Today we’d like to introduce you to Carleigh Lienemann.
Hi Carleigh, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstories.
I started photography when I was in high school! My dad & aunt bought me my first full camera set up when I was a freshman. I started taking pictures with friends and family just for fun and continued to even after high school.
The more pictures I took the more I realized how much I really enjoyed it and started doing it as a part-time job! Eventually, I went full time and it was seriously the best decision ever.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
It has definitely been a bumpy road with a lot of obstacles.
It took me longer than a lot of people to get where I’m at today! It was never big on my mind to go full-time with it until the last 2 years, before that I tried to go to school and had different jobs along the way! I had a hard time finding what I liked to shoot and what my style was.
I started as a more light and airy style and transformed into a darker + moody type vibe! I’m still working on getting to where I want to be but am definitely proud of how far I and my business have come!
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I am a photographer! I specialize in quite a few things if I’m being completely honest!
I didn’t want to choose just one specific thing so I decided to choose quite a few! I do weddings, couples, engagements, portraits, family sessions, boudoir, maternity, really all of it! I enjoy each and every one of them so much I really couldn’t just choose one of them!
I’m known for my more “candid style”. I try my best to capture people a little less posed and uncomfortable and more of them laughing, joking, playing, and having a good time. I strive for the real laughs/smiles, more of the behind-the-scenes, unplanned shots in between. I’m proud of how far I’ve come between where I started and now.
Starting and successfully running your own business is HARD, I don’t think I will ever have it all figured out. But I’ve managed to keep it up for this long so I’m proud of that! What sets me apart from others is that I really like to try to make each shoot as customized to them as possible.
I send out a questionnaire for each couple session or portrait session for them to fill out to learn a bit more about them on a more personal level. Like their hobbies, favorite drinks, food, snacks, and more so, we can maybe incorporate some of them into the session to make each session unique!
So maybe we end by discussing what matters most to you and why?
What matters most to me is seeing the glow up in just a couple of hours from the beginning of the session to the end.
A lot of people, naturally, start out shy and uncomfortable but towards the end, we’re all laughing and having a good time, and sometimes it doesn’t even feel like you’re taking pictures because we’re just having so much fun at the moment telling jokes and things to make everything so fun!
Also, seeing the confidence in people when they start out by saying stuff like “I hope I don’t look awkward or bad” at the beginning and making them realize how easy it really is and making everyone feel as comfortable and confident as possible!
I always constantly show snaps to them throughout the session to let them know they are looking good! It’s so fun seeing the way people glow throughout the session and getting to show them the different images that you have been capturing.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.carleighraephotography.com
- Instagram: @carleigh_rae_photography
- Facebook: Carleigh Rae Photography
