Photographer Austin Lord
Austin Lord
Austin Lord
Austin Lord, photographer and creative mind behind Gather Portrait Studio, offers couples and their guests personalized portraits sans photobooth. At weddings and other events, Gather Portrait Studio replaces a traditional photobooth with a photographer to create timeless portraits of guests. With their signature lighting, luxury hand-painted backdrops, and a photographer posing each guest, every portrait they take is magazine cover-worthy.
We talked to Austin Lord about Gather Portrait Studio and how he creates the perfect backdrop for such special occasions.
Tell us about yourself and how you got into the world of photography!
My interest in photography first sparked when I was in high school. My dad gave me an old 35mm film camera that he had, and I just started walking around my hometown in Alabama taking photos on it. I continued to shoot on film cameras for a few years until I moved to Nashville to go to college and study music. A few weeks into my freshman year I was hired by the university’s marketing department as a photographer. Fast forward a year, and I bought my own digital camera on eBay and began networking like crazy in the local photography community. This quickly led me being so busy with photography that I couldn’t fully focus on school. So, I made the decision to drop out of college and pursue a full-time career as a photographer. That was eight years ago now.
How would you describe your style when it comes to your photos?
I think my hope every time I take a photo is that it feels timeless. I love photos that look like they could have been taken thirty or forty years ago.
What are the details behind your business concept, Gather Portrait Studio?
Gather Portrait Studio is a company I created to replace photo booths at weddings and events. It offers guests the opportunity to get portraits that they would be proud of and cherish for years to come. I bring in the same lights and backdrops I would use if I were shooting a magazine cover and I guide and help pose guests to look their best just like I would in any other shoot. The result is normally a delightful surprise to those I’m photographing because they’ve never had a photo like that of themselves.
What was your inspiration for Gather Portrait Studio and how did your vision with it come to life?
The inspiration came from having my eyes open to the missing opportunity at weddings and events. It’s so common to have goofy photo booths where everyone is wearing giant sunglasses and holding a cut out of a pineapple or something. I wanted to be able to create a luxurious, personalized experience for couples to be able to give to their guests that elevates the event. I also love the idea of getting to take portraits of the family at the wedding and turn them into the next set of family heirlooms. I think there is something so special about being able to have a portrait of your parents, grandparents, or whoever that was taken on your special day that can be displayed in your home.
How do you prep your clients and get them to relax/be themselves for a shoot?
My favorite way to get people to relax is to act like we aren’t even taking photos. I just treat people as if we were just hanging out. I ask a lot of questions and really just try to get to know who they are. While we are talking, I will take some photos in between and it’s normally a pretty good flow.
From start to finish, what can someone expect to happen during a Gather Portrait Studio shoot?
They can expect to either get a photo by themselves or with their friends and loved ones. I help guide and pose each person. I normally take a couple minutes to get a variety of poses for them to choose from. By the time the event is over, they will have the edited portraits in their e-mail inbox with the options to order fine art quality printed products and have them sent straight to their house.