From Behind the Desk to Behind the Lens — My Story as a Photographer

That’s me - a photographer in the wild.

If you’d asked me a few years ago what I’d be doing now, I probably would’ve said something like “helping other creatives grow their businesses.” I started out as a virtual assistant, using my admin brain to support photographers and other small business owners. I genuinely loved it.

But the more I was around photographers, the more I realized: I don’t just want to help them—I want to be one.

This was the first photoshoot I ever did with my family.

So I started playing around with my camera, mostly taking photos of my family. No pressure, no posing, just capturing life as it happened. And that’s when something clicked—especially when I photographed my son.

Here’s the thing: he doesn’t do fake smiles. He doesn’t pose. But when he’s doing something he loves—when he’s fully in the moment—the camera catches something real. And it’s beautiful. He’s autistic, and some of my favourite images of him have captured the incredible, unique way he moves through the world. No direction. Just presence.

Just a little boy lining up his cars. Perfection.

That’s when I knew: this is what I want to do. I want to capture people as they are—not perfectly posed, not filtered for Instagram—but real, joyful, chaotic, connected. The good stuff.

That’s why I started LJW Creative Photography.

I’m not here to make your family look “picture perfect.” I’m here to help you remember what it felt like to be in this season of life—however messy, wild, or sweet it is.

My sessions are relaxed and go-with-the-flow (with a little direction when needed). I know how stressful photo day can feel—trust me, I’ve been the mom chasing a snack-fueled toddler mid-shoot—but I want you to feel comfortable. Like you can breathe, have fun, and just be yourselves.

If your kids are “wild” or you think you’re awkward in front of the camera, I see you. (Hi, I am you.) Don’t worry about how you look. Focus on how you feel—on the little hands holding yours, the way your partner looks at your kids, the realness of your family.

That’s what I’ll capture. That’s what you’ll look back on years from now and feel all over again.

Thanks for being here and following along. I can’t wait to meet your beautiful, chaotic, perfectly imperfect family.

— Laura