The Mindset Shift Every Photographer Needs

Lauren Rund never set out to be a photographer. She was an English teacher in Texas — passionate, creative, pouring everything she had into her students. But over time, the spark faded. The classroom that once filled her started draining her.

In 2016, she did what most people only dream about: she stepped away.
Out of the classroom.
Out of burnout.
And unknowingly, into her next chapter.

The Moment Everything Clicked

Lauren had always been creative. A writer. A noticer of details. A self-proclaimed sunset crier (she was tearing up as she told us about it). Photography was just a quiet hobby at first, something she did for friends. A creative way to see the world again.

Then one day, walking through a farmers market in downtown McKinney, she saw a woman running a bakery stand. A one-woman show with flour-dusted hands and beautiful, effortless branding. Something about it stopped her. Normally reserved, Lauren walked up and said what she truly felt: “I love what you’re doing. Can I photograph it?”

That bold little moment changed everything.

The baker said yes. They created together. The images told her story. The work, the joy, the craft. And when the baker saw herself reflected back, she lit up.

Lauren saw it too: the power of photography to help people see their own value.

“As an artist, there’s a lot of self-work. You have to know yourself in order to look at another human being and say, ‘There’s value in you. I want to capture that and give it back to you so you can see how stunning you’ve always been.’”

That was her click moment. The one that turned a hobby into a purpose.

From Spark to Scale

Lauren describes herself as “heart first, business second.” Her husband’s the math brain; she’s the words and wonder. Together, they’ve built balance.

“The sweet spot is where creating for the heart and creating for profit intersect. If you can get both working… you’re gold.”

In the early days, Lauren hustled hard. Tracking clients in Excel (gulp), emailing back and forth endlessly, experimenting with every CRM she could find. She wanted something simple, beautiful, and functional, not another system that left her more exhausted than inspired.

Then, in 2021, she found Session. And just like that, everything clicked…again.

“It just worked for my brain. It’s beautiful, simple, and doesn’t overstimulate. From the client side, it’s seamless. I will never leave Session. Unless I leave photography altogether. I mean that.”

With Session, she automated the back-and-forth, simplified bookings, and eventually moved her galleries in too. That’s when everything shifted: her pricing, her confidence, her profit.

“I used to do everything manually. I never upsold, never collected tips. Once I started using Session galleries, my income increased dramatically without changing how I worked. I just clicked a few buttons.”

Lauren realized that selling and serving don’t have to compete. The right system lets you do both with heart, and the right rhythm.

The Growth Mindset (and the Power of Small Wins)

“Creatives need wins. All or nothing can be so limiting. A growth mindset of small wins over time is way more sustainable.”

From photographing one baker to building a thriving family and branding business, Lauren’s journey wasn’t viral. It was steady. One small, brave step at a time.

Her advice? Stop comparing. The highlight reel isn’t real.

Instead, build from your non-negotiables:

• → A CRM that lets you create, not chase
• → A gallery system that delights clients
• → A price point that honors your worth

Small wins compound, and confidence grows with them.

The Art of Letting Go

Lauren’s photos are imperfect in the most perfect way: a stray hair, a teary laugh, the moment before the pose.

“I’m not a glamour photographer. I want you to see how wonderful you are — the way your kids see you.”

What you put out to your clients, she says, is what you need to replicate. And sometimes that’s where things get lost in translation, because that mom looks great, but she’s chasing a version of herself that isn’t true to the eye.

“It’s not what your kids see. They already see the beauty in you.”

That’s the work Lauren does, helping people see what their loved ones already see.

“If it’s all about profit, you miss the person. It’s both, and. You have to remember there’s a person behind this transaction. They feel that. And so will your bottom line. Tell their story, feel that honor and gift, and watch the magic unfold.”

She quotes Robert Frank:

“I want my pictures to make people feel like the way they feel when they read poetry.”

That’s her aim too, to make images people would grab if the house were burning. To capture the stillness that brings you back to center.

Because the truth is, your kid will never look like this again. Your life will never be this exact shape again.

And to Lauren, that’s not pressure. That’s purpose.

Treasure what you have while you have it. It’s the art of letting go.

A Final Word to the Community

Before we wrapped, Lauren left us with two reflections that say everything about the way she lives and works:

“Rest is productive.”
We often don’t see it that way in our microwave, get-it-done, more-is-better culture. In my job, I definitely have a rhythm where fall is busier, and I have a tendency to fill every fringe hour possible. But in the long run, rest is productive. Giving yourself rest in the busy seasons gives your body, mind, and creative soul the break it needs to keep going.

I was once told that if you work all week with your mind, rest with your hands. And if you work all week with your body, rest with your mind. Creating a rhythm of life with natural pauses and deep breaths takes discipline — but the payoff is worth it.

And second:

“Stories are sacred. Because people are.”
In the overlap between creating and profiting, it’s easy to lose sight of the person behind the profit. Behind every transaction is a human being with a story. When I get caught in the weeds of business growth or creative insecurity, I try to pivot back and ask: Who am I serving? How can I serve them better? What makes them beautiful, valued, worthy?

People are sacred. And we, as photographers, get to play a small part in documenting this one good life they have. It’s a gift — and treating it as such makes sure we don’t lose the forest for the trees.

To check out Lauren’s work, visit her SITE or her IG! Let’s show her some love!