Today we’d like to introduce you to Lisa Gilbert.
Lisa, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I’ve been playing around with cameras since I was little; there are stacks and stacks of (mostly terrible) photos of my family and friends that I took in the 70s and 80s with a variety of cheap cameras, but when I got my first Minolta SLR for high school graduation, I started to pay attention to the way that the camera allowed me to create a story out of what I was watching. My motivation was partially voyeurism and partially a feeling of safety from behind the lens. In a way, the camera gave me permission to approach people, to interact with them and ask questions, and then to explore the shadows and light that were part of their story.
I lived in San Francisco at the end of the century and that was when I learned about light (is there anything better than California light?) and all of the magical things it can do. I took photos constantly, and my publishing job included working with photographers and learning about the ways digital photography was going to change the way we took pictures. I never intended to make photography my career, but in 2008, when I found myself back on the east coast, divorced, caring for a toddler, and suffering from depression, I weighed my options and decided that if there was ever a time to take a leap of faith, it had to be now.
At the beginning, I only photographed family sessions and newborns. Cohasset is such a beautiful coastal town, and I consider the whole of it my very own studio. I knew that I was going to be shooting on the beach or in the water, so I branded myself as a coastal photographer and things stayed that way for a while. I started shooting weddings in 2010, and that’s when I really began to develop my own style, I love the excitement and anticipation that surrounds a wedding day, and I am so grateful that I’ve been able to become good friends with so many of my couples.
This is my 10th year in business and I primarily photograph weddings, with a handful of families and high school seniors. Not a day goes by that I don’t offer thanks to the Universe for allowing me to do this for a living.
Has it been a smooth road?
Heck yes. I’ve had plenty of bumps along the way. Most of them had to do with my lack of formal business skills; I was an artist, and I thought that as long as I was making pretty pictures, the rest of it would fall into place. The IRS disagreed, and so I had to backtrack a bit in my first years so that I could set things up properly. I’m so grateful for mentors, instructors, and friends who have lent a hand along the way.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Lisa Gilbert Photography isn’t just about making pictures — it’s about making the whole photography experience easy and fun. I look at weddings differently; no hourly rates or rushed timelines. Weddings are fluid and emotional and funny and stressful…having a photographer with loads of experience in all situations and who can remain unflappable is really (really) helpful. I only take a select number of weddings each year so that I can focus on getting to know my couples to see what makes them connect, so that on their wedding day, I can look beyond tradition and see the raw and authentic moments that make the day — and a relationship — so memorable.
When I work with families, I make sure that everyone knows that this is not a formal event. Play is encouraged. Getting wet or dirty is encouraged. My clients come to me for real photos of their family, exactly the way they are at that moment. It really is all about having fun!
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I focus primarily on the South Shore and the Cape, and I feel there’s no better place to capture the beauty of this amazing coastline. I’m very grateful to live somewhere where I can vary my locations and not end up in the same spot over and over. The venues are wonderful, and I have worked with some amazing vendors who live down here. I do work in Boston as well, and I think we have the benefit of both old and new ideas about photography: there are people who see it as a legacy that can be handed down through the generations, and there are people who recognize that photography is always changing always evolving, and they want to be a part of that.
Pricing:
- Wedding Packages start at $4200
- Family Portrait Sessions start at $325
- Senior Portrait Sessions start at $350
Contact Info:
- Address: Lisa Gilbert Photography
41 Smith Place
Cohasset, MA 02025 - Website: www.lisagilbertphotography.com
- Phone: 617-538-4926
- Email: lisa@lisagilbertphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lisagilbertphotography
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lisagilbertphotography
Image Credit:
All images by Lisa Gilbert Photography
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
