Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Whitney.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Lauren. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
Moments – as a little girl and a young adult – that it now makes so much sense why I love architecture. It wasn’t until I went to college in Atlanta that I would think of wanting to be an art director. I was lucky enough to come home over a fall break, bringing a 4×5 view camera along with me. I carried it throughout the city and used a suitcase to hold all the film I was to shoot with. Eventually, I found my way to set up my camera on Lower Wacker Drive to photograph Marina City. I have a very vivid memory of holding onto the camera with my whole body. My legs were wrapped around the legs of the tripod, my chest and arms held onto the camera, and my face pressed against the top of the bellows. It was then that I became incredibly excited to keep shooting that day, and as the sun went down, I found myself at Palmer House Hilton. Like a lightning bolt, I went directly to the gorgeous elevators. It was as if the room became brighter, I instantly knew and understood how to capture a feeling through the lens. Because of that day of photo shoots, I was able to figure out a piece of me. With what my focus needed to be, photographing architecture. It was as if, the long-awaited puzzle pieces were finally coming together.
I grew up in a very loving, hardworking home in the south suburbs of Chicago. My mother was a beautician who owned her own business. Before my father worked in the city, he worked with my uncle and grandfather installing hardwood floors throughout Illinois, though a great deal of that work was in the city of Chicago. If you’ve walked throughout the Art Institute or Marshall Fields on State Street, my family installed wood floors in many of those buildings. They also often put in wood floors for nothing, knowing what it’s like to struggle; wanting others to find blessings. That’s my family, that’s me, and how I operate. The love I have for storytelling is sincere and is the foundation for my process of the documentation of architecture. I’ve often thought about if that stems from knowing and understanding the wood layers story – like I’m documenting my grandpa’s story? But it’s really the story of what the building has hidden in its foundation that I also find absolutely incredible.
My love for both architecture and photography is not just a passion, it is my responsibility. This is what I think about every time I pick up a camera. I document and tell the story. I’m not just photographing a building’s interior or exterior. I’m capturing an understanding, capturing an emotion, an experience, and I’m capturing what I hope the architect or builder may have seen or would have wanted us to experience. This is my purpose, this is my responsibility to capture what I see through the lens. For generations to come, I’m that vessel. Give me my camera and I’ll jump across a building or hang out of a window that’s 50 stories high. Yes, I’ve done that and it was amazing.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
This past January, I found my strength again. I became transparent.
Right after graduating from the Art Institute of Atlanta in 2009 with a BA in photographic imaging, I found myself back in Chicago working as a freelance photographer for a very prestigious architectural photography firm. Many opportunities fell in my lap, but I realized a year after graduation that I just couldn’t take it anymore. I needed to step back due to reaching my limit with fear and anxiety from the incidents that happened while working in the commercial world. I stopped responding to and pursuing opportunities. I became a full-time nanny and cleaned houses for the next two years. It was almost as if I was running away from the nonsense, and maybe I needed the time to recharge my strength, passion, and fire in order to get out and pursue my career again. This time though, I really knew what I wanted and fully understood my purpose as an architectural photographer. I became involved, exhibited in eight different shows, had three successful gallery exhibitions at Eyeporium and Adventureland Works on Paper. I got involved with several clubs throughout Chicago during my involvement with the shows. I still was aggressively shooting and pursuing many opportunities that were, sadly, no different than working in the commercial world of photography. In fact, it became worse, and I found myself in more dangerous situations.
For instance, being in historic buildings, shooting with my back turned, and then having to run to my car in absolute fear. Mid-2015 was my breaking point; a wonderful opportunity arose to show my series and sell some pieces, and I was blindsided by a man I trusted completely. In those moments, I felt and heard every single assault and harassment from the previous eight years. I was completely broken and physically unable to photograph anything alone. It wasn’t until the beginning of this year that I could shoot with complete focus and without anxiety or fear. It took me just shy of two years to pick up my camera without paralyzing fear. And I owe that all to being a broken, shattered mess. Last October, holding my 4-month old daughter and hearing so many women give the testimonies of their own assaults and harassment stories, the gates opened and a flood of flashbacks overcame me.
For several weeks after that, it just became worse. It was because of my husband and daughter that I found the strength to seek professional guidance in the healing process of paralyzing fear and paranoia. Around Christmas, I felt like I shed 50 pounds of fear. Those short months of treatment were incredible. Then, this past January, I lost my dear grandfather, who was my favorite person and his encouragement to always be true to myself was the reason I picked up the camera. Through all the heartache and the pain of losing my grandpa, I actually found strength. In the process of healing from both losing my grandpa and the healing from the fear that broke me, I became renewed and completely transparent. I photographed a building that has been on my bucket list for over ten years, the Powhatan Apartments. Just minutes after saying “Amen” to a prayer and asking for a door to open, I received a phone call. Someone from the Powhatan called and accepted my offer to photograph and document the building. This opportunity was strictly for my portfolio and for the love and appreciation of the building. This person, the president of Powhatan, called me without knowing what a blessing this was for me, and I’m so grateful to him. My prayer was answered, and a door did open. Since that shoot, my anxiety is still gone and my armor is back on again. I’m so stinking ready to show my work with all of you and cannot wait to see what other doors may open.
Lauren Whitney Photography – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Photographing and documenting architecture is not just my passion, it is my purpose and responsibility. There is no doubt in my mind that this is what I’m meant to do, other than being a wife and mother. I don’t just photograph architecture, it’s deeper than that. I become curious, I research, ask questions, learn about what I’m about to or already have photographed. Which is also a passion, I want to learn as much as I can, I respect and love architecture too much not to know and understand what I’m photographing.
I’ve always been a curious person, wanting to understand something, why something was built and who are the people who built it.
I focus on capturing not only my interpretation but also the architects or the sole purpose of the building, to highlight its beautiful story. I do not just photograph building exteriors and interiors, I learn about the history, the architect, along with the location in why something may have been built there. I love learning and figuring out why something happened; there is a purpose in everything, and in everything we have to “house” those people.
I’m always looking for an opportunity to be transparent. My areas of focus are all types of architecture for many different kinds of purposes. My clients are all types too. Whether that is photographing a building for preservation purposes or capturing a building for commercial purposes. I enjoy working with architects, builders, preservationists, historians and art enthusiasts. And of course, the opportunity to show my work to whoever is interested is always welcome.
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
I already feel successful because I’m doing what I love, I’m very proud of what I’ve already accomplished, and I’m excited because I believe in my ability, I’m excited to see what will happen next. I just want to keep going, keep shooting, and having the ability to keep shooting is how I define my personal success. The ability to show my work and inspire is also what I define as being successful. Fulfilling my purpose to photograph all types of architecture for the sake of documentation to help out for preservation purposes or creating a piece of art to be hung on someone’s wall is what I define as being successful. This is my purpose and my responsibility. One day at a a time, I’m ready.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.laurenwhitneyphotography.com
- Phone: 815-545-8398
- Email: laurenwhitney@live.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/laurenwhitney031/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/laurenwhitneyphotography
Bloom © Lauren Whitney All Rights Reserved
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