Meet Autumn Luciano

Today we’d like to introduce you to Autumn Luciano. 

Hi Autumn, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself
I was attending film school at Lansing Community College while working for a chain portrait studio. After a few years, I became photo editor for my school’s newspaper, which lead into a job as an assistant photographer for a small local studio. I was told the assistant photographer job would become a full-time position after the summer ended, but fate had other plans and the studio ended up moving to Detroit. Since I was still enrolled in school, I was unable to relocate to keep the job. 

Soon to be unemployed, I had a camera but nothing else. I put on a big garage sale and raised just enough money to buy a kit of studio lights, background stand, and a few seamless backdrops. 

With that and a small closet full of inherited vintage clothing, I started experimenting with 1950’s-style pinup girl portraits, with my friends acting as models. It only took a couple of shoots before I was hooked. Then I teamed up with a stylist friend to start offering vintage-style shoots to clients. 

I started my business at age 23 and have been self-employed ever since. I quickly became known mostly for pinup style photography. Through the last 12 years I’ve created set after set; vintage living rooms, bedrooms, bathrooms, even a vintage circus. I’ve shot pinups with trick ponies in a field with my own mini-Ferris wheel. I’ve shot pinups in Chicago, New York City, and L.A. Though not nearly as many as I have in my home town. At one point I started a burlesque variety show here in Lansing called Tease-A-Gogo, and I would create sets for the stage which would also double as photo shoot sets. A few years ago, I put the show into the capable hands of my studio’s stylist and best friend Shelby. This allowed me time to refocus on making the studio even better. It’s always been my biggest passion. 

I’ve grown my style beyond offering just vintage portraits and pinup shoots. I now offer boudoir, modern glam (much inspired by the shoots in Vanity Fair Magazine.) and classical painting inspired. Most recently I’ve been creating shoots for my fantasy-loving clients. 

I have always aimed to offer a welcoming and comfortable experience for everyone and I offer a wide range of wardrobe sizes in every style that I shoot. My clients don’t have to worry about doing their own hair and makeup because professional styling is included in every session. Plus, I pose each subject from head to toe, so there is no modeling experience required. I believe everyone should have a portrait they feel absolutely stunning in; even if they’ve never been in front of the camera before. 

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle-free, but so far would you say the journey has been a fairly smooth road?
My job, in particular, is more than just pressing buttons and playing with lights. Often my clients are getting shoots done for reasons that are very important in their walks of life. It isn’t always as simple as doing the shoot as an anniversary gift. Many of my clients are looking to reclaim a piece of the fire that makes them who they are, or maybe they are just getting on the path to find who they are in general. 

A shoot is more than just photos to many people; it’s an emotional event. Sometimes those insecurities and emotions can transfer to me, the photographer. It’s a learned skill to be able to be supportive and uplifting without absorbing negative emotions people feel about themselves and taking it personally. I’ve had clients visibly shaking when they come into the studio due to nerves. They will tell me that they hate every single photo they’ve ever posed for. I use to get very nervous hearing this and think “what if I just took more photos they hated?”. I had to learn to take that statement as a challenge, and work patiently and in detail WITH the client to ensure an outcome they are happy with. Doing so has served me very well so far, but it took a lot of years of building confidence in my skills to be able to do that. 

It’s been a journey to be able to get out of my own head and not question my skills or business ethics, and the journey never really ends. Many people won’t admit it, but a lot of us are learning as we go. The road will always be filled with people trying to trip you up. It’s important to learn to breathe through it and take it in as lessons learned. 

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I was known mostly for my 1950s style pinup portraiture for a long time. While pinup will always be a staple at my studio, through the years I have added more styles/themes to what I offer my clients. My aesthetics change as I discover new things that interest me. I believe the variety in my work is the best documentation anyone could ask for to show all of the different phases I’ve been through. If I ever lined up my work in chronological order, I think the evolution would be consistent with how I dressed personally at the time, what movies and music I was consuming, even what my home décor looked like in those moments. I’m proud of the whole timeline because I gained skills through each step to get where I am. But whatever my newest sets/styles/etc. are, you can bet it will be my current favorite thing to shoot. I created it because I like it. 

I’ve created an experience for my clients, so you’re not just meeting me someplace with a camera. You’re planning your dream shoot with me. We collaborate on inspiration, wardrobe, hair, and makeup. If my clients really just want to turn the creative control over to me, I’m happy to make those decisions for them, but they are always welcome to collaborate with me. I want them to feel as big of a part of the creative process as they are. Their portraits wouldn’t exist without them making it happen. 

Is there something surprising that you feel even people who know you might not know about?
People who know my work but don’t necessarily know me as a person may be surprised that I have a home studio since I’ve managed to create some pretty wild things just inside my house. 

Contact Info:

• Email: autumnluciano@gmail.com
• Website: www.AutumnLucianoStudios.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/autumnlucianostudios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AutumnLucianoStudios

Image Credits
Autumn Luciano Studios