East London photographer Lauren A-Brown is a firm believer in manifestation and her journey signifies it. Lauren’s career began when she decided to explore her initial passion for photography by taking photographs of her cousin. Fast-forward to now, Lauren is prospering in the world of photography with work featured in British Miss Vogue, Elf Cosmetics, and Tommy Hilfiger. Her photographs depict a love for color and a full-hearted passion for the craft. With the consistent feature of saturated hues capturing the beauty and essence of black women, Lauren’s work is the kind of art you can’t help but to get lost in. The kind of art that makes you feel seen. In this conversation, Lauren shares some of her personal favorite shoots, her muses, and what she’s manifesting for her life in the near future.

TRUTUYOU: Who is Lauren and what do you do?

LAUREN: Ha - who is Lauren? Well, firstly, I am a black woman from East London who specializes in fashion photography. Photography has always been a huge passion of mine for as long as I can remember. I first studied photography in A-levels after taking photos of my cousin, which then got a good response both online and offline, and that’s when I knew, like, okay, I’m actually pretty good at this ahahaaa. Now years later, I have a degree.



TRUTUYOU: I love that for you!  What was the first photo you took that you were proud of? What was that moment like for you?

LAUREN: I’m always proud of the photos I take, but the first ever photo I took and was like, “YESSS!” was the photo I took of Char in 2018. It was just so different from the rest of my images, and she was a natural in front of the camera. I felt like, from this shoot, I established a style that I knew I wanted to portray in all of my photographs.

TRUTUYOU: What in your everyday life most inspires your work? Where, what, or who is your muse?

LAUREN: I’m mostly inspired by those around me, from family to those I see on my day-to-day. I love finding the beauty within people and enhancing it through my lens.



TRUTUYOU: How would you describe your style of photography?

LAUREN: I’d describe my style as highly saturated. I love colour.






TRUTUYOU : You capture women so beautifully and vibrantly, and it seems you tend to mostly shoot women. Is this intentional?

LAUREN: Aw, thank you. I don’t know if I’d say it’s intentional. I have photographed men and really do want to work with more, but I guess I am more inspired by those that look like me and represent me as a woman.





TRUTUYOU: Which of your shoots are your personal favorites? What about them makes them special to you?

LAUREN: I’d definitely say the shoot I did with Chi in December 2020. Before this shoot, I had a massive creative block and hadn’t released any images for a while. Being stressed with uni and honestly feeling very overwhelmed with photography, I felt like it was time to actually rebrand, think of ways that I can improve as a photographer and come back with a bang - which then led me to Chi.

I found Chi through Instagram and really loved her overall style. We spoke and collaborated with ideas, then came up with a set of images that are one of my best to date. Ahahaa, for me, this shoot really said, bihhhh, I’m back! I had fun with the editing and was more free with it. I just wanted to come back different.




TRUTUYOU : When people come across your work, what would you like for them to feel?

LAUREN: I’d love my viewers to feel a sense of passion through my images - having them know that what I’ve captured, I’ve enjoyed and loved doing.




TRUTUYOU: Manifesting-wise, where will photography take you? What places, people, and styles do you want to explore?

LAUREN: I am a firm believer in manifesting, and one of my goals is to have my photography more out there, having my work seen in shop windows, billboards, the whole lot! I also want to work and network with more people within the creative industry and build a team that are as passionate as me. I am so excited to see where my photography takes me because this is what I love to do.





TRUTUYOU: In your opinion, what does it mean to live true to self?

LAUREN: For me, it means living a life that is meaningful to you and only you.

THANK YOU LAUREN ! ︎

 

Follow Lauren on Instagram @elleayyuren

Interview & text by 

︎ Daija Green 

Founder