think people assume that we are just rolling in the dough, when the reality is that we are just trying to support our families the best we can. Long hours, time away from your family, taxes, insurance, equipment costs, marketing costs, packaging, the list of things to think about goes on and on. Learn, learn, learn the craft first and foremost. Then make sure you are legitimate and legal (i.e. sales tax id, insurance, etc.). Above all, don’t undervalue your work.

What was your first official Photographer crush if you had one?

So hard to say, but the first person that comes to mind is Richard Avedon (mainly because I am so enamored with old Hollywood photography and black & white). For a more modern crush, I love Lisa Holloway’s work!

 

What kind of photos do you like to take for just yourself when not working with clients?

Images of my son, landscape or sunsets. I want to get more into macro too.

If you could photograph absolutely anyone who would it be dead or alive?

So weird, but I would say my Grandmother. She was an actress in the 30’s and 40’s and I LOVE that glamorous era. The dramatic lighting, the makeup, the hair, the clothing, everything. I love seeing all her old press images and lobby cards. It’s inspired me to think about doing a series of Old Hollywood style images, just haven’t found the time.

 

Describe your style in 3 words.

Fun, funky, fresh

Most embarrassing moment on a session would be?

Hmm, which one to tell. Probably getting fully drenched in pee from a sweet newborn (I was sitting crossed legged with baby in my lap so instead of a sprinkle, I ended up covered neck to ankle, lol). That or the time I was photographing a Senior in a field and as we were walking back I screeched and did the Riverdance when I saw a snake! Yep, a harmless green snake but it scared the daylights out of me and I’m usually the first to enter the field or area to check for “creatures” before I let the client. Probably unknowingly flashed a few undies shots to clients during a session as well, all those strange, contorted positions I get into, just to get that shot!

 

Any challenges you have had to overcome to be where you are today?

This industry is full of challenges. A big one is the fact that starting out I was 100% on-location and people tend to think if you don’t have a studio, you aren’t professional enough. Even old school photographers are quick to voice this, which I find condescending to the industry. Sure there are those that don’t know how to find the light regardless of studio or outdoors, but choosing to fall in love with natural light doesn’t make you a lesser photographer! So, it’s time to get over that, folks! Not everyone who chooses natural light, does so because they don’t want to master studio light! Yes studio can be beautiful, dramatic or modern, and yes I now do both studio and on-location work, but I will always prefer the unique backdrops, textures and colors of outdoor locations…always. No matter how you light it, a backdrop just isn’t the same as the real deal! I also have clients literally at every end of the Dallas-Fort Worth area so that in itself is challenging!

Favorite time of day to shoot is?

An hour or two before Sunset! I like after sunrise too, but I’m a night owl so early rising and being functional, even with a coffee IV drip, is hard for me! For newborns, it would be around 9:30 a.m.

 

If you had to stop taking photos right now, what would you do instead?

Retire and be a stay at home mom and travel! Anyone with a good tip on lottery numbers?

Have you attended college or had any formal education in Photography?

Other than learning from my photographer mom, nope, self taught! Would it have been nice, sure, but it’s certainly not a necessity and at the time I thought my life was headed a different direction. A degree can be a great thing, but it doesn’t necessarily make you good at your craft. I know plenty of people with degrees who can’t get proper exposure or sharp images and on the flip side, I know plenty of people without degrees who are beyond amazing. I do think being in the film & video business for so long certainly helped me though.

 

What do you do to get your clients to relax with you?

Just be myself, I’m pretty chatty and low key. I have no issue acting like a complete goofball!

What are your photography related goals for 2012?

Um, finish working on my new website, update my blog (so many sessions to post) and finish updating my Facebook, SO behind on things like that right now!!! Slow down a bit as well and enjoy my son’s last summer before Kindergarten! I’d also love to do a few stylized sessions just for me, like the Old Hollywood series I mentioned earlier.

