Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauri Novak. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Hi Lauri, thanks for joining us today. If you could go back in time do you wish you had started your creative career sooner or later?

I wish I would have pursued photography specifically as a career much sooner than I did. But, I went the expected route, college and a ‘real’ job. While most of the jobs I did have included some type of creativity, graphic design, marketing, and even some photography at times they were still in the cubicle world and I don’t think I ever really felt that I was in the right place.

My dream job was always to be a National Geographic Photographer. Traveling and creating images to share with others so they can learn and see more of the world still sounds like the perfect job to me.

I have tried many avenues with my photography. From art fairs and galleries to a couple of weddings and a few portrait sessions. Now, I sell my work commercially, lead photo tours, mentor other photographers and do a bit of writing about photography.

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.

Creativity has always been part of my life. I started dance classes at a very early age, I took art classes in high school and I have had a camera for 50 years. My family traveled to new locations for our vacations and there are photos from most of them. All of this instilled in me a sense of wonder and curiosity about the world. I have carried that wonder and curiosity with me into my photography career. I would describe myself as a photographer, educator, mentor & photo tour guide. My work is typically classified as fine art photography. A large portion of my photography includes architecture. I love finding different angles, and unique light and showcasing the beauty of the work of an architect. Travel photography is also quite prevalent in my work. Whenever I have to opportunity to go somewhere, I take it if I’m able to.
The fine art side of photography means that I have prints in private collections and commercial placement as well. I work with an art agency that places my work in hospitals, the hospitality, real estate and business industries. Having traveled quite a bit means that I have a wide variety of images for clients to choose from.
Currently, I offer photo tours of Chicago. I’m starting that part of my business back up again after the last few years of not being able to lead tours. The tours cover quite a bit of ground. They lean a bit toward the architectural side of the city because Chicago is rich with unique architecture from many famous architects. They also allow the participants to wander and create images of what they feel like Chicago is. Typically I will point out some of the opportunities that they may not be aware of along the way.

As I mentioned above, I love to help others. Being able to nudge someone in a caring way to get them to see that they can create amazing work is so rewarding. Sometimes mentoring is about little things that can improve an image, sometimes it’s about the feelings that are associated with creating images. Since I’ve tried a few things along the way, I can share my experiences with others, answer their questions and help them make decisions about how to move their own work and/or business forward. I’ve had clients who are looking to improve their compositions and photography in general and clients who want to find their own voice in their images and work on creating images that allow their viewers to feel the work they produce.

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

Whenever I am teaching or putting my work out there, I want to show unique perspectives. There is so much in the world unseen as we go through our day-to-day lives. There are so many beautiful moments and scenes that are passed by. When helping others on their creative paths, I work with them on finding those moments and scenes.

We are all unique and see the world differently already. Yet, it seems like there are so many similar images out there. By helping someone put their own perspective and life experience into creating their own images, I feel they will begin creating more authentic and original images.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I love seeing the lightbulb moments in others. It might be a commercial or private collector who sees something in a print of mine that sparks a memory, thought or feeling.

In the clients I mentor, it makes me happy when I see them create an image they would not have created if it hadn’t been for a tip or exercise I’ve given them. When I know that they are seeing compositions and subjects around them that they never would have stopped to photograph before, I know I’ve made an impact.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laurinovak.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurinovakphoto/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauriNovakPhotography
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laurinov2/
• Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcokyycuZ6pdUewy4VtT8tw

Image Credits
Image of me by Ron Clifford