Today we’d like to introduce you to Lola Vaughn.
Alright, thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
It all started from the beginning of the pandemic. Like most of us, I was confused, isolated, and was becoming increasingly depressed. Stay at home orders felt like I couldn’t “get out” and make art with my friends anymore, and I didn’t know when I would ever be able to again. At that time I was only modeling one on one with a photographer and getting those images published in well-known PinUp magazines. But, little did I know that from these low moments I would make a decision that would evolve into a beautiful beast today. The first thing I embarked on was finding other like-minded artists who wanted to get out there and start making art collaboratively again despite Covid in all our faces. So, I crafted a bunch of fantastic, theatrical headpieces, found a couple of fabulous models and talented photographers, shared a theme with them, and to protect us from Covid we all met at a park and made sure to keep our distance. The result was purely amazing. You could literally feel a buzzing energy in the air during this first shootout and the photos that came from it were simply brilliant. After that, I made more theatrical headpieces, came up with more themes, networked, found more publication opportunities for my models and photographers. I went from organizing a mini shoot out with 5 photographers and 5 models to now organizing and hosting giant shootouts about once a month where I host over 20 models and photographers per shoot. Lola’s Shootouts are a whirlwind of electric energy that vibrates off the talents of all my models and photographers. It’s a beautiful yet exhausting experience and a very unforgettable and addicting one. If you’ve gone to one, you’ll quickly have a need for the next.
Today, I have hosted and organized over 50 shootouts since the pandemic and have helped facilitate several models and photographers land their first publication or cover and continue to pursue publication and art opportunities for my community.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
“The hustle” is the biggest challenge. It requires patience and persistence. When you hustle you really can’t take any breaks. You are constantly researching, evolving, and preparing for the future. I do a lot of research and spend a lot of time creating the perfect flyers, finding the best venue, gathering magazine publications, and broadening my network of models and photographers. I do all this to make sure I present a quality experience for my models and photographers. And that brings me to another obstacle. Sometimes I inspire a person so much that they try to mimic my shoot out, my business plan and even my verbiage. It’s odd to see flyers where they have literally copied me word for word. But you know what, that will always be a challenge, to any artist doing anything successful, but as long as I continue to produce quality shootouts it won’t ever become a “real problem”. I hope to expand, and because I don’t give up, Lola’s Shootouts will continue to grow naturally all on its own. One person that has helped me smooth these bumps in the road is my dear photographer friend Bill Hunton. It really helps to have someone on your team who will go above and beyond for you.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Besides organizing photoshoots, I love crafting! I especially love making costumes or props. I also like to make jewelry and theatrical head pieces. Another thing I should mention is that currently I am also working/collaborating on a Day of the Dead Festival with my artist friends Triple Moon Photography and Ashly Paints. Which will be occurring sometime in October of this year.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
If a person is interested in joining one of my shootouts the best advice I can give is to jump in and have fun! You’ll find an incredible support system with everyone who attends. We have been very grateful that everyone who joins has been genuinely kind to one another and very helpful. When you do one of my shootouts you are not just doing it to take photos, you are joining a community of support and inspiration.
Pricing:
- $50-$60 for models
- $30 -$50 for photographers
Contact Info:
- Email: lolavaughnburlesque@
gmail.com - Instagram: www.Instagram.com/
lolavaughnpinup - Facebook: www.Facebook.com/
pinuplolavaughn
Image Credits:
@rogue.aesthetic.photography
