Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren DeFrehn.

Lauren , please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I have always had a love of photography, even before I really realized it. I grew up with a mother that inadvertently taught me that if you love your child, you will take tons of photos of them. I think she still loves the same thing I do about having those moments captured – looking back and seeing all the tiny details and beautiful moments from days gone. There is something very tactile about holding a photo of a memory or a loved one that really brings you back to the moment.

My mother is also an amazing artist and always found every opportunity to infuse art into our lives despite us kids being so involved in sports and other activities. That love and value of art were not lost on me and as I grew, I found that I needed creative outlets in my life almost as much as I needed food & water.

Of course, like many photographers, my journey into mastering my craft began with the birth of my daughter. Suddenly, two passions I had always loved merged into one and I dove into learning everything I could about photography. I’ve had some great mentors along the way, including my husband and sister-in-law, but largely, I am self-taught. I officially launched my business shortly after moving to Houston from NYC in 2012.

Has it been a smooth road?
Smooth? Yes, for the most part. But also somewhat of a scenic route, if you will. It was always the plan to start slow and gear up more once my kids were in school full time – and that has held true somewhat. It is still extremely important to me that I am present for my little ones while they are, well, little but I’ve also found my business has been growing fast earlier than I originally thought I would want it to but I am loving it. That said, running a one-person business means a lot of hiccups along the way – I am not just photographer/owner. I am also a marketer, accountant, webmaster, IT and so much more. I love that too, but I’ve definitely had my fair share of days spent trying to teach myself how to fix a crashed website or the like.

We’d love to hear more about your business.
I am Houston’s Mommy & Me lifestyle photographer. I capture memories of motherhood and the moment’s mommies want to hold onto forever. I specialize in newborns and babies. Of course, babies grow up and the memories do not stop in the first year, so I also photograph a lot of kids and families. But what really stands out about me is that I am living what I believe. I am a mom of four little ones myself, ranging in age from 8 years old down to 18 months. My clients often comment that my tips for surviving as a mom are almost as invaluable as the memories I provide. But, it all ties together. I get to know my clients on a personal level and that means sharing personal experiences, tips for swaddling a baby and how to get everyone fed – but it also means that the portraits are more personal and capture real connections. I am truly proud that I am able to touch lives of other moms by showing them the beauty in their lives and also making those lives a little easier just by being their cheerleader and part of their mom tribe.

Is our city a good place to do what you do?
Houston is definitely a great city for photographers – we’ve got the great weather to shoot in about 10 months of the year and everyone travels in July and August anyway. Photography is true to any art form – there are a style and niche for everyone. It can seem intimidating to start a business in a big city because it’s common to think that the market is saturated, but the beauty is that there is more than enough business to support tons more photographers. Knowing that no one photographer will support the whole city alone frees you to make real connections with other local photographers and truly cheer on their successes. It also means being able to really serve my clients in a personalized and full-service way. I have loved that about this city!

Pricing:

• Newborn Lifestyle Portrait Sessions start at $775
• Family Lifestyle Portrait Sessions start at $575
• Mini Sessions are offered once a year and start at $275.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laurendefrehn.com
• Email: hello@laurendefrehn.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/laurendefrehn
• Facebook: www.facebook.com/laurendefrehnphotography
• Other: www.pinterest.com/ldefrehnphoto