Today we’d like to introduce you to Lauren Sandor.
Hi Lauren, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
Oh wow! My journey with photography has been a long one. As a child, I always had disposable cameras. I would carry them around, taking photos of the most random things—my dogs, flowers, landscapes, my siblings. In 1998, when I was 10, I received my first point-and-shoot film camera. Half the photos didn’t turn out, but the ones that did I still have tucked away in a little binder.
In 2001, my mom started working in the scrapbooking section of Cord Camera. My brother was only a couple of months old, and my dad would take the three of us—me, Rylan, and Cassie—up to Cord to see her after work. I remember admiring all the cameras, and around that time, I started my first job. I was the teen teacher at Cord Camera, teaching scrapbooking classes and snagging my mom’s DSLR camera whenever I could!
Throughout high school, I always had a Nikon point-and-shoot with me. I took photos during class, at dances, on field trips—you name it. I even worked on the yearbook one year, took teen photography classes at the Tribune Chronicle, and had some of my work published in the newspaper. It’s hard to believe, but I still have all those photos saved on a hard drive!
When I was a senior in high school, I applied to Youngstown State University for child psychology. But my English teacher questioned why I wasn’t pursuing my dream of being a photographer. That simple question made me pause—and still drives me to this day.
After graduating in 2007, I bought my first DSLR so I could take senior pictures for friends. Before long, someone approached me to shoot my first wedding. I started at YSU in the spring of 2008 for psychology but soon found myself wanting to build something of my own. With a big push from my (now) husband, I established my business as Torn Photography. Somehow, even in the middle of a recession, I was able to thrive. A lot of my clients today have been with me since the very beginning, and I’m so lucky to have a supportive husband who continues to encourage me, we married in 2012.
After having our first and only daughter in 2017, in 2018, I went through a bit of a rebrand, changing my business name to LS The Photographer LLC. I wanted a more mature name—one that reflects who I am today, both as a person and a photographer.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I think one of the biggest struggles was deciding to go full-time. It was one of the hardest—and scariest—decisions I’ve ever made: quitting my regular job at Rulli Brothers. But as of April 2025, I’m at 10 years as a full time photographer and haven’t regretted a single moment!
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
I’m a photographer—I capture moments in time that tell a story. I specialize in family portraits, lifestyle sessions, senior graduation portraits, and elopements. I’m known for my bubbly, laid-back vibe and easygoing personality that instantly puts clients at ease. I’m confident in posing and composition, and I always tell my clients how picky I am about lighting—because it has to be perfect!
What I’m most proud of is me. This journey has been 17 years in the making. Figuring out how to start, run, and maintain a business—especially as someone who is neurodivergent—isn’t easy. Being a small business owner is not for the faint of heart. There’s so much we have to learn on our own that no one prepares you for: taxes, business registration, managing social media, maintaining a website, customer service, composing professional emails—the list goes on. It’s a lot of work, but to me, it’s the most rewarding work I could ever do.
I get to capture people as they are, in this exact moment. And years from now, someone will look at those photos and remember. This is my legacy.
What sets me apart comes down to two things: First, my customer service is second to none. I treat every client like a friend I’ve known for years, and I photograph every child as if they were my own—just like I do with my daughter. Second, my color. Over the years, I’ve seen photography trends come and go, but I’ve stayed true to my vibrant, timeless editing style. True-to-life tones never go out of style.
If we knew you growing up, how would we have described you?
Oh gosh… I wasn’t expecting this question!
I was so shy as a child, but if I knew you, I’d talk your ear off. I loved Disney, music, and dance—tap, jazz, and ballet—plus horseback riding and all kinds of crafts. I grew up in the country, in Kinsman, OH, during the ‘90s, so I’d ride my bike, roller-skates, or scooter all around town. I had a lot of friends, and most of them lived nearby, so my parents usually wouldn’t see me all day!
As a teenager, I was shy, quiet, and reserved. I was very artistic and definitely an emo kid—with my band t-shirts, jeans, and a love for going to concerts with friends. Music has always been a big part of my life, and that hasn’t changed a bit.
Looking back on my childhood and teen years, I can definitely say I’ve changed. These days, I’m more of an extrovert in public and an introvert at home… and I still fully embrace my emo nature—haha!
Pricing:
- Family sessions starting at $250
- Senior sessions starting at $275
- Elopements starting at $350
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lsthephotographer.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lsthephotog
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/lauren.sandor
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lsthephotographer/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/ls-the-photographer-youngstown-3
- Other: https://book.usesession.com/i/qHrzyIled
