Daily Inspiration: Meet Lauren Auda

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

Hi Lauren, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
Photography started as a hobby for me. I always had a “nice” camera, and it was something I genuinely loved. After a while, friends started asking me to shoot for them, and that’s organically how my business was born.

When I became a mom, everything shifted. Having a camera became essential in a whole new way as my focus turned to documenting my own little family, and the business naturally took a back seat. But that creative itch never fully went away, and in early 2022 I knew I didn’t just want to dabble anymore. I wanted to build something real and do it well.

The last four years have been dedicated to evolving Lauren Auda Photography into what it is today through education, building a real business and marketing plan, and getting honest with myself about what success looks like for me.

Through that process I discovered what I’m truly passionate about, and that’s capturing the various stages of motherhood. There’s something so beautiful about moms and their families, and I feel really lucky to document that.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
One of the biggest struggles has been finding a balance between motherhood and running a small business. At one point, my husband was traveling frequently for work, which meant I became the default parent in most situations. Building a business in the margins of that season was hard, but it also made me more intentional about how I spent my time and energy.

There’s also the internal work that comes with owning your own business, defining what success actually looks like for you, and learning to know your worth. That’s easier said than done. There are a lot of growing pains that come with blazing your own trail, and nobody really prepares you for that side of entrepreneurship.

Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I’m a family and lifestyle photographer based in South Atlanta. I shoot a range of sessions, including families, motherhood and maternity, couples and engagements, the occasional small wedding, branding and graduate portraits, but families are my bread and butter.

Something I hear often is that my family portraits look natural and genuine, like real moments rather than posed photos. My style has a lived-in, nostalgic feeling. The kind of images that look like they’ve always existed and will only grow more meaningful over time. I think that comes from being in a similar life stage myself. As a mom, I deeply understand what matters and what’s worth documenting, and I bring that perspective to every session.

I’m also really proud of the heartfelt portrait experience I’ve built. It’s personal by design. I’ve created a lot of intentional touch points throughout my process so that by the time you step in front of my camera, you already feel comfortable with me. That comfort shows up in the images, and I think that’s what sets me apart.

Risk taking is a topic that people have widely differing views on – we’d love to hear your thoughts.
I wouldn’t necessarily call myself a natural risk-taker, but I’ve come to realize that building a business (especially a creative one) is inherently vulnerable. Putting yourself and your work out there means opening yourself up to judgment and criticism, and that never fully gets comfortable. There are always the “what ifs” lurking in the background. What if no one books with me? What if I can’t make this profitable? Those thoughts don’t go away, but I’ve learned to move forward anyway.

One of the biggest mindset shifts for me was understanding that just because you love doing something doesn’t mean you should do it without compensation. In creative fields especially, there’s this quiet pressure to undervalue your work. But if you don’t treat your business like a business, you end up with an expensive hobby. That realization pushed me to get really intentional in knowing my numbers, understanding my worth, and making decisions from a place of strategy rather than fear.

I think that’s the risk I’m most proud of taking: deciding to do this seriously and not just picking up a camera when it felt convenient, but fully committing to building something sustainable and meaningful on my own terms.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laurenaudaphotography.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenaudaphotography/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenaudaphotography/

Image Credits
Lauren Auda Photography