We were lucky to catch up with Laine Zimmerman recently and have shared our conversation below.
Laine, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about how you learned to do what you do?
I would say the best way to learn your craft is to be consistent in practicing. You can read all the books and watch all the YouTube videos, but actually going out shooting is the best way to learn your camera. I think I was a little shy at first with shooting in ways where I wasn’t familiar, so pushing myself out of my comfort zone sooner to learn light and different films, etc. would have gotten me to where I am faster. I was more worried about making perfect photos and I knew how to get there, but then I started to realize all my shoots were looking the same so I challenged myself to be more playful and worry less about perfection in order to become a more versatile shooter.
Laine, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?
Growing up my dad was always shooting film and would develop and print his photos in the darkroom he built in our basement. I didn’t take photography seriously until college where I got a portfolio scholarship to San Francisco Art Institute. I graduated and took a year or so off of making any art at all. Then when I came back to it, I hit the ground running. I moved from Detroit to Miami, made a lot of creative friends, and was finding so much inspiration that the momentum kept building and building. I now shoot mostly film photos, digital too if requested, but I definitely prefer shooting film. There is something so personal and special about a film photo. The process is much slower which makes you feel like you need to be intentional with every shot. I want to always create art and never feel like I’m just making content. I want my work to hold weight.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Word of mouth is definitely my best source of new clients. People see your work being shared on social media or they see you at an event that someone hired you for and meet you that way. I’ve also had a decent amount of people find me on their explore page, so using hashtags is definitely beneficial. Use social media as your tool!
What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is to be able to capture people in a way that makes them feel proud and confident.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lainezim.com
- Instagram: @lainezim
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laine-zimmerman-27b994124/