Courtney joined me in the studio to capture her most recent achievement: graduating from the police academy.
When I first spoke with her, Courtney said when she was in college she made a point to study something she was interested in and enjoyed. For her that was criminal justice.
Fast forward years later to her most recent graduation, she wanted to make it known through her photographs that she earned what she does for a living; many people along the way tried to tell her she wasn’t cut out for the job.
I think these photographs speak that truth for themselves.
Here’s to the many endeavors ahead of you, Courtney!
Looking for some shots like these for yourself? Shots that you feel like you can say that’s me to? View more or book your own session.
All good things, Lauren
Lauren is one of the many talented York PA photographers, though she’s strayed away from the mainstream and focuses on personal branding photography. She makes sure your brand’s photos match where your business is going, not just where it’s been. If you’re looking for a personal branding photographer near Baltimore, York Pa photographers, Philadelphia photographers, commercial photography, product photography, or headshots, get in touch with her!
Hailey joined me in the studio to update her headshots and showed up as her most comfortable and confident self.
How’d she do that? By being her.
She came decked out in rainbow nails for Pride (I couldn’t stop staring at them…you’ll see why in a minute), a kickass skeleton shirt, and her vintage-vibe frames. No overly done makeup, no stiff hairstyle, no dress shirt—just her beautiful self.
You don’t have to be anything but you to make a double-take worthy headshot; the response to Hailey’s photos ranged from “Dude she looked killer!” to “This is so natural I love it!”
Have a look for yourself:
Hailey’s a graphic designer who has seen her work appear in Target. (She said she stood in the aisle crying awkwardly in front of strangers when she saw it in person for the first time. I love that—very much.)
Art’s been a huge part of her life, and I—and everyone else—completely adore that she brought that into her headshots.
Because you don’t have to be what you think everyone else wants you to be in order to get where you want to go.
In fact, the opposite is true. Be who you are, and the right job, the right audience—the right everything—will start to line up for you. (We’re both living proof.)
Looking for some shots like these for yourself? Shots that you feel like you can say that’s me to? See more or book your session.
All good things, Lauren
Lauren is one of the many talented York PA photographers, though she’s strayed away from the mainstream and focuses on personal branding photography. She makes sure your brand’s photos match where your business is going, not just where it’s been. If you’re looking for a personal branding photographer near Baltimore, York Pa photographers, Philadelphia photographers, commercial photography, product photography, or headshots, get in touch with her!
Need some motivation in your business right now? Think about this:
I had a realization today that, at almost 25 years old, I could live two—possibly 3—more of the lives I’ve already lived. That’s a long time.
What also came with that realization was that so many of us are willing to hold onto the same story of who we are for all three of those lifetimes.
That’s a long time, guys. That’s a realllly long time of giving up on yourself.
If you’re afraid to start again because you feel you’re already too far down a certain path, give yourself the chance to live that new life you’ve been dreaming of.
Believe in yourself, or at least start to trust the universe. Leave the job. Start the business. Complete that project just because it’s something to do. Put yourself out there. Wear that outfit. Spend the money. Take a chance. Accept the compliment. Leave the shitty friends. Join a club by yourself. Find people who believe in your dreams.
Why not?You’ve got all the time in the world.
Here are just a few people I’ve been lucky enough to work with who I’ve seen make those changes, despite what their life’s story could have told them to be.
Abby Riggleman and I collaborated to bring her soy candle brand, Absolute Scents, to a new level with product photography that matches her candles’ vibes. Her brand deserves it after all, with unmatched scents ranging from warm fall fragrances to your favorite cozy cocktails like Irish Coffee and Smoked Old Fashioned.
Don’t you wish you could smell through the internet? Yeah, me too. Luckily I got to spend plenty of time with a few of her best scents during her candle product photography session.
Read on as you browse through this candle product photography collection to gain some insights on Abby’s growth as an entrepreneur—you may find some inspiration yourself.
Q: How’d you get started in all of this? Where’d your inspiration come from?
A: My inspiration came from walking into my family’s distillery everyday and being surrounded by these incredible aromas. From mash cooking, to our honey whiskey notes, and the scent that fills the room after we make a smoked old fashioned cocktail. I imagined capturing those scents but I didn’t quite know how.
Q: Why do you do this? What gets you excited about your candles?
A: I started this company out of a hobby. I moved back home after graduating college and I needed a creative outlet, something that was my own. Once I taught myself how to make candles, which was such a fun and inventive process, I put them on display at the distillery and I sold out almost right away.
From that moment, I knew I was onto something. And as I kept selling, I kept getting inspiration for new scents. None of my scents are common. I blend multiple fragrances to get something entirely unique.
Q: What value do you seek to bring your customers?
A: Let’s be real. Candles won’t save the world. But what my candles do is bring people joy. They bring warmth into the home and into people’s lives…a unique fragrance with a long burn time.
Q: What insight would you give to help other entrepreneurs find confidence in themselves?
A: My advice for other entrepreneurs is patience and momentum. Your long term vision is extremely important, but don’t underestimate the value of patience. Learning a new skill, starting a new company, creating a website, finding a client base, all takes trial and error. Be kind to yourselfbecause this process isn’t easy, but it can also be fun. Enjoy the journey of building something for yourself.
Abby herself is such a genuine person, someone who cares a lot about the quality she puts into her work, who knows how to flow of the world around her, and has such a calming presence. If you think her products are great, the service you experience with her will turn you into a loyal customer forever.
You can purchase your own warming fragrance just in time for pumpkin season here! Can’t wait to curl up, read a book, and sip some Irish Coffee with them this fall <3
All good things, Lauren
P.S. If you’re looking for product photography that matches where your brand is headed—not just where it’s been—let’s connect!
Lauren is a branding photographer between Baltimore and Philadelphia. She focuses on personal branding photography,product photography, and headshots to help creative entrepreneurs match their images to where their brand is headed, not just where it’s been. If you’re looking for headshots near Baltimore, headshots near Lancaster, product photography, or personal brand photography for your one-man-show or creative business, get in touch! Let’s play bigger together.
Longwood Gardens Engagement Session | Philadelphia Wedding Photographers
Kristen, Jesse, and I (and Elisabeth and Nancy) headed out to the overwhelmingly beautiful Longwood Gardens at Kennet Square this week to hang out in fancy clothes and celebrate their upcoming wedding in Malvern, PA next September.
There’s so much to appreciate about this session—smoosh faces with their puppy, Gracie; visits from our friendly tour guide, Pierre the cat; lots of laughs; and gorgeous views. Enjoy!
P.S. Looking for your own wedding photos? Start here!
Lauren is a personal branding photographer near Baltimore and Philly. While she specializes in studio headshots, personal branding photography, and commercial photography, she also loves dabbling in wedding photography (her previous focus). She loves connecting with anyone looking for a good time, so if you’re on the prowl for some personal branding photography, headshots near Baltimore, or any Philadelphia wedding photographers, get in touch!
