Meet Laurie Finkinebiner: High School Senior Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Laurie Finkinebiner and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Laurie, what is the most important factor behind your success?
The most important factor behind the success of my business is building a Model & Representative team with each incoming class. The team I build each year represents my brand, and they are ultimately my sales team. I am able to showcase my brand through styled shoots I do with them throughout the year. As an incentive, they get even more images for their senior year, while creating new friendships with other team members. Not to mention….its just fun!! What senior wouldn’t want to be a part of this fun experience? 

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I am a High School Senior Photographer. I got started pretty late in life after quitting my corporate job of 23 years as a Sales and Marketing Manager in the Hotel Industry. I have always had a love for photography, but really needed to learn everything. I went back to school and became certified in Digital Art Photography. From there, I started my business working with high school seniors. It was baby steps getting started. I was able to use my past marketing experience to start with a handful of clients. One thing that works in everyones favor for marketing, is social media, and young people are particularly very active. When I was getting started, I would send several Direct Messages a day…I would stop girls and hand out business cards. My market is mainly a one time deal, so I continually have to market to the next incoming class of seniors. I did this by creating a Model/Rep Team that has photo shoot incentives in place for them to market my business. My brand is authentic and real, and emotional. I love creating images that emit feelings.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Even though I live in the suburbs, I love the city. If I had a friend coming in town, we would certainly spend some days in Deep Ellum, making our own succulents at Jade & Clover and eating at Ebb & Flo. Then we’d head over to Bishop Arts District to get a gourmet pop at Picole. I’d spend some time at the Perot Museum, and check out some sushi at Hungry Belly.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I am a member of several High School Senior Photography groups that certainly provide guidance, mentorship and inspiration. I love The Senior Year Group, SeniorMuse, The Senior Style Guide and The Twelfth Year. All of these groups have great leadership and members that can help guide business decisions as well as artistry. I also have connected with a few photographers that are gems to me….Ann Jordan of Scarlet Moon Photography is one of those. She is such an inspiration and we love to bounce ideas off of one another.

Website: www.unspokenphotobylauriefinx.com
Instagram: www.instagram.com/unspokenphoto_bylauriefinx
Facebook: Unspoken Photo by Laurie Finx

Image Credits
Macie McCraw Brook Fillebrown Delaney Goheen Olivia Navetta Lexi Doggett Sydney Becker