Life and Light

Lou is a documentarian at heart, using both traditional film and modern digital photography to capture the world around her. Growing up in Benson, MN, Lou’s artistic journey began early, encouraged by parents who nurtured her creative spirit. She took all the available art classes in high school and began her college career at Minnesota State University Moorhead (MSUM) as a film major. Inspired by the art of cinematography, she soon discovered her passion for photography through candid snapshots of her friends and a couple of transformative classes in the photojournalism department, which solidified her documentary style.

Lou’s first paid work came in May 2015, capturing the 1711 Music Festival, followed by a role as the Homecoming Photographer for MSUM’s 2015/2016 school year. These experiences refined her candid, documentarian approach and sparked a deeper interest in storytelling through her lens. Since then, she has expanded into photographing weddings, portraits, senior pictures, headshots, and behind-the-scenes moments for short films and cultural celebrations.

Her true love lies in traditional film photography, particularly black and white film, which she develops herself at home. Lou works with a variety of cameras, from 35mm half-frame models from the 1960s to a wooden 4x5 large format camera from the 1940s. While she enjoys experimenting with new formats, she always returns to her favorites.

Currently based in Minneapolis, MN, Lou is often found capturing street portraits or documenting the rehearsals and performances of the Twin Cities Gay Men’s Chorus, as well as other queer-focused events in the metro area. When not behind the camera, she works at the Linhoff Photo store in St. Louis Park, serving the community that shares her love for photography.