Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Moghavem.
Hi Lauren, so excited to have you with us today. What can you tell us about your story?
My passion for photography began through my roots of collaging and poetry. I would cut and paste old family photos onto modern magazine covers and create a composition of my own. I fell in love with the idea of combining my two different worlds onto single page, creating a composition that I felt especially connected to. From then I decided to focus primarily on my own photography, creating set designs and styling that focused around fashion a beauty. I always had an underlying passion for styling, I loved layering eclectic fabrics onto each other to create a completely new look. Although I primarily focused around photography and editing, my underlying roots began with styling, collaging, and set design. I would help out friends who needed models, stylists and photographers for their own companies. I unconsciously became a mother agent for models as I connected girls I found via Instagram or friends of friends to brands and companies who needed to hire them. That was when I realize that there was something missing in the production industry, a one stop shop for photography and content creation.
I started Open For Edit for the primary reason to offer everything needed for a photoshoot, including photography, casting, directing, editing, post-production, and content creation to create vibrant, memorable images for the fashion and marketing industry. Open For Edit reflects the idea that everything has the ability to be reconstructed and redefined into a meaning of your own, that photography is open to interpretation… Open For Edit.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’d say it’s been a pretty smooth road, however there definitely was a couple of struggles on the way to get to where I am. I’m definitely still working on maintaining a clientele and working on how to expand Open For Edit. One month can be incredible, and the next month can be dead silent and realistically as much promo as you put out there in the world, freelancers will always experience an inconsistency. I’ve moved around a bunch, from Los Angeles to Italy, to Boston, to New York, and back to Los Angeles, and as much as I’ve grown from those experiences, I’ve also came across some barriers that held me back from pursuing photography to my full potential. I’ve been rejected a bunch from different agencies, there hasn’t been a growth in funds for creatives and publications, and photographers naturally have to sell their art without being mainstream. The media hold such a standard in competition when it comes to artists, and therefore people naturally push out all the content they’ve created to fill their engagement within Instagram or other platforms without really realizing the importance of quality. I definitely fell in that hole for sometime.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a fashion photographer and creative director of Open For Edit. I specialize in fashion and editorial photography as well as portraiture. I’m most proud of my work from New York fashion week, especially my behind the scenes series for Oscar De La Renta, Alice & Olivia, The Blonds, and many more. I hope I get to experience the rush of being backstage of a runway show soon and meeting such incredible designers and artists. The pandemic has definitely held me back from shooting real-time, behind the scenes content, however, fashion week definitely one of the most eventful, unforgettable times in my early photography years.
Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give credit to?
I definitely need to thank my family and friends who are my number one supporters through my entire journey. They provide me with such incredible feedback and critique the guide me to grow more every year. I also need to thank my entire team for not only being the incredible talented colleagues they are but also lifelong friends. There is something special about collaborating WITH creative minds that form such a close-knit CONNECTION. My team has been nothing but hard-working, supportive and patient with me and I’m BEYOND grateful to have them in my life.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: https://www.openforedit.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/openforedit/
Image Credits:
Lauren Moghavem, @Openforedit
