Sarah Lovrien
Sarah Lovrien
Producer / Photographer / Videographer/Creative Consultant
Los Angeles, CA
www.sarahlovrien.com
instagram @sarahlovrien
WHAT DO YOU DO?
“I’m a full-time custom content producer, focusing in the visual arts and working in photography, video, creative direction and a bit of writing.”
Most of my work is found in the form of fashion campaigns, social media content, lifestyle imagery, portraiture, and marketing packages.
WHAT STEPS DID YOU TAKE TO GET TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?
I’ve been working in my field for almost 13 years as a paid professional, but the skillset goes back several years before that. I would shoot photographs on my parents’ old film cameras, then sneak into the darkroom at my sister’s high school to develop and print my work. I did this for a few years until my teacher pulled me aside and recognized how much I loved it, but never got the opportunity to show it. She put me into an all-girls film program for a weekend and I came back flooded with motivation to put my work in front of people. I was hired for my first freelance job shortly after and I never stopped doing it. While photography was my first love, my services quickly grew so I remained challenged, and now I use elements of all my early passions-- photography, video, creative direction, and creative writing-- to offer a well-rounded profile as a creative professional.
FOR OTHER PEOPLE IN YOUR FIELD, WHAT DO THEY USUALLY LACK?
There are thousands of photographers and content creators nowadays, and many are incredibly talented in their artform, but lack knowledge of the subtle nuances of a client relationship or what it takes to succeed in a corporate business setting. Some of my first clients were huge companies like Microsoft and Starbucks, so I was thrust into the big pond early enough to be comfortable and communicative in situations requiring more structure or sensitivity. It’s made me a great producer on a lot of projects, since I not only act as a link between young artists and big projects, but I also always have the client’s perspective in mind when it comes to end goals and budgets. Having a balance between creativity and professionalism is something you only get with years of varied experience and an unwavering thirst to grow and evolve with the industry.
WHAT ARE YOU WORKING ON RIGHT NOW?
I’m currently putting together my first non-traditional gallery show, which will be printing my photos on an array of surfaces. Producing it has not only engaged my skills as a photographer but really allowed me to explore new mediums and to problem solve, which is what I do best. In addition to this personal project, I’m also producing imagery for a small selection of Los Angeles based brands for use in 2018 campaigns, ecommerce, and marketing launches.
WHAT'S YOUR STYLE/PERSPECTIVE/TASTE? DO YOU HAVE A PROJECT THAT REPRESENTS THIS?
My personal work has been described as “edgy”, “dark”, “sexy”, and “raw”. If anything, it’s a complex approach to a classic editorial aesthetic. I draw a lot of inspiration from 70s-90s fashion and portrait photography and quite a bit more from classic painting (especially 17th century Dutch work). In my personal work, you see a lot of shadows, cropped frames, and “in-between” poses. In my professional work, you’ll see these elements, but in a more commercial sense. I try to find a balance between elegance and weirdness. You’ll see it in its rawest form in my film work.
WE ARE ALL SLASHIES WITH MULTIPLE SKILLS, WHICH ONE DO YOU WISH YOU COULD DO MORE OFTEN?
While I’ve picked it up more on the side and with some carefully crafted emails, I really want to push myself to write and do more public speaking. I have penned some recent think pieces, but I really want to start engaging with the public in a dialogue where I can bring open and honest accounts of my experience in with those that may be new to the industry, whether as emerging artists or those interested in intersecting with artists on a growing scale. That nitty gritty perspective is not only hard to find, but it’s also hard to package in an approachable way so that no one comes to you thinking their questions or lack of knowledge are silly or stupid. I want to seek to engage everyone openly to benefit the community at large, and the written and spoken word are great ways to aid this effort.
WHAT IS FRUSTRATING YOU RIGHT NOW?
