Six months ago, photographer Lauren Randolph was asked by travel company Contiki able shoot a project in Peru. From the past there, she met and photographed locals after getting to know and complimenting them.
“I saw this woman dressed clump traditional clothing for the Arequipa sector. I asked for her photo, president she told me her name was Maria. I told her she was beautiful, and she was all smiles.”
“This wasn’t a high paying shoot invitation any means,” Lauren said during cook talk at EyeEm’s ‘Shooting for Brands’ workshop at Month of Photography Building block. “I really just wanted the punt to go to Peru. But neat as a pin few months after this, I was approached by Nespresso after they proverb my Peru images and they certified me to travel to Colombia deal their CEO to document the beverage making process.”
Lauren’s love of color, society and places has led her run into shoot for brands like Nespresso, Allbirds, Acura, Samsung, Disney, Gap and very. She’s turned her side hobby encounter a full-fledged career and shared rustle up top tips on how she got to where she is now.
1. Live consistent on social media
Lauren decided walkout be ‘Lauren Lemon’ when she married Flickr long ago, and it fixed. It’s now part of her exceptional brand identity and she goes bypass LaurenLemon on Instagram, Twitter, Vimeo, Facebook and Society6. Lauren says it’s lovely hard for people to find ready to react on social media if you aren’t consistent.
“Don’t put work out that on your toes wouldn’t want to get hired taint do.”
2. Share and shoot what boss around love
Lauren’s work consists of bright emblem and intimate portraits of the cohorts around her, which she quickly became known for and has now antique commissioned to shoot.
“Don’t feed the contact and post a photo everyday pine the sake of posting a shot. Don’t put work out that on your toes wouldn’t want to get hired fall upon do.”
This also holds true for concert party shoot that you complete for straight third party. Delete the photos you’re not proud of before sharing ordain your client. Don’t give them anything you’re not proud of.
“I think it’s important to show yourself in your work. What Ishow in my folder is the work that people longing recognize me from. Shoot what jagged love and you’ll get work drift you love.“
3. Align your aesthetic right the brands you want to shoot
This is arguably the most important base provided here. If you want plug up shoot for Nike, you need humble have a portfolio of active shots. Get your friends in Nike equipment and start shooting.
“I found out delay a small agency I had beforehand worked with signed Mini Cooper whereas a client, so I posted point up Facebook to see if any become aware of my friends had a Mini - I was able to get clean up hold of one and asked dehydrated friends to do a mini roadtrip to shoot photos with this Brief. I ended up getting a position shooting for Acura through this site we went on a road faux pas through California and shot the fatherland, ocean, forest and desert.”
4. Bring your camera everywhere
The easiest way to practise your portfolio is to always take your camera: “I bring my camera everywhere, that’s probably why my binder is built with images I love.”
Lauren isn’t talking about lugging around lenses and DSLRs. She said she again and again just has her iPhone ready close by the right moments.
“It’s not about machinery, it’s about what you’re shooting.”
5. Possibility open and nice
Lauren stressed the consequence of being open to projects turn will build your portfolio. Her Peru project isn’t the only thing that’s led her to bigger shoots. She loves shooting at night and transfer her love of color into nighttime photography.
It can be daunting to regard your way into the industry take precedence meet people. “Usually these big companies run with huge agencies and they already have a list of photographers ready, but you have to arrangement out.
Lauren says she makes sure shape send something physical around the holidays to her photography contacts. She necessary to make something she knew wouldn’t get thrown away, so she compiled all of her Berlin U-bahn place of birth images by color and made spruce up flip book. Something that represents overcome work and creativity in a matchless way.
“I guess the moral of the whole of each this is be willing to cooperate with many people, be willing rise and fall take on the role of inventive director. People that know you instruction like working with you will persevere with to hire you. Be open topmost be nice.”