Meet Laura Thompson

Today we’d like to introduce you to Laura Thompson.

Hi Laura, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I fell in love with photography at a young age growing up in Roanoke, Virginia. My dad was a school portrait photographer and I would tag along to work in the studio from time to time. Something about the studio felt like a huge playground to me. I moved to Brooklyn, NY for college and worked a few different jobs while maintaining a freelance career on the side. In 2018, I made the decision to focus on my freelancing which brought me to Nashville, TN in the fall of 2020.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I’ve had to learn to stay flexible because a pandemic can strike at any time. As a freelancer, there’s no stable form of income; especially not in the last year and a half. I quickly learned how to work remotely and as a team of one with my clients. I moved back to Roanoke, back up to New York, and then down to Nashville, all while trying to remain healthy, make a living, and create art through it all.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I consider myself a Jill-of-all-trades photographer, but no matter who or what I’m photographing, the subject is color; the bigger, the bolder, the weirder, the better. Texture and detail also play an important part of my commercial product photography business, while my personal project, “IDK,” explores still life and food photography in a humorous, colorful way. Nashville is full of bright, bold settings and interesting people. I’m so inspired every time I leave my house.

Who else deserves credit in your story?
My parents have always been my biggest cheerleaders. They influenced my love of photography from the beginning and have provided guidance wherever they can. I’ve had several mentors along the way, but fellow photographer Derek Reed has taught me so much about the business of photography (and literally everything I know about lighting!). We met while working for the same photo agency, I started assisting him while I was in college, and we’ve been good friends ever since. Sharon Wagner of Swail Studios helped me level up my business with my branding kit, Kelsey Crawford, art director for 90 Degree by Reflex, has pushed my creativity forward wherever she can and Emily Taylor at Shutterstock always supports my editorial and news ideas.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.laurathompsonphoto.com
• Instagram: instagram.com/wawawomp
• Other: idk.website

Image Credits
Photos taken by Laura Thompson