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Renee

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I’m Renee, a South Louisiana wedding photographer striving to create blissful experiences and timeless images. As a former CPA, I live for organization, but my secret power is handling chaos with grace on wedding days. From rounding up rowdy wedding parties to bustling dresses, I’ve got your back - without missing a shot. 

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"100% best and sweetest photographer around"

She made everything so easy by being organized with a calm presence! She remembered to capture every single detail I mentioned!

Christie J

Some exciting news!!!

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have noticed that a couple of weeks ago I hinted at a HUGE announcement coming soon. Something that I’ve waited a long time to shout from the rooftops. Something that’s hands-down the riskiest decision this girl has ever made.

 

I’m going FULL-TIME with my photography business!!!

 

As of December 27, I officially put in my two weeks notice at my stable, consistent, SAFE day job in public accounting and I made the leap into the new year and full time entrepreneurship! Owning my own photography business has been a dream of mine since high school. Somehow, it got forgotten while I was in college. (More like, my practical side won out and I decided to take the “safe” route!) I started LSU in the College of Art & Design with every intention to graduate with a degree in photography, and eventually transferred over to the College of Business to learn the fundamentals I’d need to start my own business. Accounting was my favorite class so I chose that as my concentration, but I had no intention of taking the CPA exam. THEN I got to the beginning of my last semester and realized I only needed ONE more class to be eligible for the exam, figured I might as well, and signed up for it.

After I graduated, I started working for a CPA firm, and a little over a year later, I had my license! I had officially done everything I was “supposed” to do as an accounting major. Without fail I stuck to the safe, predictable path and completely let my photography dream fall to the wayside.

Fast forward about 3 years. Caleb and I were recently married, and even though we had been living together for a couple of years by this point & nothing had really changed, I was suddenly unhappy. I didn’t have a wedding to plan anymore. I felt like I had checked all these boxes on my to-do list of life: graduated, got a job, passed the CPA exam, bought a house, bought a car, got married. But I was already unhappy in my daily routine – work, come home, clean, cook, sleep and repeat. There was nothing for me. I needed a hobby that brought me joy. I was becoming a bitter, resentful person to my husband, which wasn’t fair to him. And I didn’t like that person one bit.

So after a lot of soul searching (and talks with mom) I realized I needed to stop trying to work AND run a perfect, spotless household and instead focus on what I had always loved: photography. My plan was to slowly start teaching myself again & taking clients. Slowly. I wanted to keep my safe, stable, reliable day-job.

Then our lives turned completely upside down. Caleb & I suffered two miscarriages and lost both our dads in barely a year’s time. If all that doesn’t light a “life’s too short” fire under you, nothing will. Going through those hard times put into perspective for me that I didn’t need to stay stuck in my safe & reliable routine that wasn’t bringing any sense of purpose into my life anymore.

So I threw myself headfirst into this business and set some new goals! We were already quickly paying off our debt, but I knew it had to be completely gone before we lost one of our paychecks. I estimated we could pay off the debt by October 2017, and then save up a couple of more months until the end of the year. If I met my booking goal, I’d go full time for 2018.

Well, we paid of the debt in September, and I met my booking goal exactly in December! So here we are. Was this the “take it slow” plan I had two years ago? Nope. But the amount of stress and work that path was causing – basically two full-time jobs – was about to run me into the ground, especially with a newborn on the way.

I can’t tell you how excited I am to have more time to focus on my clients. I truly wouldn’t be here without y’all, and serving y’all is the reason I pick up my camera over and over again. The best way I know how to explain it is to tell a little story: Several years ago, I had a friend take some portraits of me and my sisters for my dad for Christmas. When he saw them, he did something I had never seen my big, tough cowboy dad do. Y’all, he cried. Over something so simple as a photograph. But it wasn’t simple to him – that was his 3 little girls. And that’s exactly why I do this. It’s something that I can’t put into words, but that gift is what I want to give to as many people as I can.

 

So 2018 will be spent breaking out of the routine and focusing on the things that bring me joy: serving my clients and preparing for our baby. I have SO MANY things I want to do that have gotten put off for months because I’ve literally been working 2 jobs, 7 days a week. I can’t wait to start implementing all the ideas I have to serve my clients better and create a truly top-notch experience with Renee Lorio Photography!

To my super supportive husband, family and friends: thank you SO much for believing in me and giving me just enough of a “push” to make this leap. I needed it! I also want to especially thank all my wonderful clients who have trusted me with their precious memories so far and in the future… I literally would not be here without you, and I can’t put into words how much I appreciate you!!

Cheers to a new year and many wonderful things to come!!

Renee

 

 

Photo credit: Chavanne Cazayoux
  1. Sam Moran says:

    I enjoyed reading this amazing story!! Life is not easy. There are a lot of ups and downs. Some of us didn’t have this opportunity to go for it.
    I started at 18 with a child and from there we did what we had to make our little family of 3 happy and successful. Working, hunting and fishing.
    Proud of the courage and determination you have to go for dream ????.
    You can do this. My prayers are with you and your family.
    Love you!!

    • Renee says:

      Thank you so much Mr. Sam, that means a lot! Mom told me you called her this morning. I’m so glad we’ve gotten to know y’all and I can’t wait to be able to spend more time in Fourchon with y’all! Love you too!

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"Best photographer ever! Renee is so nice and so easy going - made me feel 100% comfortable in front of the camera."

- Lauren H.

bride, 2019

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