Today we’d like to introduce you to Lindsey Warren.
Hi Lindsey, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
As a professional freelance photographer, I often feel like everyone has a “real person job,” and I’m up to something else. Somehow, the people at Voyage Raleigh thought whatever I’m doing is worth an interview, so here we go!
I can’t believe it’s been over a decade since I finished my commercial photography degree at Randolph Community College. People move to Asheboro, NC from all over the state for the photo school, including me. Being immersed in a close-knit environment of creatives taught me more than just curriculum. I made life-long connections there, both with fellow students and alumni from the Triangle area.
After school, I moved to Raleigh, and spent several years assisting two different prominent commercial photographers nearly full-time while waiting tables on weekends and taking whatever portrait or wedding work happened to float my way. During this time, I developed skills as a retoucher, digitech, video editor, website builder, and gained countless other random bits of knowledge. They kept me busy, and when the pandemic hit, I gave up the last few shifts of restaurant work I was hanging onto.
These days I’m happy to be working entirely for myself. It’s a relief to no longer maintain the intense juggle of running my own business like a side-hustle, while someone else’s work priorities took the main stage. I still take on retouching work and assist others occasionally, but my photography comes first now. Variety is the spice of life, and my newest joy this year has been teaching! I just hosted my first photography summer camp for middle school aged kids, and had an absolute blast. It was incredibly fulfilling and exhausting, as I poured my whole self into creating and adjusting the curriculum every day. I can’t wait to do more!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’m a people-pleaser by nature, and it took me years to figure out how to say no, establish my boundaries, price my work properly, and keep myself in check so my niceness doesn’t get taken advantage of. My clients always receive the most above and beyond level of work that I can possibly deliver, while they have no idea how carried away I can get behind the scenes as I strive for perfection. I argue with myself about whether I should hold back from some of the extra subtle editing I put into a client’s gallery when I’m feeling inspired, since I’m not earning any additional money from it. My standards are so high that I find myself zeroing in on details that hardly anyone would notice but me, when there are better ways I should be prioritizing my time. At the end of the day though, the attention to detail makes a difference to me, so I don’t regret the extra effort. Who knows, it may be paying off in ways I’m unable to measure.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I consider myself a people-focused photographer. I’m a big believer in letting people be themselves, letting true personality shine through in my photographs. I love the look of a gorgeously styled shot as much as the next person, but I personally find my inspiration in the existing beauty that’s already in front of me. Environmental portraiture and candid event photography are where I thrive most.
One of my favorite most fulfilling types of shoots is with high school seniors. Girls this age usually have a strong sense of identity and a specific vision for how they aspire to be portrayed. With the age of the internet, they’re not as interested in the classic yearbook headshots of past generations. I’ll ask for a mood board of “inspo pics,” and we’ll pick a location that fits their vibe. It usually takes about half an hour for people to begin to feel at ease in front of the camera, and for myself to get the best feel for how to connect with someone’s inner model. For this reason, I dedicate up to 2 hours for portrait sessions. By the end of the shoot, we are in an incredible artistic groove, and there is a visible transformation in the person’s confidence. The act of making a thoughtful portrait of someone can be a very personal experience. Really seeing someone, paying close attention to how they carry themselves, micro adjustments to their facial expressions… I see why superstitious people in olden times felt like photographs can capture a person’s soul.
I take a lot of pride in my editing abilities and style. A lot of trendy wedding and portrait photography I see online seems to use the same desaturated preset filter without regard to what it does to skin tone or green grass. I was trained as a commercial retoucher, where color accuracy and attention to detail were hugely important. I don’t retouch my own stuff to death, but I am a perfectionist when it comes to color grading. I like my work to have a distinct stylized look without losing the vibrant rich colors of true life.
One more thing I’d like to talk about is the level of attention I give my wedding clients. I treat every wedding as unique to the individuals, with an understanding of what each couple is excited for me to capture, rather than following a dedicated shot list. I don’t orchestrate fake moments for the camera or try to turn the whole day into a photoshoot. I help couples create a realistic timeline that includes padding for flexibility, choosing select times and spots for picturesque moments, and I document the day as it unfolds. Posed family group shots can feel redundant and boring, but I place extra emphasis on being efficient and thorough with them, because these are often the images that will be most treasured 20 years from now. I ask couples for a list of important people’s names and connections to each other, so I start the day with an awareness of who’s who among their loved ones, along with a good sense of how to immerse myself with the social dynamic. All that to say, I’m not here to create content for my social media, or spend precious time on glamour shots of shoes and stationary, I’m here for the people and the memories that will be made.
We love surprises, fun facts and unexpected stories. Is there something you can share that might surprise us?
I’m not super hustle-minded unless I have to be. The majority of opportunities that have made an impact on my career have seemingly just fallen into my lap. I’m tempted to say I haven’t tried all that hard and have just been relatively lucky, but I know in reality these opportunities have appeared to me because I enjoy living a full life. I’m following joy, making friends, and existing in the world without an agenda. The most random unexpected connections oftentimes lead to new interesting pathways. Like when an old friend from school reached out and recruited me to join a hiking club and volunteer my photography, I could have said I only take paid work, but I decided it sounded fun. That led to several hiking club members hiring me for family portrait sessions, getting invited to teach at a community center, and befriending a campground owner who hired me to build their website. Being friendly with our table companions at Kanki led me to photograph a wedding venue that my new acquaintance opened years later. Word of mouth from photographing one event snowballed into many others as friends in the community continue to recommend me to each other. It’s wild to look back on how painfully shy and self-conscious I was as a kid in comparison to who I am now. I don’t blend into the background or avoid being noticed anymore… I’m outspoken and memorable. I think a younger version of me would be in admiration of the self-assured person I have grown to become.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lindseywarrenphoto.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lindseywarrenphoto
