Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Leo.
Hi Lauren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
It all started in high school when I was introduced to photography, where I started in front of the camera and had a blast creating full photoshoot concepts just to capture the newest eye shadow palette I bought. I got to play and create fun looks and work with my dad, who would help me bring my ideas to life, till one point where I was asking him to capture something specific and after some trial and error, I just said, let me do it and then my journey behind the camera was launched. I did an art project where I enlisted two friends, did their makeup and created a photo series. Fast forward to now, I deeply enjoy connecting with individuals and taking the time to understand their vision and translate it into captivating imagery that tells their story, connects their business to clients, or marks their meaningful milestones.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I like to describe the journey as the most exciting rollercoaster of my life- there’s ups, and downs, and loop-de-loops, twists and turns, with a mix of fast and faster speeds. Navigating entrepreneurship is more than wearing many hats- it’s a balancing act to manage all of the moving parts while maintaining personal integrity, boundaries, and alignment. Learning to work with wonderful clients, and confidently saying no to some along the way has been interesting and incredibly rewarding- because when there isn’t alignment between myself and the client, it’s just not helpful for either of us to force an outcome. It’s been wonderful to have so much support from friends and organizations to be able to share client work and redirect to other businesses who might be a better fit. Leading with honesty like that I feel just benefits a whole community of business partners and clients, and it feels amazing too share the love- because there is so much business to go around!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I’m most proud of my recent nomination for Austin Business Woman’s STAR Awards Gala, and being selected as a finalist for “Photographer of the Year” for the 2026 Gala. What an honor! It’s simply a dream coming true! Last year was my first time to attend the Gala, and when I saw that photographer of the year was one of the categories, I excitedly told the woman next to me that I was going to be on that list next year – fast forward to this year and it’s happening!!!
What sets me apart from others is my corporate marketing/events/sales background along with my deep personal interest in psychology, which enables me to see the world in an interesting way- the attention to detail and storytelling combined with the ability to connect with people on a deep level really help my clients shine in the way they want to be seen. When the client, especially the ones who get nervous in front of a camera, can work from that place of centeredness- they can be fully represented as themselves… And that’s the real “authenticity” everyone is actually looking for.
We’d love to hear about how you think about risk taking?
Leaving a stable, 13-year corporate career to start a business from nothing is about as real a risk as it gets. There was no safety net, no guaranteed client list, just a decision that I trusted myself enough to build something.
I don’t think of myself as reckless about risk. I think of myself as someone who does the work to make a risk survivable- I research, I plan, I build the systems- and then I take the leap anyway, because staying safe forever was its own kind of risk to me. The version of my life where I never tried this felt riskier than the version where I tried and it was hard.
Pricing:
- Portrait sessions start at $400 for a 20-minute Essentials Session and range up to $1,250 for a full Story Session (Signature Session, $800, also covers personal branding portraits)
- Product and brand photography starts at $650 for a single-scene Essential session
- Event coverage starts at $300/hour, with half-day and full-day packages available
- Event and group headshots are priced by group size and time on site, starting around $850
- All sessions include a pre-shoot consultation, a curated (not raw dump) gallery, and organic-use licensing for web and social
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lolarosaphotography.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lola_rosa_photography/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Lola-Rosa-Photography/61558563606553/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lauren-leo-atx/
- Other: https://www.lolarosaphotography.com/blog/
