Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Muller Armendariz.
Lisa, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
My love for art has always had its hold on me, even as a child. I loved making things with my hands, whether that was with clay or my dad’s scrap wood pieces. I loved how art was an escape from reality and how I was able to express myself through being crafty. As a pre-teen, I would “borrow” my mom’s canon point-and-shoot to take selfies for my Xanga and Myspace back in the day. You can relate if you were an emo millennial too. It wasn’t until I was a senior in Highschool that my grandma bought me my first DSLR camera. I brought my little Nikon camera everywhere I went, photographing my friends, flowers, animals, and garbage, haha.
I felt pretty lost in college, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do as a career and struggled to find my place. After impulsively applying to The Art Institute of Austin and being accepted, from there on, make Photography my career. The love and passion I have for creating images are what drives me; even to this day.
I started my career as an In-House photographer for companies like Wet N’ Wild Cosmetics & Chewy.com. Then having the opportunity to do work for Trendy Butler, Onnit Fitness, May Kay Beauty, and Kendra Scott; to name a few. Along with having to work with an Agency in Austin to shoot some incredible CPG brands like Yasso, Fond, Daysie and so many more. Currently living the Freelance Photographer life this past year and it has been an incredible ride so far.
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I think pursuing a creative profession is an incredibly difficult path to choose. I know I’ve struggled with my career jumping between being a full-time in-house photographer to creating my own business as a freelancer. Sometimes this profession is incredibly draining; getting rejected by companies, ghosted on emails after sending over your price sheet, and never working the hours of a “9-5” job. But when I was in the full-time position, I felt incredibly stunted creatively, had to deal with office politics, and felt unfulfilled.
While being in this career is hard at times, I can’t imagine myself doing anything else. It has taught me to be patient, to have confidence, and to always look for the positives in any outcome. Also, the community, especially in Austin, has been so welcoming. I love that there are people in this industry that want others to succeed and help one another.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a product and lifestyle photographer. I specialize in working with companies (large or small) in creating captivating images or gifs of their product for their marketing needs. I am most proud of the relationships I build with my clients. It means so much to me to make sure that they can trust me in creating art that sets them apart from their competitors.
My favorite work I’ve recently done was for a Boutique Self-Care shop named “Go Easy”. The owner Molly Mathias created Cloud Pipes and had connected with me to create gifs for her new release. I literally had so much fun creating the concepts for her social; I combined still photography with motion graphics that just made her pipes look dreamy. With the movement of today’s media being more video involved; It’s fun to experiment with how to evolve your work with technology.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
My advice is to take any and all jobs that you can. I’ve assisted photographers, prop stylists, food stylists, and production. Being involved in any aspect of a creative shoot is such an amazing way to not only connect with other professions in your field but also an insight into what goes into a shoot. I have found some groups that have been really useful to be a part of and connect with more people in this industry that aren’t just Austin based. I’ve recently joined a subscription group named “Focus On Women” where there’s a community of women in the creative industry to talk about how to run your business, contracts, and all little taboo things that people keep hush-hush. Here is a little mini list of people I would recommend following if you’d like to pursue photography seriously. Haas House, Weekend Creative, Focus On Women and Luupe.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.leemulls.com
- Instagram: leemulls
Image Credits
Audrey Davis
Shea Salisbury
Wonderkind Co
Daysie
Inspiro
Graza
East Fork Pottery
Martha Stoumen
Go Easy
