Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Stewart
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
The love of travel and photography was instilled in me from an early age through the competitive game of tennis. While growing up in Columbia, South Carolina, almost every weekend my mom and I would travel to different tennis tournaments across the nation. I discovered early on I loved experiencing new and unfamiliar places, learning new cultures, and meeting new people and hearing their stories. After playing collegiate tennis at The College of Charleston and graduating in 2005 with a degree in English, I began traveling and documenting my experiences. I had an unbridled curiosity of the world. I started with travel writing. Then in 2014 my father gave me my first DSLR camera. I knew after receiving the camera that photography was my innate passion. It gave me a oneway ticket to explore the world. I taught myself how to use the camera, taking photographs every day, while consuming as many photography books and articles as possible to learn more about composition and framing. Now, ten years after receiving my first camera, you won’t find me without a camera in my hand.
Over the years, I have been very fortunate to be able to travel to many different parts of the world, working on documentary projects and street photography while making new friends along the way. After having a family of my own, I made roots in Columbia, and much of my focus has returned to the place where I grew up. The city I once wanted though of as mere landing pad is now a place of utter inspiration , its people and streets my canvas.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
As as self-taught photographer with no formal training, one of the many challenges I face is the ongoing battle with imposter syndrome. With many artists, it’s easy to second guess your work and wonder if it is “good enough” to display publicly. Overcoming this self-doubt ultimately makes us better photographers and creatives, but it is a daily practice.
One other challenge I face as a woman is the work-life balance. After having two children and a family of my own, it is much more difficult to drop everything and hop on a plane to explore a new part of the world. There was a long adjustment period after having children where I not only had to redefine my work and but also how I worked.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I am self-taught documentary & street photographer from Columbia, South Carolina. My work focuses on documenting people’s daily lives to make global cross-cultural connections between the viewer and the subject.
My work has appeared in international publications such as Suitcase Magazine, Electrify Magazine, Matador Network, NR Magazine as well as others. In 2018 I was selected to be a part of the inaugural Women Street Photographers exhibit in New York City and was also a finalist in the Women Street Photographers exhibitions in 2019 in NYC and in 2024 in Rome, Italy. My work has also been included in the PHOS Street Photography Days Exhibition in Bulgaria in 2018, the 2024 Street Photographers Festival in Tehran, Iran, and most recently in PHOTO SC’s Feminism exhibition in Columbia, South Carolina in 2024.
My most recent project, COMET 701, is a longterm immersive documentary photo project centered on the people who ride the local 701 bus in my hometown of Columbia, South Carolina.
We’d be interested to hear your thoughts on luck and what role, if any, you feel it’s played for you?
When it comes to photography, there always seems to be some element of luck that plays a role, whether it’s the perfect light, the right weather, or an unexpected moment coming into the frame. As a photographer, to be lucky with your craft, you have to be prepared and be ready for these moments. This means daily practice and consistently carrying your camera to be ready for the moment when it presents itself. With that said, I have had moments of luck arise, when everything seems to fall into place, much more often when I’m more relaxed, open to the scene unfolding, and not forcing a shot that really isn’t there.
Contact Info:
- Instagram: laurenalliephoto
