Giving back to those who have supported your journey is always special and heartfelt. Our friend, Eden Lauren, wanted to create a special shoot showcasing her Mom and highlighting her beauty inside and out. We were very fortunate to be there during the preparation for the shoot and see Eden give her Mom the superstar treatment as she prepared for the shoot.
Read Eden’s story below and see the stunning images she captured of her Mom, using a two light setup.
We want to wish all of the Mom’s out there (whether by birth or by choice) a very Happy Mother’s Day! We wouldn’t be here without you…literally and figuratively. Thank you Mom’s for your support, inspiration, and love!
For many years now I have wanted to take my mother’s photos. My mother suffers from a pituitary tumor that causes her weight to fluctuate. Her weight can unfortunately cause her to feel really self conscious. However, her figure has remained steady for about 6 months now, so I decided that it was the best time to finally put her in front of my lens! I didn’t tell her about the shoot until a week before it happened, because I wanted it to be a bit of a surprise. Though, I knew she’d kill me if I just sprung a photo shoot on her – so I gave her some time to prepare. When my mom walked in to Westlight Studios, she was greeted with flowers, candy, and a sweet little gift from me. My mom is really my hero, honestly, so I wanted to make sure she felt super valued and appreciated. She’s been one of the most supportive people when it comes to pursuing my dreams as a photographer.
For hair and makeup I called in my good friend, Etiosa. She is based in Nashville and has worked with me for 4 years. I chose Etiosa because I knew she would make my mom feel amazing inside and out, and she really did! My mom felt so comfortable sitting in her makeup chair. My mom just recently turned 47, but doesn’t she look just amazing in these photos?! Mother’s day is about celebrating the women in our lives who step up to take care of us. On this day with her, it was really special to flip the switch and treat her! She really deserved it.
All of the clothes seen in the photos are either from my mom’s personal closet or from H&M. Unfortunately a wardrobe stylist wasn’t available on the day we shot this (prior to any stay-at-home orders), but that’s okay! A quick trip to H&M was all I needed to find clothes that fit my mom’s look and style. A good tip, which you should only follow if you’re in a pinch and can’t find a wardrobe stylist, is to buy and return. All major companies have to have a budget for returns. Just take care of the clothes and don’t take the tags off. I bought these clothes the night before my shoot and returned them literally an hour after the shoot was over. So the clothes were only out of the store for 20 hours. Not even a full day!
All of the gorgeous backdrops you see were provided by Westlight Studios. Michael Gomez, the owner, was kind enough to offer his studio to us and I’m really so appreciative to him for it! Michael makes all of his canvas backdrops from scratch. During this quarantine he has made four additional gorgeous canvas backdrops. They’re absolutely stunning! If you’re a Nashville based photographer, or a have an upcoming job in Nashville, be sure to check his space out!
Cheers to all the moms around the world!
XX Eden Lauren
EQUIPMENT USED:
(2) Einstein Flash Units
(1) 35″ Foldable Octabox
(1) 51″ White PLM Umbrella
(1) 51″ PLM Black Front Spill Kill Fabric
SPECIAL THANKS:
Mama/Model: Marsha Schriewer-Fletcher
Studio: Westlight Studios
Hair and Makeup: Etiosa Osayamen
Assistant: Logan Elder
Assistant/Video: Dale Fletcher
BUFF BASICS 