Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Welborn.
Hi Laura, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
My love for photography begin in high school, when I had the opportunity to take a film photography class. I would often use my lunch period to get some extra time in the dark room! I reluctantly stepped away from the hobby after graduation when I no longer had access to a dark room.
Many years later, my husband and I found out we would be moving to Germany, and I decided to invest in a digital SLR camera to capture our travels while living there. Shortly after we settled into our new home, a friend asked me to photograph her newborn twins. I was nervous- I didn’t have children of my own yet, and didn’t know where to start! I did some basic research on newborn photography and took the photos in their home. I loved it, and knew right away that it was where I wanted to focus my photography! I dove right in. After taking several courses on newborn photography, I started Laura Karoline Photography in 2012, specializing in family, maternity, baby, and newborn photography. At the time, I did primarily studio newborn photography in my basement studio.
I was fortunate to have wonderful clientele during our six years living in Germany. When we moved to Northern New York State in 2018, I was fortunate to be able to continue my business there using a shared studio space.
Just one year later, in late 2019, my husband and toddler son were able to move back to our home state of North Carolina! We knew we wanted to put down roots in NC as our “forever home”, and ended up in the Raleigh are, settling down in Cary. I started my business back up right away with an in-home studio.
By 2022, my business had grown enough locally that I was able to move into a studio space in downtown Cary, which is where I am today! I continue to love photographing babies and watching them grow, and being a part of families as they grow over the years!
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
My business journey has not been a consistent upward trajectory. I am fortunate that when I started, I did not have much competition in my area and my business was able to grow quickly, which gave me the opportunity to gain a lot of experience very fast in the beginning. My first big obstacle was the birth of my first child! He was born when my business was three years old. The transition to becoming a parent has many joys and many struggles, and balancing a business on top of new parenthood is difficult. Being my own boss, I struggled with deciding how much time to take off and how much to work. I did take many months off of photography and then slowly got back into it. I think that becoming a mother myself changed my approach and my work for the better- I truly value the fleeting moments and try to capture every expression instead of trying to curate a perfect moment during photos.
The next obstacle that I faced was moving. Having to start over in a new area with no connections is difficult. I worked hard to try to establish myself in the area somewhat before even arriving, but business definitely takes a big hit when you are new. The Covid pandemic began shortly after we settled into Raleigh, which made it take even longer than I think it otherwise would have.
Another obstacle that I am constantly thinking about is following photography trends and styles. I’ve been in this business long enough to see several trends and “looks” come and go. It’s a natural part of life (and fun!), and I think it’s important to be paying attention to the trends, but finding that balance between doing work that is timeless but also appeals to a modern audience is certainly a challenge that keeps me on my toes!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer specializing in maternity, baby, and newborn photography. I am known for my consistency, quality photos, and making my clients feel at ease.
I am most proud when my clients come back to me time after time and year after year to capture special moments and their children growing. It is truly an honor to watch a couple anticipate meeting their little one during a maternity photo session, then meeting that baby once they are born, and then watching them grow and even gain siblings sometimes!
I believe that what sets me apart from others is my experience, professionalism, and organization. I believe those things, in addition to producing high quality work and being friendly, are essential to creating a good experience for my clients! Sometimes parents will start to apologize when their baby is fussy, or their toddler doesn’t want to participate- I always stop them to remind them that I have seen it all, everything is normal, and it’s my job to get great photos anyway! I’ve gained an understanding over the years of the importance and value of capturing babies and children where they are in their current phase. Those phases go by so quickly, and meeting a family exactly where they are in that moment is so special!
What do you like and dislike about the city?
I love the Raleigh area! I think my favorite thing about it is the laid-back feel, it just feels like a relaxed area to me. I also really appreciate how family-friendly it is, with so many amazing parks and child-friendly spaces. The thing I like least? The mosquitoes that keep me from enjoying the outdoors in the Summer and early Fall! As a mosquito magnet, that’s the first thing I would change about the area if I had magical powers!
Contact Info:
- Website: http://www.laurakarolinephotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurakarolinephoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraKarolinePhotography/
