Here at Calluna we are always looking for new ways to highlight and honor some of the amazing creative partners we get to work with. We feel incredibly fortunate to work with some seriously talented vendors in the industry, and we want to show them off to you in our new Calluna Community Series! We will sit down with some of the fabulous vendors of Colorado and get to know about them, their business and what life is like behind the scenes. Stay tuned for more!
This week for Calluna Community we caught up with Laura of Laura Murray Photography!
Cheers! Xo, Calluna
Describe what you do! “I am a wedding and lifestyle photographer. I am based in Golden, Colorado, but I adore traveling for work all across our beautiful state, as well as across the country and globe. My photography business began in 2008 while planning my own wedding. At the time I was working in a complete opposite field– I have a degree in mathematics from the University of Colorado and my career path initially took me into tech consulting. However, I craved creativity and have always had an entrepreneurial spirt. I fell in love with photography while working with my own wedding photographer. I quickly made the switch and have never looked back! I absolutely love what I do — my job is my passion and I cannot imagine doing anything else for work. I get to work with the loveliest people on their happiest of days. Being a wedding photographer is my dream job.”
What is your idea of a dream project? “My dream project is working with clients who make their wedding a reflection of their unique selves. My favorite thing is to walk away from a wedding with the feeling that the couple created an event that was a true representation of their personalities and relationship. I also love working with couples who value emotion and are not afraid of expressing it. My favorite imagery is created when when couples do not hold back from expressing their love and joy.”
What has been your favorite wedding that you have worked, or attended? “Oh goodness, it is so hard to choose, as I have so many favorites. I feel like I have the BEST clients around. My clients are kind, gracious, and have incredible style. Each wedding is completely different, but always so enjoyable. However, traveling is always a highlight for me. I have enjoyed traveling to Paris, Santorini, New York, California, Montana, and Vermont to photograph weddings. And I never tire of traveling across the state to Colorado. It is exciting to be somewhere different each weekend and to draw inspiration from my environment when photographing.”
What does your morning routine look like? “My morning routine is a little different now that I have kids (I have 3 kids– a toddler and twin 7 month old babies). Because I often work on the weekend, I allocate some weekdays as family days. On those days I spend my morning getting in some snuggles with my children, eating breakfast together, and we often go outside to play. However, on work days I try to get into work mode right away. I wake up around 7 AM and once the kids are with our nanny, I start my work day. I have a studio space in my home and it is very convenient. It is a light-filled location where I will meet clients, do computer work, and also photograph studio sessions. On a typical day, I will first take a look at all my emails and respond immediately to anything that needs a quick reply. Communication is a keystone of my business so I like to be timely with emails. Then, I plan my day depending on what I have going on. My work days are often filled with editing, album design, blogging, creating social media content, reviewing/drafting timelines for upcoming weddings, and meeting with potential clients/current clients. I also like to carve out time to work ON my business instead of always IN my business. Working ON my business means setting strategic goals, improving who I am as a person and photographer, and planning out the steps required to meet my long-term goals.”
What are some of your favorite trends that you are seeing? “One of my favorite trends has to do with fashion, especially with the wedding dress. I think the wedding dress is the perfect way for a bride to express her personality. I have seen so many different styles of wedding gown — and all are so beautiful! Sometimes my brides choose something more modern with sleek lines and unique shapes, sometimes they choose something more traditional with intricate lace patterns or beading. My favorite trend is when a bride choose a gown that is a reflection of their personal style.”
What advice would you give to a younger you? “I would tell my younger self that you should dream big, have no regrets and that you are responsible for creating your own happiness. Dream big with your career and don’t settle for a 9-5 that doesn’t inspire you. Have no regrets by getting out of your comfort zone; travel the world and ask that cute stranger out on a date (which is how I met my husband!). The sooner you realize that YOU are responsible for your own happiness you can get on with creating a wonderful life and not blaming others for your apparent failures/shortcomings.”
What makes you excited to go to work in the morning? “My clients and the wedding vendor teams that I work with are what ignites the fire in me. As I said before, I love my clients. They are always such a joy to be around! But I also have such a strong community of vendor friends too. The wedding industry is warm and welcoming — many of the people I worked with at weddings have become dear friends. My answer to this question is that the PEOPLE I work with are what makes me excited to get to work!”
What is your favorite cocktail, or what are you drinking tonight? “My favorite cocktail is usually a glass of red wine. You really cannot go wrong with a good glass of red wine and it is also heart healthy (I am a health nut!). But if I am going to splurge, I’ll choose a chocolate martini! I can never get enough chocolate in my life! ;)”
Follow Laura Murray Photography on Instagram!
