Want to know a little bit more about Lauren or Shinn Shots Photography? Well, you’ve come to the right place. Below is a casual interview conducted just for you!
Friend: Lauren, thanks for taking the time to answer some questions. As I’m sure people already know, you’re a photographer. How did you get into this?
Lauren: Well, I’ve always enjoyed photography. I didn’t have the chance to explore much as a kid, but I got my first film SLR camera right before a high school trip to Europe. I had fun playing around with it, but it was so expensive to try to learn on! The cost of film and developing pictures kept me from really pursuing it. It wasn’t until I got a digital SLR that I really started pursuing photography. The irony is that my parents gave me the [Canon] Rebel as a gift for completing my Master’s Degree in child development. Guess I’ve put that degree to a different sort of use!
Friend: I guess you never know the turns life will take, huh?
Lauren: Very true.
Friend: So, how long have you been doing this?
Lauren: Well, my film camera came in ’99 and I got serious with the digital SLR in ’06. So, about 5 years.
Friend: You keep referring to your camera as an SLR. What is that?
Lauren: A digital SLR is a digital single-lens reflex camera. This means that light doesn’t touch the sensor until I press the button and a mirror inside the camera is lifted. In a point and shoot, light is always hitting the sensor, which is why you can see the picture on the screen before you take it. That being said, several new digital SLRs provide users with a preview mode. Another typical difference with an SLR is that the photographer can change lenses. Obviously, that’s not the case with a point and shoot.
Friend: So, what SLR do you use?
Lauren: I shoot with a Canon 7D. My lenses include the 50mm/1.8, 17-40mm/4.0L, and the 70-200/4.0L…all Canon lenses. I could go into more detail on what those numbers mean, but I’m guessing you don’t care.
Friend: <Laughing> Maybe in a follow-up interview. So, have you taken any photography classes?
Lauren: I recently took my first photography class and loved it. I have always enjoyed learning new things, and I especially enjoy learning new photographic techniques. It’s amazing to see the impact a class has on my work. I can’t wait to take more! For the time being, I have LOTS of books. I’m making my way through them one at a time and learning a lot. I am committed to education and to continually improving my skills. I am my biggest critic, so I always see room for improvement and am determined to do so through education, practice, and involvement in the photography community.
Friend: So we can only look forward to better things from you, huh?
Lauren: That’s right!
Friend: As I’m sure you know, there are many other photographers out there to choose from. What sets you apart?
Lauren: You’re right. There are a ton of photographers to choose from. And the truth is…I am not right for everyone. Every person should find a photographer that feels right to them. They should consider style, cost, and personality. In relation to your question…I really think what makes me different is my understanding of people. I have always been good at listening to people and understanding where they are coming from. This works well as a photographer because I am able to listen to the client, get a clear idea of what picture style they have in mind, and capture it. Also, clients seem to feel very at ease with me. This means that I get pictures that really show who the person is. This is how the tag line “simply authentic” came about. When I take a picture of you, it’s just that…a picture of you. Of who you really are. It is “simply authentic.”
Friend: Sounds like your personality and your career work well together.
Lauren: Thankfully, they certainly seem to.
Friend: You mentioned your clients. You seem to have a pretty wide range of clients. What kind of pictures do you enjoy taking the most?
Lauren: Oh…kiddos are my favorite. I’ll admit that toddlers can be a little difficult since they never stand still, but kids bring so much to a picture. In general, kids are honest to a fault, and that shows in pictures. They are blissfully unbothered by the camera and are simply themselves. Not to mention that I’m still a kid at heart. I have no problem making a fool of myself or rolling around on the ground to get those kids smiling. I get the best expressions from kids and have the best time playing with them.
Friend: Gee, I can’t imagine how you got started in a degree for child development.
Lauren: I know, right?
Friend: Alright. I have a question about your website. What’s up with the page before the real website page. I hate that!
Lauren: <Laughing> I know. I hate it too! Sorry about that. It’s called a splash page. It is primarily there so that if someone does a search for photographers in the area, I will appear on that list. Flash websites, like mine, aren’t liked by search engines, so we have to put an html page first for the search engines to find. Also, if someone doesn’t have Flash on their computer, this gives them a chance to choose the html iSite.
Friend: Ok, I guess I can live with it.
Lauren: I know it’s annoying. Splash page aside, I did try to design the site with the user in mind. You’ll notice that the music is off when you first visit the site. It only comes up if you decide you want it to play.
Friend: Yay for that! I’ve been embarrassed at work a time or two by websites with music.
Lauren: Me too! Hopefully that won’t be the case with mine.
Friend: For our readers, since I already know this…what does your life look like?
Lauren: A little crazy! Just like everyone’s, I imagine. I’ve got a great husband and a kiddo who’s three. She literally keeps me on my toes. She’s so fast, I have to run to keep up with her! Just try doing that with a camera while running backwards trying to get a decent shot. I stay busy taking care of her and keeping up with my business. We have family close by, so we spend a lot of time with them…and I get free babysitting!
Friend: A random question: What’s a crazy thing you’ve done…that you’re allowed to talk about online.
Lauren: Ha! Well, I’ve always been a bit of a goody-goody. I once hid an entire take-out box full of chocolate chip pancakes into a very large bag and smuggled them into a movie theater. Eating the best chocolate chip pancakes in the world, during a movie, in the dark was one of the highlights of my life. I’ll always be grateful to the person who talked me into doing this. Something a bit less crazy, but still memorable for me was taking a hot air balloon ride. That was definitely something on my bucket list. I’ve still got to check para-sailing off the list.
Friend: Mmm, now I’m hungry…and still freaked out by heights. Where’d you get the “best chocolate chip pancakes in the world?”
Lauren: Tex and Shirley’s in Greensboro, North Carolina. If you’re ever up that way, it’s worth stopping by. Or maybe you can get some to go and catch a movie!
Friend: Thanks for the tip! I’ll have to figure out a way to get up there sometime. So, anything else our readers should know?
Lauren: I love what I do. Every part of it. I am thrilled to have found a job that I love. Many people never do, and I am extremely grateful to have the chance to earn a living with something that I am so passionate about.
Friend: Well, thanks for taking the time to answer a few questions.
Lauren: My pleasure. Hopefully it can shed a little light on who I am and what I do. Thanks for the interview!
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