Today we’d like to introduce you to Claire Luo.
Thanks for sharing your story with us. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
One year ago today I was leaving my graduate program for Speech Pathology and unsure of where my life was headed. I always loved being creative in any way that I could.
Photography, social media, graphic design — I couldn’t get enough of creating minimalist works that were cohesive across all platforms.
During the summer following my departure from Miami University, I worked for a couple of small boutiques to rebrand their digital presences and boy did I LOVE doing it. I knew that leaving my program was the best decision, although a scary one.
In August my boyfriend at the time got into Bentley and asked if I would join him on the journey. I excitedly said yes and en route to Boston, he asked me to be his wife.
I arrived in Boston with no job or current direction. I walked into Anthropologie in Chestnut Hill to shop around and ended up with a job at BHLDN as a bridal stylist.
When I started at BHLDN, I missed social media marketing tremendously and decided to start the Bos Bride. It was a portfolio meets Pinterest type of account where I would repost work I found inspiring for my own wedding in addition to my own.
It was a wonderful experience that opened many doors for me. From being reached out by BHLDN directly to model for a campaign, to connecting with and helping multiple brides across America, it was certainly a fun project!
Within the past month, I decided to retire the Bos Bride and pursue an account that was 100% my own work. I launched @claireluophoto on Instagram and am currently in the works of creating and branding a photography and social media marketing business for myself.
I found that although I love weddings, I prefer shooting more intimate city hall weddings or simply couples out and about. I additionally realized that I adore creative direction and style even more so. I can’t get enough of styling models and shoot them in wicked cool locations.
I cannot wait to see where this all takes me. It will begin in May!
Great, 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?
Definitely not a smooth road. It has been and is currently a struggle to discover my own style with photography. I have so many inspirations and am constantly falling in love with other photographers’ works. It can be difficult to take and edit photos that truly feel your ‘own’.
Another major difficulty was leaving graduate school. I was en route to a profession and every moment prior was in preparation for it. Photography, editing, and social media were simply hobbies I had on the side.
I was even social media chair for my sorority in undergrad. It was terrifying to know something was not right and make the decision to listen to my heart. I’m certainly glad I did.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Claire Luo – what should we know?
My business to launch will be a photography + social media marketing business. My dream is to work free-lance for small boutiques to not only photograph their product and models but to create cohesive digital presences for them to help boost their clientele.
I want to be a jack of all trades when it comes to working with business owners. I want to be able to say, ‘Hey, not only can I create the social media feed of your dreams, but I can be the one person you need to hire’. Whether is photography, branding, or graphic design, I just want to be as creative as I can be.
A lot of my business is still in the works so I cannot wait to see the progression of it all.
Is there a characteristic or quality that you feel is essential to success?
I want my clients to feel comfortable + stress-free when working with me. I love having fun on my shoots and make it as if it is simply friends hanging out and having fun with a camera.
I also feel that simply listening is always an important quality to have. You must listen to what your clients want and be able to deliver it to them. If you cannot, a referral is always best.
I want to have a brand for myself that when people reach out, they know that they will be getting quality work and the dream vibes they’ve been after.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.claireluo.com
- Email: claire.e.luo@gmail.com
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