We all have an integral part to play in this life: through the gifts we have, the opportunities we’re given, and the circumstances we find ourselves in. At a fairly young age, I found myself inherently drawn to not only nature, but the design, details, and characteristics that made up the landscapes around me. 

It wasn’t until I was about to go into high school that I realized I could use those things for photography, and it was even later in life that I discovered the origin of this passion. I believe God gave me the ability to capture moments in time not just to serve those around me, but to glorify His creation in a way I never knew I was capable of. 

Before becoming Laudare (low-dar-eh) Photography, my business name was Shelby Rae Photography, which I operated under for about 6 years. 

So, why the change? Well, a couple of reasons, the first being, it felt kind of predictable. 

It’s no surprise that there are a lot of photographers in the world, and standing out among the crowd is quite the challenge. There’s always someone who will have newer equipment or fancier software, and it’s your job to show people why you’re different than anyone else they’d see on Instagram. It’s a popular trend in the photography business to simply name your craft after yourself, reflecting that you’ll be the one taking the photos. But I wanted to be different, and I wanted to stand out with a name that meant something to me, and that would show my clients that I wanted to put their needs over my own. 

Another reason, which was really the driving force in choosing the word “laudare”, was that I wanted to take the attention away from myself, and instead focus it on the Lord. I wouldn’t be able to do this without Him. 

He’s the reason I have the skills to be a photographer, and at the end of the day, I don’t take pictures for me, I take them for Him. It’s His creation that I strive to capture, and it’s His children, my brothers and sisters, who I aim to serve. If my photography business is centered on creation and service of the common good, why would I name it after myself? Ultimately, that’s recognition I don’t want to claim. So, I chose to make my name a verbal arrow towards His gift to me, in hopes that people will see His goodness through my works. 

Now, that being said, why choose “laudare” as my name? When I decided that I wanted my name to reflect the glory of God, I immediately knew it would be in Latin. Latin is the official language of the Catholic Church, and I wanted to choose a word that expressed my gratitude towards God and invite others to ask what the name meant to me. 

I first went to Google to look up common Latin words you may find at mass or in Church doctrine. Of course a couple came to mind, such as “Corpus Christi” which means “Body of Christ,” and I even began to look for some of the original Hebrew words used in the Book of Genesis. I wanted something that would connect to creation because, even though this rebrand was a new idea of mine, I had always found myself focusing on God’s creation and His presence in those I photograph. 

I stumbled upon “laudare,” which means “to praise,” early in my search, but was struggling with whether it really flowed with a company name. I wanted to be different, but I also wanted to make sure people could actually say the name of my company. But as I kept looking, something about “laudare” just stuck with me, and after asking some friends what they thought, it was clear that this was the direction I needed to go. 

It’s been almost a year since my decision, I couldn’t be happier with the journey the Lord has taken me on. I’ve been even more intentional with my mission ever since rebranding, and I think it has helped me better serve my clients. I see Christ so clearly in each of them, and it seems that every photoshoot reaffirms what Laudare stands for: praising God in every moment, through everyone, and capturing those moments in time to share the beauty of creation with anyone I meet.