MEET YOUR PHOTOGRAPHER


Hi! I'm Lauren! Welcome to Cheeky Peacock Artistry. Get to know me!

I've been an artist for as long as I can remember. I have been cutting, gluing, painting, decorating and crafting my way through life. I didn't start out as a photographer; in fact, I worked as a self-employed mural painter through college while working toward my Bachelor's degree in Graphic Design. After graduation, I received my first "fancy" camera as a gift. The recession was hard on the job market in my field and I ended up changing course and working in the foreclosure auction industry for over 5 years. 

 

That's when life started getting really busy. 

 

I got married, renovated my first house, and became a Mom. After a few years we decided that staying home full time to care for our first child was the best option for our family. I had dabbled in photography in the past and my images weren't half bad for just shooting on auto. After having a girl with the most stunning blue eyes, I couldn't help but pick up my camera more and more. Setting her up and posing her also kept us busy during those long winter months at home. I posted many of my images to Facebook, and people took notice. That's when things snowballed. 

I had friends and family ask if I could do pictures for them which was a little intimidating. Sometimes I felt lost. I knew I needed to practice more, so that's exactly what I did. Fast forward a few years and Cheeky Peacock Artistry was born.

What's with the weird name you ask? Why not just choose my first+last name+photography? Well, I pride myself on not doing things the way the majority does. It's what makes me stand out from the crowd! You see, Cheeky is a fun little word....it's bold and saucy. It's a play on a childhood nickname that my sister and I still call each other. And peacock...well, let's just say they have been one of my favorite things since before they became trendy. We even decorated our baby's nursery in a gender neutral peacock theme because we didn't know what we were having! I am in awe of their colors and beauty and I find them inspiring. Artistry encompasses my passion for all the arts, not just photography. It's graphic design, interior design, and floral design. It's painting, it's everything. It's Artistry.

CHEEKY PEACOCK ARTISTRY. It's a mouthful. It's a little weird. But it's ME.

After my name was established, the babies kept coming. My husband and I completed our family, fulfilled a long-time dream of building a house, and now reside in the SW suburbs of Chicago with our 3 gorgeous (and wild) children that keep us on our toes. I fuel my days with copious amounts of tea -especially chai, that's my fave. I also love tacos, donuts, houseplants, bike riding, headbands, The Food Network, bowling, 80's music, and the color pink. 

Oh, and one more thing...remember how I mentioned that I don't do things the way everyone else does? Let me clarify. You may notice on my portfolio page that not everyone's images look the same. In fact, in this business, consistency and a specific style is the norm. You may be looking for someone that always uses a vintage feel, does muted tones, or gives their images a light and airy finish. Repetition becomes boring and my creative mind just doesn't compute, so applying the same edit on every session just doesn't work with my brain. I take into account the lighting, the location, wardrobe colors, time of year, skin tones, backdrop, and time of day. I have visions for sessions and what I think would be the best edit for them. I don't just take photos of your family, I create custom artwork for each and every client that encompasses all things YOU.

So let's talk. Let me hear the thoughts and ideas that you have for your session. Shoot me a message! Let's make some beautiful ART together!