We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Lauren Flanagan. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Lauren below.
Lauren, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
By far, one of the most meaningful projects that I have worked on was photographing Three Sisters Intertribal Powwow located at the Atwood Lake Fall Festival every year. Being the granddaughter of a residential school survivor, it is such an honor to be able to document Native American ceremonies and dances for my children and future generations.
Lauren, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
At Wild Hearts Creative Co., I am a wife, mom, and photographer deeply rooted in my Inuk and Mexican heritage. My photography journey has been shaped by my family- my husband and I met while we were both at the same duty station in the Army and ten years later, we’re married with two children. Family is at the heart of my business, and what drives me to capture moments that truly matter.
What sets me apart as a photographer is my focus on the client experience. I believe that open, honest communication is key to building trust, and I work hard to make sure the clients feel heard and understood. This trust allows me to guide them through the process so I can capture the authentic, emotional stories that unfold in front of my lens.
Ultimately, my business is about more than just photography. It’s about connecting with people, capturing the beauty of life, and sharing those moments with the world.
How do you keep in touch with clients and foster brand loyalty?
My saying from Wild Hearts Creative Co. is “The Art of Storytelling”, and that is really how I foster brand loyalty. A lot of my clients are returning clients and that’s because through my lens I am documenting their story. For example, I have one client who hired me to do a maternity session, and since that one session, we have had three more. After the maternity we did the newborn pictures, and then the family pictures, and then over the summer I did a couples session with just her and her husband, and most recently they scheduled me to do a home birth session for next year! The stories are so personal, it is so much more than just keeping up with the current trend.
Let’s talk about resilience next – do you have a story you can share with us?
There were times when I first started where I would have no bookings for a while. I would go weeks without doing a paid session but that never defined my mindset about if I think I have a “successful” business or not. My goal with my business is to travel the world and that might take five years or even ten years, who knows, but the point is it’s not going to happen overnight. When I do go through periods of not having any bookings, that’s when I will chase my kids around the house with the camera or creative concepts with my partner Joella Byron-Dixon, from Photography by Joe LLC. Anytime we have creative ideas, we’ll share them and bring them to life through the lens.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://wildheartscreativeco.com
- Instagram: @wildheartscreativeco
- Facebook: @wildheartscreativeco
Image Credits
Pictures of me courtesy of Joella Byron-Dixon from Photography by Joe LLC