I’ve accumulated an amazing amount of concepts for personal projects that I want to integrate into client work. Finding clients that want to shoot new versus something they’ve seen a dozen times already is tricky, so it’s usually a matter of finding a new brand that’s still young enough to be open to trying new things. This causes a bunch of delays in getting the concepts to fruition, and sometimes it means funding it myself, which can impact the final product. I combat this by always drafting concepts out and continuing to produce and pitch new ones. Usually elements of the larger ideas will work into client projects in tiny ways, and that’s somewhat satisfying.
IF YOU COULD HIRE SOMEONE FOR $20/HR, WHAT WOULD YOU HAVE THEM DO TO MAKE YOUR DAY EASIER?
Personal snack chef. I drink an obscene amount of coffee in lieu of real food, even for a native Seattlite.
LET'S BRING OUT THE TIME MACHINE. WHAT DO YOU WISH YOU COULD HAVE TOLD YOURSELF, WHEN, AND WHY?
Multiple times in my life I had people who were pillars in my life whispering behind me and doubting my ability to succeed. It acted as fuel to prove them wrong, but it also really hurt me and I feel like it made me hesitate. I would go back and tell myself to distance from the negativity in a strong way and to not be afraid to jump in as far as possible. With how far I’ve come, I wonder how much farther I could have gone had I not been so afraid!
IF YOU COULD TALK TO AN EXPERT TO GAIN MORE INSIGHT ON SOMETHING, WHAT WOULD IT BE ABOUT?
I would go back into the 1980s when color film photography was (in my opinion) at its best. We had insane color theory in play there and it’s never quite been the same since, and it’s something I’ve always wanted more access to. Sadly most of the film stocks used then are long gone, so now whenever I meet a senior level colorist, I go wild and pick their brain for as long as they can stand me.
WHAT KIND OF OPPORTUNITIES/PROJECTS ARE YOU LOOKING FOR?
I love creating visual content, and I will always be interested in picking up the camera when someone presents the opportunity. But there’s more to it now: As I’ve entered senior-level in my craft, I’m seeking projects that really stretch and utilize a broader range of my skills. I’ve begun to step in as a junior creative director and producer with a lot of clientele, and I love the ability to not just create but to develop a vision with a client and then build a team that can help bring that to life in the best way possible. That often means more than just one person, and it can even mean I completely step back from the camera so someone else who is better suited can execute that role. I’d love to come in as a creative consultant with brands who are in the 3-5 year mark to help them begin to scale and rebrand for their next phase, or step into an existing team to help support and grow a successful brand that sees my skills and aesthetic as beneficial. And as always, I’m a sucker for brands that are looking for someone to shoot their next campaign, whether it’s for a season or a special project.
DESCRIBE YOUR IDEAL JOB/CLIENT/COLLABORATION.
I love coming in early on a project, whether a client is new or seasoned in the game. When they know they have an end goal and maybe what kind of deliverable they need, but maybe not quite what it should look like or how many ways it can be consumed. That’s where the real creative brainstorming can happen: when we can figure how to reach the audience in an innovative way and come together with some visuals that excite us. From there, we build our team to include folks that have a specific skillset for their role, and can confidently delegate components of a project. A good balance between myself, my client, and my team is when everyone can work pretty independently but isn’t afraid or pressured to hop in on for a quick progress update. And lastly, the idea should always be able to evolve as needs and tastes change, while still keeping the integrity of the end goal in mind.
WHAT IS YOUR HOURLY RATE, RETAINER, OR SALARY RANGE?
My salary does fluctuate depending on the role and the area of employment, but it hovers in the $80-100K range. I’d love to settle in long term with full-time employment, and while this is ideal, I do still look for great freelance projects. Those of course vary according to the project scale, but I’m always open for affordable consultations if you just need some ideas and insight to get the ball rolling.
HOW SHOULD SOMEONE APPROACH YOU ABOUT WORKING TOGETHER?
A creative brief to my web mail that includes your name, contact information, project description, and your budget range would be great as an intro. We can then do a quick phone call or meeting in person to figure out the rest! You can reach out to me at info@sarahlovrien.com.
HOW DO YOU STAY CREATIVE?
Make one thing every single day.
This member profile was originally published in November 2017.