We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Laura Horn a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Laura, appreciate you joining us today. What do you think Corporate America gets wrong in your industry?

Before starting my own business I worked for a corporate photography company. Although I loved being able to capture so many smiles, I noticed a pretty big problem. The company I was working for, along with most other corporate photography companies, focused on quantity over quality. While doing yearbook pictures photographers are trained to get as many kids photographed as possible in the little time they have. Every child should get only one photo taken. There are little to no exceptions for children who have disabilities or are afraid to get their picture taken. As a mother it was very discouraging to see the photos that would be sent home to parents; photos that the parents spent quite a bit of money on, only to have a few moments spent to get a picture of their child that represented so much. I left corporate photography to focus more on my son and become an advocate for his medical conditions. He has oral and speech apraxia, so he is mostly non-verbal. I had to try different routes to understand him and help him express himself. Not only did that make a huge impact on my life, it also affected how I thought of my career. I decided to start my own business to offer an alternative to “big business” photography. I wanted to create an opportunity for those who can’t or don’t get pictures taken. I offer pay what you can sessions for those who can’t normally afford photo session fees, and I take extra care to plan each session to make my client as comfortable as possible to get shots that perfectly express them! I do custom quotes for each session to ensure I capture everything my client wants and meet every one of their needs. After the photoshoot I edit each picture individually to get the perfect photo. I never put a limit on the number of digital downloads my clients receive from a shoot, so they get every shot that I capture. I do all of this to make sure my clients feel comfortable enough to be able to capture their special moments and feel they are perfectly represented in the photos I take.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

My journey started when I got my first digital camera. My papaw and I used to sit and watch hummingbirds eat together, and I thought it would be the prefect thing to take my first “real” picture of. My papaw was a quiet man who didn’t fawn over a lot of things. He reassured me that it would be ok if I couldn’t get a good picture of the birds because they were so fast. However, when I showed him the picture I was able to capture he loved it! He told me it was beautiful, and I was really gifted. He said if it was something I enjoyed doing I should never give up on it and keep striving to do better each day. I have done my best to honor him in my business and never give up on it. I got a job in corporate photography and was so excited to be able to finally call myself a professional photographer. I excelled at the company and ended up receiving multiple awards for the photos I had taken. Something didn’t feel right though so I left the business to be home with my son. I still felt that there was something missing so I decided to start my own business that would offer all the things that corporate photography couldn’t. This decision led to pay what you can sessions and mobile studios to ensure everyone had the opportunity to get their moments captured for them to keep forever. I have now been featured in magazines and art galleries, and I finally feel confident in myself and my business. I believe I got those opportunities because my clients could see I valued their memories and moments more than their money. Their session wasn’t about how much money I could make, it was about doing everything I can to perfectly capture them.

What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?

There are so many rewarding aspects of my career. I love meeting new people and discussing the field with other artists. As a mother the most rewarding part of my business is being able to spend more time with my family. After my son was diagnosed with his mental illnesses, I was so worried about leaving him with someone who might not understand him. Starting my own business allowed me to devote more time to him and his development.

What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?

One of the main goals I have for my business is growth. I would love to have more opportunities to meet new clients and help their visions come to life. I also love giving back or helping people in any way I can. I’d love to be able to partner with other local businesses to help grow their clientele and revenues! A specific dream of mine is to work with local animal shelters to get the best pictures to help increase the number of adoptions.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.lcphotographytn.com
• Instagram: @lcphotographytn
• Facebook: LC Photography, LLC
• Yelp: LC Photography

Image Credits
LC Photography,LLC