Today we’d like to introduce you to Lynsey Cooper.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I have always been the friend who carried around a camera, bringing it to school every day so I could capture all the memories my friends and I were making. Believe it or not, being a photographer was never something I saw for my future even though I carried that camera everywhere with me. It actually seems silly that I never considered this path an option for me until 10 years ago when my life changed in the blink of an eye and my priorities experienced a major shift. My little brother died. After that, I threw myself into photography because it gave me the escape I needed and gave me a new world to explore, one that was full of life and excitement and beauty instead of the insane hurt of losing my best friend. In a way, this passion for photography has always felt like his last gift to me. Photography was a passion that blossomed for me out of the toughest circumstances of my life. I show up behind the camera every day because I need to connect with people and show them that they are beautiful and worth celebrating and to prove to each person that life is worth living. I wish I could have done that for my little brother and that is why I show up for my clients every day: to be their cheerleader and to be a light in their life in whatever capacity I can be. What I do is more than a job or a career, it is my life’s purpose.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Besides the obvious beginner challenges of learning my equipment and my shooting style, I struggled a lot with imposter syndrome. And honestly I still do quite often! I often times feel like I’m still faking it and someday people are going to see that I’m still – and always will be – learning. There’s a great quote by Ira Glass that I think sums up the struggle I find myself in sometimes, I think a lot of people can relate to it:
“Nobody tells this to people who are beginners, I wish someone told me. All of us who do creative work, we get into it because we have good taste. But there is this gap. For the first couple years you make stuff, it’s just not that good. It’s trying to be good, it has potential, but it’s not. But your taste, the thing that got you into the game, is still killer. And your taste is why your work disappoints you. A lot of people never get past this phase, they quit. Most people I know who do interesting, creative work went through years of this. We know our work doesn’t have this special thing that we want it to have. We all go through this. And if you are just starting out or you are still in this phase, you gotta know its normal and the most important thing you can do is do a lot of work. Put yourself on a deadline so that every week you will finish one story. It is only by going through a volume of work that you will close that gap, and your work will be as good as your ambitions. And I took longer to figure out how to do this than anyone I’ve ever met. It’s gonna take awhile. It’s normal to take awhile. You’ve just gotta fight your way through.” (Ira Glass)
Additionally, my more recent and recurring challenges are trying to serve both my clients and my family well at the same time. Work/life balance is so hard to find when you’re self-employed and a stay at home mom to really young children. Truthfully I have a lot of mom guilt around how much time it takes to run my business. Busy season (for me that’s usually June-October) always gets really overwhelming for me and it’s hard to do creative work when it feels more like a grind than making art. Thankfully I have a wonderful husband who is always willing to help, but even so, it’s challenging to make sure I’m serving everyone well at all times.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
I am a wedding and portrait photographer. Although I serve anyone who is looking to have their memories captured, I specialize mostly in photographing couples in love. I also have a soft spot for family photos and enjoy photographing young families so much! I focus on capturing the emotions of whatever season you find yourself in: the excitement of engagement, the joy of a wedding day, the beauty and sacredness of building a family and a life together. I recognize that I’m doing more than just taking photos, I’m capturing moments as they become memories, and that’s what I’m most proud of. I’m creating high quality work that my clients will cherish for the rest of their lives. As time passes and life changes, photos are truly the best way of looking back and reminding ourselves of everything we never want to forget. It’s an honor to serve people in this way.
Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Surprisingly, I am quite introverted considering the line of work I’m in! I guess you could say I’m an extroverted introvert. Although I do enjoy meeting and working with new people, if I had to choose how to spend the day I would probably prefer to spend it exclusively at home with my husband and kids. The things I enjoy most in this season of life and more introverted as well: I love to bake and experiment in the kitchen (I’m currently learning how to make kombucha!), read books, or take my kids to the neighborhood park or on a day trip to our favorite little spot on Lake Superior.
Pricing:
- Wedding Packages begin at $3500
- Standard Sessions begin at $400
Contact Info:
- Website: https://thecoopercollections.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thecoopercollections/
