Meet Lani Lloyd

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lani Lloyd.

Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I was raised in Portland, Oregon and moved to the Phoenix area after high school. I met my husband, an Arizona native here and started a family. We briefly moved back to the Pacific Northwest for a few years, but ultimately were drawn back to the desert, where we recently planted roots and “came home!”

Growing up and spending so much time immersed in such an artistic community like Portland really attributed to my growth as a photographer. Though my photography journey didn’t begin until 2010, my passion for it really took off during my brief time back in Portland and I am SO excited to be back in the valley, where I can continue to create art and share an incredible journey with beautiful people! I’ve noticed that in the few, short years I was away, Phoenix has drawn so many new artists, makers, and creatives and I’m very excited to be part of this growing community of entrepreneurs and artistic professionals.

Please tell us about your art.
I’ve been a photographer offering family and wedding photography since 2010 but in recent years, I’ve been drawn to boudoir and intimate portraiture. The level of connection I felt with my boudoir clients was so far above anything I had experienced with other clients in my photography career and that ultimately led me to transition to specializing in only boudoir portraiture.

I love boudoir photography because of the incredibly empowering experience my clients have — nearly every client walks into their session nervous, uneasy, uncomfortable, and sometimes scared and unsure whether they want to go through with their session. But after the first few minutes of the first set, most of my clients begin to move freely and are filled with this confidence that allows them to complete their session with ease. It’s exhilarating for me, as a photographer, to watch this emotional transition with my clients during their session and continue for months following. I don’t think there is a better feeling than seeing tears of joy stream from a client’s eyes when they see the beauty I’ve been able to capture despite many of my clients coming into their sessions with insecurities.

I specialize in boudoir today because of the positive impact it has had on my client’s boudoir portraiture is not just shedding clothing and jumping into a photo shoot. It encourages and supports my clients in removing barriers of poor self-esteem, guilt, insecurity, and self-doubt. It helps them push their own limits and lifts them up, both physically and emotionally. I watch my clients discover beauty that they’ve stifled, pushed down, and ignored and breathing life back into their confidence. My work has helped women smash societal standards and love themselves more. From “girl talk” while they have their hair & makeup done to joyful cries when seeing their images for the first time, my work gives women a space where they can just BE and focus on themselves. The whole experience is really incredible.

Do you have any advice for other artists? Any lessons you wished you learned earlier?
If nothing else, keep pushing. Don’t worry about what’s going on with your competition, keep your blinders on and focus on your goals. Artists are often discouraged and quit creating because they compare themselves to others.

And support your fellow artists – as a firm believer in Community Over Competition, I value and cherish my relationships with others in my field. I’ve developed tremendous friendships with those in direct competition with me and neither I nor my fellow artists have detrimental effects from partnering and working together, bouncing ideas off one another, and pushing each other to keep creating.

How or where can people see your work? How can people support your work?
My work can be found on my website as well as Facebook and Instagram. Look for my work to also be showcased locally in boutiques and businesses that focus on women’s beauty and empowerment.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.intimateportraitspdx.com
• Phone: 503-660-8574
• Email: hello@intimateportraitspdx.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/intimateportraitspdx
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/intimateportraitspdx

Image Credit:
Lani Lloyd

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