Today we’d like to introduce you to Cara Rogerson.
Hi Cara, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
Photography was something I stumbled into. I originally received my bachelors degree in Film & Digital Media with lofty goals in major film production, and I moved to Austin in 2013 with the hopes of interning with one of the famous directors who frequently filmed here (Robert Rodriguez, Richard Linklater, etc). Unfortunately that same year is when the governor rolled back the state’s film tax incentives, and it caused such an earthquake that within weeks, the movie production industry in Austin became a full-blown desert.
I was a beyond broke twenty-something, but I decided that I liked this city enough to stick around. Naturally, I turned towards the only tool that I had: my camera. The transition from film to photography took a few months, but the fact that I was actually getting paid gigs- versus unpaid film work -was a huge motivator, and soon enough I had officially pivoted into the role of “photographer”.
Artistically I was incredibly unfocused, and as a result, nothing was off the table in terms of what I shot. I threw any and everything at the wall just to see what would stick: family portraits, weddings, landscapes, pets, real estate, astrophotography, baby portraits. Over the course of 5-6 years, I struggled and made countless mistakes in order to shape myself from amateur to professional. It took many years to learn how to direct a subject, to master light and lighting equipment, and to identify my unique visual style. By January 2020 I was booking several weddings and feeling confident in my future as an established destination wedding photographer. And then the world stopped spinning.
All of my booked weddings clients were forced to drop out during the pandemic. Travel was temporarily banned. Feeling restless and grappling with the loss of my perceived career, I searched for more photography work elsewhere. I was picked up as a contract food & restaurant photographer, and the next chapter of my career began.
Food & restaurant photography suited me so well that I eventually left behind any ambition to be a premier wedding photographer. I rebranded to Lux + Bloom Photography in the subsequent years and gained a better sense of direction with my company. While I also shoot elopements, editorial projects, and travel photography, food is my primary subject matter. I hope to have the opportunity to showcase local Austin restaurants for many years to come.
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?
It definitely was not a smooth road, especially earlier on in my journey from amateur to professional. Pursuing a purely artistic career is difficult enough, not to mention competing with healthy competition from local peers, and battling constant self-doubt. I was drowning financially for several years before I received a steady flow of gigs. Some months it felt like walking through a door, others it felt like slamming into a brick wall. But all of these struggles helped build up an endurance within myself to out-live the rough patches and keep pushing forward.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an Austin-based photographer who specializes in food & restaurant photography, as well as elopements. I also dabble in editorial and travel photography. First and foremost, I identify as a food photographer.
The work I’m most proud of tends to be the work that doesn’t come with a paycheck; it’s my purely creative photoshoots. They’re a massive undertaking, so it’s imperative that my team and I are extremely thoughtful and meticulous about the message, props, set design, HMUA, etc. It’s more labor intensive than food photography, but it’s so rewarding to pull off.
What sets me apart from other food photographers is my ability to elevate any dish or cocktail, from food trucks to fine dining. What sets me apart from other elopement photographers is my ability to connect to my couples, to tease out raw, candid moments and celebrate their unique story. What sets me apart as an editorial photographer is my compulsion to tell a story through the female perspective, focusing only on female-identifying subjects and tackling their message with honesty. What sets me apart as a travel photographer is my ability to preserve and highlight an authentic moment and understand its meaningfulness.
We’re always looking for the lessons that can be learned in any situation, including tragic ones like the Covid-19 crisis. Are there any lessons you’ve learned that you can share?
Be flexible, be adaptable, be professional. For instance, I wouldn’t have a career in food & restaurant photography if it wasn’t for the Covid crisis. It was a combination of resourcefulness, stubbornness, and adaptability that pulled me through such a terrifying time.
The crisis also showed me that you cannot wrestle your career into submission. It will unfold organically and reveal itself to you in various stages when you’re ready. Even if it feels like an endlessly winding road, you must persist and believe in your talent.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.luxandbloomphotography.com
- Instagram: @luxandbloomphotography
Image Credits
Christy Anna Photography
