Meet Lauren Engel

Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Engel. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Lauren, thrilled to have you on the platform as I think our readers can really benefit from your insights and experiences. In particular, we’d love to hear about how you think about burnout, avoiding or overcoming burnout, etc.

Burnout is so real. When I first got into real estate photography, I didn’t know how to say no. I remember FaceTiming a realtor at 9pm to fix copy on his website—not even photos. I was coming from a 9–5 structure, so I didn’t know how to protect my time in an industry where people expect you to be available constantly. I ended up with health issues for half a year because of that. It took a long time to realize that not everything is urgent and I’m not responsible for fixing every last thing. I still catch myself wanting to check emails late at night “just in case” something needs to move, but I’ve gotten better at separating work from life.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

I run two brands.

One is Arturo+Lauren, which I run with my husband. We focus on hotels, architecture, and interiors—photo and video. It’s very niche, especially with video, and that’s what I love about it. We’re not trying to do everything. We’re focused on doing this one thing really well. The projects are usually design-led, and we’ve worked with clients like Four Seasons, Jumeirah, and boutique hotels that really care about how their space is captured. We’re always refining—how we light, how we direct, how we build story into the visuals. It’s not a volume business. It’s thoughtful and layered, and that’s what keeps it interesting.

My other brand is Engel Studios, which is more real estate focused. We shoot high-end listings in LA, but always in an editorial style. That’s what sets us apart. I never wanted to do standard listing photos with the wide lens and bright white walls. I wanted it to feel more cinematic and considered, like something you’d see in a magazine. That’s what our clients come to us for. Over time I’ve built a team around it, which has allowed me to focus more on creative direction and the client experience, rather than trying to do everything myself.

Right now I’m really focused on refining both brands—clarifying what we do, who we do it for, and how we show up in the market. I’ve also been working on a podcast that blends design, branding, and hospitality. It’s still in development, but it’s something I’m excited about. I want it to feel real and not overly curated. More behind the scenes of how great brands and spaces come together.

At the core of everything I do is storytelling through design. Whether it’s a hotel campaign or a real estate shoot, I’m always thinking about how to make something feel intentional, not templated. I care a lot about how things look, but even more about how they feel. That’s what I think really makes the work resonate.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

1. Positioning myself like a brand, not a service provider
This took me a while. At the beginning I said yes to everything. Any inquiry, any price, any timeline. I thought being flexible made me valuable, but really it just made me replaceable. The shift happened when I stopped thinking like a vendor and started showing up like a partner. I still remember reworking my follow-up emails because I hated how passive they sounded. I’d catch myself writing things like “just checking in” and then deleting it, because that’s not how people talk when they’re in demand. Once I started treating my business like a brand—with a clear message, clear values, and clear no’s—everything started to shift.

2. Learning both sides: creative and business
There’s a big difference between being good at your craft and being good at running a business. I had to learn that the hard way. I used to get frustrated when clients asked the same questions over and over, or pushed back on pricing, or didn’t “get” the vision. Now I know how to lead a call, ask better questions, and stay in control of the process. I can usually tell when someone says “we’re still thinking about it” what’s actually going on. That stuff didn’t come naturally to me, but it’s made me sharper. Creative work is one thing. Knowing how to sell it, structure it, and deliver it in a way that makes sense for the client is what makes it work long-term.

3. Editing everything
Not just video. I edit emails, pitch decks, cold messages, scripts, timelines, expectations, all of it. I rewrite constantly. I’ve realized clarity matters more than sounding clever. I don’t want to say something in 50 words if 10 land better. Whether I’m giving feedback to a stylist or sending a proposal, I’m always asking—what’s the point, and are we actually getting there? That mindset has changed how I communicate, how I direct projects, and how people respond to me. It keeps everything tighter and more intentional. And it’s something I’m still refining every day.

What is the number one obstacle or challenge you are currently facing and what are you doing to try to resolve or overcome this challenge?

The hardest part for me right now is sales–especially at the price point we’re at. We’re not cheap, and that’s intentional. The work is highly produced, it’s strategic, and we bring a lot to the table creatively. But that also means we’re often having conversations with clients who love the aesthetic but didn’t budget for the level of production that actually creates that outcome.

I’ve been getting better at how I handle those conversations–asking better questions, and staying in control of the process. But it’s still something I’m actively working on. I’ve also been refining our materials, tightening up how we frame value, and being more direct in how we talk about results.

The other piece is attracting more of the right leads in the first place. We’ve gotten a lot of work through SEO and inbound, which has been great, but I’m focused now on being more proactive–building relationships, pitching hotels earlier in their opening timeline, and really positioning us as the go-to team for design-led visual storytelling.

Sales is a muscle I’m still building, and it’s not the natural part for me, but I know that getting this right is what’s going to unlock the next stage of growth.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

Portrait of me- Helena Lu

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