Meet Super Woman Lori - mom, wife, friend, photographer, and business owner. She does it all!
Lori has recently realized a dream by launching her own photography business, LG Photography. Lori grew up with a camera in her hand. After finishing high school, getting married, and becoming a mom, Lori realized she could turn her passion into a career. In order to start a professional photography business, Lori invested in state of the art camera equipment and classes at a local photography shop. "I still love taking classes and furthering my knowledge," Lori says.
Lori runs a full service photography business. She shoots engagements, newborns, children, families, pregnancy pics, weddings, senior photos, special events, and boudoir and offers on-location and studio shoots. Lori has a small studio in her home that she often uses for first birthday cake smashes and holiday shoots. "My favorite shoot changes regularly because I love them all for different reasons," said Lori. She includes newborns and one year old cake smashes as among her favorites. "If I have to choose, my favorite has to be my Santa shoots. Every year the real Santa, my uncle Paul, comes to my studio and we book solid appointments all day long."
LG Photography is a one women business, except for on certain occasions. For weddings, Lori calls in a second shooter, Becky Groller, of Rebecca Groller Photography. Being a multi-tasking mom is helpful at these shoots. Not only is Lori the photographer at the wedding, but she often finds herself multi-tasking by helping the guys with their boutonnières, helping with the bride with her corset and bustle, acting as an event planner when something isn't going according to plan, and sharing kind words with the bride. "My job as a wedding photographer is to not put any more stress on the day and more importantly, take away any stress that I can," said Lori. "This is also is also my job as a mom."
Lori's mommy skills also come in handy (of course) when shooting children. "Being a mom makes me be able to deal with kids the way us moms know how," she said. Lori had been known to pull out some crazy antics including getting on ground, singing silly songs, jumping around, and making goofy faces. She always has her shutter finger ready for when her crazy antics do make the child smile! "The emotions that go through those children's hearts and minds is priceless. We laugh, we cry, and feel every emotion through them!" said Lori.
Facebook and word of mouth are LG Photography's only form of advertising. "Word of mouth is the very best form of advertising," Lori admits. She often hears positive feed back from potential clients the first time they inquire about her services. "My established clients have built me up and continue to every day. I am so thankful for an amazing following. I have clients that have stuck with me since day one."
When Lori isn't busy with a photo shoot she has her hands full at home with her two children Katie, 6, and Rocco, 4. Lori says, "Managing the time spent between working and having a family life can be a challenge." It is a common misconception that photographers take some pictures and the work is done. "The truth is that an hour or so on average spent taking the photos for a regular shoot and about two to three hours are spent editing," Lori explains. Weddings can take days and sometimes weeks to edit. Aside from the work generated by her business, Lori's days include making the kids breakfast, working out at the gym for an hour or more, letting the kids swim in the family pool in the afternoon (weather permitting), and starting dinner early if she has a shoot. After dinner is usually when she heads off to a shoot. Family time happens after the shoot, before the kids go to bed. After the kids are in bed Lori often heads down to her studio to edit for a few hours before she turns in for the night. Lori credits her husband of seven years, Mike, with thinking of how they can get more family time. "Mike is an amazing husband and father," Lori says. She describes parenting and owning a business as a team effort between herself and Mike. He is always willing to lend an extra helping hand when Lori has work obligations.
Lori stays motivated to be a both a great mom and great photographer by reflecting on how much her business as already grown. That and positive feedback gives her excitement for the future of LG. In the future she hopes to grow her business by improving on organization and time management ,and hopes one day to be able to hire a photo editor. As for her person life - a 10K may be in her future, but being a good mom and raising respectful, grateful children is Lori's number one focus. She continues to be heavily involved in her church as Nursery Director and a Sunday School teacher.
Lori Generose
Owner | Photographer LG Photography
On-location and studio photography
From newborns to senior portraiture and everything in between. Weddings, corporate and special events.
Subscribe to my blog to keep up to date with what I've been shooting
What adorable family photos! She definitely has some talent behind that lens! Hope you're having a great week, Ashley!
ReplyDeletexo,
Stephanie
Diary of a Debutante
www.stephanieziajka.blogspot.com