Life & Work with Lexa Cobey

Today we’d like to introduce you to Lexa Cobey.

Hi Lexa, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
Growing up, I always saw a camera in my mother’s hands. She was always capturing the moment. Whether it was a wedding she was photographing or the simple moments at home that would make the best memories to look back on one day.

When I turned 14 years old, I found myself gravitating toward the camera. I wanted to capture anything that I found captivating. I fell in love with videography and photography and it wasn’t long until I purchased my very own camera. It lit up my whole face to say the least. my first camera wasn’t anything too fancy but I knew it would become my best friend in no time.

In high school, I used my camera to document silly moments and other things that had caught my attention, nothing too serious. By my senior year, the Covid-19 pandemic had just changed the course of the rest of my high school career. As someone who looked forward to all of the school events and senior privileges, this hit hard. I wondered when I would see my classmates again and if there was anything I could do to lighten the mood of the 2020 graduating class. Soon it would be that time to see off my friends to college and take that next step in our future.

With the influence from my mom and the anticlimactic ending to my high school career, I knew I wanted to do something to bring a smile to my classmate’s and friend’s faces. I decided to photograph Senior Portraits to raise our spirits after missing out on the graduation we had dreamed of for 12 years.

Soon after I had created an Instagram account and website to showcase my portfolio and started to book shoots for all different types of events and people. I now photograph weddings, engagements, couples, families and portraits of all kinds.

Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
With the many blessings photography has brought along the way, there are also many obstacles to face. For me, being a creator also comes with being a perfectionist. This goes way back to when I was a little girl, where if I accidentally colored outside the lines I would throw it away and start fresh. It needed to be perfect. It took years to realize that art is subjective and there is no right or wrong.

Another struggle that I think a lot of photographers and artists go through is imposter syndrome. In this day and age, the photography industry has become so saturated, and with social media at our fingertips, there are thousands of photographers to choose from. It is hard not to compare yourself and wonder if people are going to love your work and be willing to pay your price.

A struggle that I feel like isn’t talked about much is managing your finances and the cost involved in running a business. As a business owners and contract laborers, we don’t have a set income. Some months are better than others so you need to save for a rainy day.

Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I think one thing that sets me apart is that I have experience with both videography and photography. Being able to understand both areas of the industry has brought many components of video into my photography. Motion is just one of the many amazing things that I incorporate into my sessions. Capturing a subject in motion can add an extra element of fun, laughter, and genuine expression.

Being able to connect with people from different backgrounds and cultures is something I love. Building a connection and relationship with my clients and other vendors is one of the most important parts of my job. Learning about my clients helps me to not only make them feel comfortable when shooting but also allows me to capture what makes them unique.

Contact Info:

• Website: Lmcaptured.com
• Instagram: https://instagram.com/lmcaptured 

Image Credits
Lexa Cobey (LMCaptured Photography)