Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Goldenberger.
So, before we jump into specific questions about the business, why don’t you give us some details about you and your story.
Growing up, I saw how passionate about photography my Dad was. He would go backpacking in the mountains with his camera. When the film was developed we would all sit in the living room and he would project slides onto a screen and we would see the beauty of the Pacific Northwest. He ended up having his work in a gallery and selling prints. I was very curious about his camera and remember him letting me shoot an image on it and the excitement I felt for the film to be developed. I’m still chasing that feeling.
In high school, my parents gave me my first film camera and I took every photography course available. After graduating, I was in a rebellious stage and I skipped college and drove to LA without a plan. I had no money, was exploring various art forms and trying to find myself in a strange city. I was working as a hostess at a sushi restaurant and befriended a fashion designer and an actress. We all collaborated and I shot my first lookbook. There was just something about the experience and the images that created a shift in my mind. I could do this for real.
Has it been a smooth road?
I’m not sure that I’ve ever been on a smooth road (smooth roads are so boring, right?) but I am lucky that so many people have put trust in me and supported my passion from very early on. Of course, there have been many struggles. I didn’t really know who I was when I started my business and was pulled in all different directions because I was trying to survive and thought this is how you have to shoot for people to hire you. That took me away from my truth and what had made me feel electric about shooting to begin with. Now I work in the opposite direction, always aiming to shake off influences and expectations and just create from within. Finding my voice and honoring it is what makes my process sacred and I work towards that continuously. I’d say that’s just the tip of the iceberg but perhaps the most dangerous pitfall for an artist.
So, as you know, we’re impressed with Laura Goldenberger Photography – tell our readers more, for example what you’re most proud of as a company and what sets you apart from others.
I shoot non-traditional weddings and have had such a great time traveling around the country + world, documenting love and making friends along the way. I’ve been shooting weddings for 6 years now and it’s made me a better photographer and human.
I put my heart into it and feel honored every time couples give me the opportunity to tell their love story. I know how special that really is.
I also have a lifestyle, fashion + editorial site. I recently got this going and I am really excited about it. I am someone who craves variety + change and my tastes and interests are constantly evolving. This is my outlet to really cut loose and get as weird and wild as I want.
I shoot on a mix of digital, medium format, 35 mm film and dig my polaroid cameras as well. I aim for a forever cool, nostalgic feeling in my work with the main goal always being for my images to make you feel something.
What’s your favorite memory from childhood?
I’ve always treasured adventures with my family (though not sure if I can truly pick a favorite). I grew up in North Bend, WA and in the summers would go to Taylor Bay with friends. We would explore the Puget Sound by boat, us kids would get to sit on the bow of the boat with our legs hanging over as we’d speed across the Sound and I remember the thrill of salt water spraying up and wind in my hair. When we would slow down, being able to look over my feet and spot sea creatures pass by below was magical and made my imagination run wild. We would often make stops to walk empty shores and hunt for agates. It was always stiff competition as to who could find the most agates but the most dazzling also earned you points. Setting up crab pots, bonfires, looking at all the shells and creatures during low tides, walking the trail to the beach, the feeling of it all… I am so grateful for those memories I have with my family.
Let’s touch on your thoughts about our city – what do you like the most and least?
It took years for me to fall in love with LA but that’s because she’s a complicated gal who is easily misunderstood. LA can also be a real dream crusher but once I found my place in the mix, things really started to get interesting. LA has incredible food, culture, opportunity, art and spirit. You can be yourself here, no matter how odd, unlikely or off the wall. LA nurtures risk takers + open minds and while sometimes it can be easy to make fun of, it’s the rarest of environments where truly anything IS possible. It’s freedom.
What I like least is (obviously) the traffic and pollution.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.LauraGoldenberger.com / www.lauragphotographs.com
- Email: [email protected]
- Instagram: http://instagram.com/
lauragoldenberger / http://instagram.com/ canyonmoonrise
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