Do something you love in life & make mistakes sooner so you learn from them quicker - that’s some good advice we received from Loren & Chris, wedding photographers Albuquerque, New Mexico. Loren is an ultimate feline lover (she also loves spicy food and enjoys binge watching several different TV series). Chris plays a variety of folk instruments and has a thing for fruit gushers (yum!) A ying-yang duo who shoot with talents and eyes combined.
1. What is life to you? What it should be?
An ever evolving creative process filled with love, hate, success, failure, and all other kinds of fun stuff. It should be whatever you want it to be. For us we only hope to make better art and build new friendships along the way.
2. There are a lot of professions out there - why be a photographer?
Loren: What’s funny is I never saw myself working a desk job, which photography most certainly is, in many ways. I guess what I mean by that is, I never saw myself sitting at a desk doing something I wasn’t excited about. Photography has been really freeing in that sense.
Chris: For me it just happened at the right time in my life. I had just finished an internship in LA as an audio engineer and felt a bit lost after it didn’t work out. Photography saved me from a boring 9 to 5 and I haven’t looked back since. I would say that’s the biggest benefit.
3. How much is your family an influence on the way you view life, see things?
Loren: In an innate way, I’m sure my family has been a major role in how I walk through life. Both my parents and my older sister work incredibly hard, have all set high career goals, and been successful. I’ve always known that I would work hard, be determined to create success for myself, and to always have integrity.
Chris: A lot actually, but not in the traditional sense. I’ve watched my father struggle for years with a job he hates and knew I could never endure that. My family actually have very traditional views and I suppose that’s part of the reason I forged a different path.
4. What is your favourite non-photography passtime?
Loren: I’m the ultimate feline lover, without a cat companion. Also, I enjoy binge watching several different tv series, as long as there’s a love interest or super natural plot twist.
Chris: I play a variety of folk instruments and love to record in my home studio. Also traveling with Loren, specifically to the PNW to get away from the desert.
5. What do you like to eat?
Loren: I love spicy food. Being from New Mexico, chili peppers are THE flavor enhancer. I also have a sweet-tooth, probably a whole mouthful to be honest. Its a problem I deal with on a day to day basis.
Chris: I love trying new food but that doesn’t change my childish need for gushers at the end of the day.
6. Is/Are there any project(s) you wish you could do - or might do?
Loren: I would love to create a collection of artistic work, and for lack of a better word, make a coffee table book.
Chris: I would love to set up a workshop for LXC. Not too sure if anyone would pay, but the idea of teaching others has always excited me.
7. Is there a big difference between your personal work and commissioned work?
Yes. Our personal work usually consists of styled shoots with other vendors and these shoots are extremely specific to our aesthetic and brand. We don’t have as much control with commissioned work so we try to put more focus on building friendships with our couples. The goal is for these to be one in the same one day.
8. Do you shoot with your left or right eye?
Loren: Righty
Chris: Lefty
9. Are there any unseen experimental images in your attic you’d like to show us now?
Loren: Lately I’ve been experimenting with boudoir, trying to push the creative element involved with these types of photos.
10. If you were to start all over again, is there anything you would do differently? Why?
Make mistakes sooner, so we could learn from them faster? Honestly can’t say we’d change a thing. This whole experience means too much to us.
Follow Loren & Chris