A Day in the Life of VHT Studios’ Photographer Lauren

When you go to Kansas City, the first thing you think of is barbeque, right? It only made sense to enjoy some Char Bar sandwiches with Kansas City based VHT Studios’ photographer Lauren, who also happens to be a vegetarian… luckily, they make a delicious Jackfruit sandwich.

From coffee to furniture design to art galleries, Lauren has worked several odd art jobs eventually landing her right where she wants to be, working as a professional photographer. When she’s not behind her camera, she’s either teaching a barre class, at a concert seeing her favorite band, Widespread Panic, or playing with her dog Sully.

We bring to you a day in the life of Kansas City based VHT Studios’ photographer Lauren. We’ll take you through a typical day with her, get to know her and her clients a little better, and give you some insight into her daily successes and challenges.

We’ll start in the highly recognizable neighborhood of Mission Hills, Kansas. A neighborhood known for its non-conforming architectural style and accessibility to the heart of Kansas City. Lauren has worked closely with ReeceNichols agent Susan Fate for years now and knows exactly what it takes to capture the beauty of her Mission Hills’ listings. “Lauren does a great job and is very accommodating to our listings’ needs. She is reliable for getting photographs to us in a timely manner and the photographs are always quality.”

Built in 1918, this home has been in the same family until recently, bringing a lot of historical integrity and opportunities for new owners to add their personal style. It sits right on State Line Road, putting it in a desirable location and giving Susan and Lauren an interesting story to tell.

We kept close to the center of town throughout our few days working together. And next we were off to photograph a home style that Lauren most enjoys. “I’m most inspired when shooting moderns. Something about the architecture and simplicity makes my eyes go wild. I always end up taking so many pictures. It’s also my personal style at home and I usually leave with a new decor idea.”

The location and style of this listing are so prime that it requires someone who can bring out its best qualities and appeal to the prospective buyers. Listing agent Bill Newman of ReeceNichols has his full trust in Lauren to do the job. “The Mid-Century Modern style is one of the hottest on the market with limited inventory for the demand. Lauren understands how the buying market can differ for each home and she highlights those features that most appeal to this type of buyer.”

Some listing photography sessions came with surprises, as is expected when you’re capturing the lifestyle of strangers. Lauren was pleasantly surprised to see a wealth of posters of Widespread Panic, her favorite band, and I was pleasantly surprised to have a cat accompany us on one session.

You never know what you’re going to find or what experiences you’re going to have walking into a listing. Or for Lauren, you never know what you’re going to need to do to get that perfect shot. “At a home I photographed a few years back, I climbed a tree house to shoot its interior and then exited it by a zipline, which was really fun.”

Another hot neighborhood in the Kansas City area, Prairie Village, is selling homes so quickly that multiple offers on a home take the sale price well over asking price. Makes sense, considering the small-town family feel, top ranking schools and proximity to downtown.

ReeceNichols agent Lauren Anderson knows that no matter the market, meticulously prepping and marketing every listing leads to the best results. “We work in such a visual industry that those first listing photographs that come up online can make or break the buzz around a house. Lauren recognizes this and does a great job making sure her shots are perfect every time. And this house sold within 24 hours of going on the market!”

The wide variety of home styles in the Kansas City area all come with their own stories, but many also come with a wealth of emotion. The homeowner at the last home we worked on together was preparing for an estate sale for his late father.

Although a home like this carries a heavy significance, Bill Henderson of Platinum Realty and the homeowner knew what needed to happen to get the home on the market. “While we recognize the emotional aspects of this transaction, my seller has been clear that the prompt sale, at the best possible price, is his main concern. We’ll concentrate on that during the selling process and put the emotions aside.” 

Lauren has worked with Bill long enough to have learned his style and desired visual marketing approach perfectly. She knows what to say to bring ease to a stressful situation and how to make even the homeowners feel at ease, and Bill couldn’t be more grateful. “I’ve worked with Lauren for years, and she always brings a pleasant, confident and professional attitude to the photo shoots. She interacts well with the clients and has been very prompt in getting her part of the job done quickly.” 

Although we had five photoshoots together, this was a relaxed few days for Lauren, who usually drives all over the Kansas City area photographing close to 20 homes in a couple of days. With the extra time, we were able to get some coffee at her favorite local spots, and I even gave Barre a try. Needless to say, I need all the help I can get, and Lauren was an excellent teacher.

Going to Kansas City to escape the Chicago wind and cold turned out to be almost just as cold, but exploring the Kansas City area with Lauren and getting a taste of her everyday life behind the lens was well worth the fogged-up glasses and wind-blown hair.

Those few chilly days gave us some insight to Laurens valuable and lasting relationships with her clients, the adventures she has on her day-to-day photoshoots and what it takes to be an outstanding photographer.