Meet Lauren Vredeveld | San Diego Family & Motherhood Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Lauren Vredeveld and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Lauren, can you walk us through the thought-process of starting your business?
When I first decided to start pursuing photography as a career, it was for the typical reasons you would think – I love taking photos, so why not turn my passion into my own business? As soon as I really started digging into starting my own business, I really started realizing *why* it meant so much to me. As moms, we tend to be the memory maker AND moment taker. We are rarely, if ever, in front of the camera with our kids. But it is so important to be in those photos for our kids! Being extremely self conscious about my appearance, I understand how difficult it really is to step in front of the camera, but my kids deserve to have photos of me with them. Every mother does. My business is to help moms have fun and fully enjoy the process of making memories with their children, and ending up with priceless photos to pass on to their kids.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
There is so much to unpack here! My inspiration and what really sets my work apart from others is capturing real connection and movement. My goal for a photo session isn’t just to get the perfect smiling photo looking at the camera (although it is absolutely one I do get), but it is to show what makes a family unique. It hasn’t always been so straight forward in my photos, and it’s been a *journey* to get to where I am now with my work.

I have two boys, and from the beginning I noticed that the images that I was drawn to were when they were goofing off, laughing, and engaged with one another. Basically, in their own element. And I started to notice that my clients were drawn to the same type of images from their family sessions. Switching from the standard “stand here and smile” to how I envisioned my photographs to be, was quite the battle. I am still constantly practicing to see what would prompt the best smile or reaction from a child or adult. Most people are not comfortable with having their photo taken, let alone letting loose and acting silly. There are a lot more misses than hits when it comes to conveying true emotion and connection through photographs, but those brief moments of true connection? It’s why I love what I do.

Capturing these emotions in a photograph for my families to hang on their walls or carry with them in a photo album is what I am so proud of. These memories will be engrained in their family for a lifetime, and I am beyond privileged to be a small part of their history.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
There are so many amazing spots in San Diego, it’s amazing! We always start with a visit to The Fish Shop in Pacific Beach for great fish tacos by their outdoor fire pit. You cannot go wrong with their chill atmosphere and delicious food. A spot I love to take visitors to San Diego is Seaport Village. Walking around near the bay feels like you are in a different world, when you are right near downtown with all of the nightlife. The carousel is a must for kids, and wandering in and out of all of the shops looking at the trinkets can entertain you for hours. During the day, wandering around Old Town and Mission Bay are great options. I always make it a point to check out the Hillcrest farmers market on the weekend, even if you don’t need any produce. Depending on the time of the year, I would take my friend to walk around all of the different gardens at Balboa Park, and on the weekends to catch a concert at Spreckels Organ Pavilion. Since you always need to spend a bit of time downtown, a lavish dinner and drinks at Juniper and Ivy is the perfect way to do it! If downtown is too busy, the pizza and ambience at Ambrogio 15 in Pacific Beach is a must. Of course in between visiting tourist spots, most of our time would be spent relaxing at the beach. Coronado beach has the most beautiful, wide beaches with enough room for everyone to relax. Plus, you can go over to Hotel Del to eat while enjoying a sunset at the Sun Deck. There is never enough time to fully enjoy all that this wonderful city has to offer!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
It sounds cliche, but I owe so much to my husband. He has encouraged me to follow my dream of owning my own photography business from the very beginning. I truly would not be where I am today without all of his words of encouragement, late night snack runs while I’m editing, and constant cheering me on when I make my goals.

Professionally, there have been so many wonderful communities online that have pushed me and my work to be better, and it all started on Creative Live. Their streaming platform has just about everything you could hope for when starting your own business, so it was a great help with getting going. If you’re looking into a new creative outlet even, they are a great resource!

Website: www.laurenvphotography.com

Instagram: instagram.com/lauren.v.photography

Facebook: facebook.com/laurenvphotography