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Meet Lauren Hansen of Lunabear Studios in Scottsdale

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Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Hansen.

So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
I have always loved taking photos – from quick snapshots with my mini instant camera when I was a kid to stealing my mom’s “fancy” camera so I could take artsy photos. My business was born out of a desire to add more creativity to my daily life.

When I graduated from the University of Arizona (Bear Down) with a degree in marketing and film and television, I wanted to be creating and using creativity every day. Even working in an ad agency right out of school, I didn’t feel I was getting to create like I had envisioned. So I picked up my camera.

My first official client was a friend of mine, Kelly Henderson, now the CEO at Keller Williams Phoenix, she needed a new headshot. Kelly asked me to help her with her headshot because I already owned a “nice camera.” That one shoot turned into a headshot session for another friend, then a sorority sister was getting married and asked me to shoot her special day, then a couple more friends wanted family photos, and it all grew from there! Now, three cameras, hundreds of shoots, dozens of weddings and five years later I can’t imagine a more fulfilling career.

Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Building a business while working a full-time job (and, you know, also being a person!) has its challenges. In the beginning, I was working and shooting 7 days a week. I would work at my day-job Monday – Friday, 8 -6 and then come home and either have a shoot or need to edit. Every weekend I would schedule shoots and I loved shooting and editing so much it didn’t feel like work but it meant I didn’t have a lot of truly free time. Luckily I have a very supportive family and husband (was my boyfriend, then fiancé and now husband – all changes that happened while building my business!) and he has always encouraged me to get the job done. When the time came to take my business full-time, I was able to leave my agency job knowing I had built my business responsibly and debt-free.

Outside of only having 24 hours in the day, building a photography business has been similar to building any business – there are always growing pains, creatively and organizationally. I learn something new every day and I wouldn’t change a thing!

Lunabear Studios – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Lunabear Studios is a wedding and portrait photography business that focuses on creating and capturing candid and happy moments! I have built Lunabear Studios to be a beacon of joyful living. We embrace color and adventure! Working with clients that want to document their wedding day and life in full color and with lots of laughter. We’re known for our bright, vibrant and colorful photos and our relaxed approach to photography. Our clients are excited, not just for a wedding day, but for a lifetime of fun together! Joy is our jam.

We tend to shy away from stiff posing and instead work with our clients to get them moving, talking, laughing and being themselves. I believe your portraits should reflect who you are, and we help our client’s look and feel their best so they shine in their portraits. Walking, skipping, squeezing, kissing, laughing – in our portrait sessions and on our wedding days, we want our clients to be laughing and soaking in the joys of life. Our favorite portraits are always those full of life and laughter. I see the world as full of color, so you won’t find me using any funky or trendy edits on your precious memories, I want your images to be timeless and an accurate reflection of your day – that means happy colors and bright photos!

What moment in your career do you look back most fondly on?
The proudest moment of my career so far hasn’t happened just once but multiple times (which is amazing!) It’s when I have received a referral from a client, where they send their friends and family to me. When that friend comes to me and shares that they love their friends’ images because they’re colorful, fun and full of life! The best feeling is knowing that I have served my clients so well they trust me with their loved one’s memories too.

Pricing:

  • Wedding collections start at $2950 and include an engagement session and digital files!
  • Portrait collections start at $450 and always include a style and location guide so we can plan the perfect session!

Contact Info:


Image Credit:
Lunabear Studios

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