 

How do you push yourself to keep growing and learning?

I will always strive to keep growing and learning. I think the minute you feel you are a total “rock star” is the minute you lose touch with the industry. If there is one thing I learned from my days in film/video, things are constantly changing; from style to equipment and technology. Throughout my photography journey, I’ve certainly found things I love and don’t love that are the core of my business, but I am always pushing myself to grow.

Any Big Aha! Moments?

The minute that manual and RAW made sense. I love having that control over the image. Oh and back button focus! I’m an addict and if I use someone else’s camera not set to BBB, it’ drives me crazy!

 

Biggest Photography related insecurity?

I’m a perfectionist so probably never 100% happy with my work and always see ways to improve.

Digital or Prints?

Prints first and foremost, but I offer Digital add-ons as well. I love knowing the the images created will actually be printed. I’m guilty of having digital images that have never seen a lab so I like knowing that something from a session will be seen and not tucked away in a drawer somewhere. I also LOVE big wall art and Canvas.

 

How long would you say it took you to find your “style”?

Pretty quickly to figure out what I didn’t enjoy photographing and how I didn’t want my images to look, but to really fine tune was probably a good year. I think it will always be developing though. I’m into cleaner processing, but I also like a hazy look every now and then. I also LOVE black & whites more than anything.

 

What do you think is a must have on a photographer’s website to make someone stand out from other local photographers?

I think the work should set you apart. I say try not to focus on what other photographers in your area are doing, just focus on your own work! After all, you are selling YOU.

 

If you could do one thing differently in your journey as a photographer what would it be?

Hands down, curb my newborn prop buying habit!

 

Fun stuff:

Favorite Color: Blue
Favorite Season: Summer
Biggest Guilty Pleasure: Venti triple nonfat caramel brulee latte from Starbucks, if only it wasn’t seasonal!
Pet Peeve: Sitting in traffic
Favorite Pandora Station: Classic Rock, 70’s Folk, Led Zepplin, Adult Hits, Radio for Kids (if my son near me)
Studio or On location: Both! I photograph in studio or in-home for newborns, studio or outdoors for babies up to a year as well as maternity, then pretty much everything else I do is outdoors in fun, funky locations!

What did you want to be when you grew up? A criminal profiler or private investigator. I ended up with degrees in Psychology and Criminal Justice but when I really thought about the impact it would have on my future family, my career path took a turn. My father specializes in forensic video analysis so that’s about the closest I will ever come to saving humanity.

One thing no one knows about you is: I’m a natural platinum blond who’s dying to go redhead! (although my hair did get darker when I had my son so maybe now’s the time for a change)
Pc or Mac: MAC baby!!
Lightroom Or Photoshop: Both! CS4, CS5 and LR3
Film or Digital: Digital
Props or No Props: Both, props for newborn and babies, not so much after that age!
If you could travel anywhere it would be: New Zealand!
Glass Half Empty or Half Full: Depends on the day, but mostly Half full!
Favorite photo ever taken: My son on the train, it was literally the first time he started cooperating for images. No morephotographer’s child syndrome!

Raw or Jpeg: RAW
Favorite Music to Edit to: Classic Rock!
Favorite Quote: “Don’t cry because it’s over, smile because it happened.” – Dr. Seuss
Most valued material possession: Truthfully, as cliche as it sounds, the images of my son’s first year. I love him more than anything and can’t imagine losing those precious early memories. I have them backed up in no less than 3 different drives and DVD and several in print.
Processing Style: a mix of clean edits and hazy if the image calls for it.
Coffee or Tea: Both, but coffee more!
If you could photograph a Celebrity who would it be? Uh, David Beckham 🙂 or Rooney Mara because she can go to such extremes; classic beauty to wild and funky!
What kind of Camera bag do you rock? I have a Jill.E rolling bag that I love because it holds all my gear and a turquoise Epiphanie Lola for when I travel lighter.