See How This Charleston Photographer Turned Her Hobby Into A Career

A 2016 Visit to Charleston, South Carolina, changed Laura Saur’s life. “I remember thinking to myself, ‘If only there were a job for me here, I would move in a heartbeat,’ ” says the photographer. “I think I manifested that.” A year later, Laura landed a social media gig in the Holy City and moved from Boston to the Lowcountry. Two years after that, she started her business, LCS Studio.

Being behind the camera comes naturally to Laura, a first-generation Cambodian American whose father encouraged her passion. He was a mechanical engineer but stayed up-to-date on cameras and sent Laura on field trips with disposable ones. That sparked her love for photography, but it was Laura’s new hometown that inspired her to make it a career. 

“If I were still in Boston, I don’t think I would have become a freelancer,” she says. “Charleston felt like a safe place for me to take the jump because of the creative community that exists here. I’ve never been in a place where there are so many female entrepreneurs who lead by example.”

Now, Laura is looking back on what got her here, how the city changed her approach to style, and what it means to become a Southerner.

A Quote I Live By

“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.”

What Excites Me The Most Behind The Camera

“Honestly, it’s the subject in front of it that inspires me, whether that is a home, a person, nature, or food. The thing I always strive for with my photography is taking the viewer with me. I really want to play into the features of whoever or whatever is in front of the camera, what complements them best and tells their story.”

How Charleston Has Transformed My Wardrobe

“Looking back, in Boston I used to dress in only neutrals or dark clothes. And I recognize that’s just what I gravitated toward because of where I was living. Once I moved to Charleston, the colors of the city, the seasons, and the weather had a major influence on the shift in my wardrobe and in my style. I needed to admit to myself that I adore color.”

What The South Has Taught Me About Entertaining

“My love for hosting has really come to the surface now that I’ve moved here. Out of all the other places I’ve lived, I don’t think that people anywhere else know how to throw a soiree like those in the South. The design details, the personal touches, the ambience, the settings—they’re always magical, like everything that’s put together with a little Southern flair.”

How I’ve Honed My Style

“I don’t really follow trends. I’m attracted to a good energy in anything around me. So if an outfit makes me feel confident, brings me joy, and exudes my own personal radiance, then that is what I’m going to go for.”

What It Means To Be Southern

“It’s slowing down and being more intentional. That is something I think I learned how to do better after settling in here. [I’m now more] conscious about how I cook, entertain, create, decorate my home, and engage with everyone in my life.