Laura Escoffery: Creative, joyful and perfectionist dreamer!
Describe Laura Escoffery in 3 words
Creative, joyful, perfectionist.
Tell us a bit about yourself and your projects.
I’m a dreamer and have always been creating since I was a child! I’m currently 31 years old and living in Panama City. (Although I’d love to live in Barcelona or New York at some point.I pursued a double major in Industrial Design and Marketing in Panama City, followed by a Master’s in Branding at ELISAVA University. Photography came into my life as a hobby, capturing moments and scenes that caught my eye.
Throughout my career, I’ve had the privilege of working with a diverse range of clients, from small local brands to internationally renowned names like Clinique, Estée Lauder, and L’Occitane. Today, my photography style can be described as hybrid, blending elements of portrait, fashion, and editorial photography.
I greatly enjoy alone time, where I can relax, exercise, or lose myself in my favorite music. I deeply appreciate art and nature as constant sources of inspiration and peace. I’ve just returned from a workshop in Salt Lake City, Utah, and I’m eager to do more editorial self-portrait sessions.
From Laura’s backstage, you can see the magic happening.
What is the essence of Laura Escoffery’s work?
Natural light, a timeless aesthetic, and sometimes colorful.
How did your career as a photographer specializing in personal branding begin, and what inspired you to focus on this niche?
In 2019, I turned my passion into a business, launching my own photography company after leaving my corporate job. In 2022, my dedication and talent were recognized when I had the opportunity to participate in a photography reality show in Panama (Foto Challenge). This experience not only gave me invaluable exposure and recognition within the industry but also expanded my creative boundaries and refined my artistic vision. I started doing personal branding photos as nowadays it is very important to have a photo that shows your personality and is professional. I feel like there is a lot of demand because people are looking for photos that stand out in their CVs, they are changing jobs or starting a business.
Laura’s participation in Foto Challenge did not go unnoticed!
What have been some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced in your career, and how have you overcome them?
The pandemic was definitely one. I had only been dedicating myself to photography professionally for 5 months when everything came to a halt. For months, I focused on other creative projects and then resumed, but it made the process a bit harder. Starting a business is not as easy as it seems.
The key to overcoming challenges is having a “one day at a time” mentality and understanding that patience is needed to build this type of business, which mostly relies on word of mouth.
How do you view the evolution of personal branding photography in the context of today’s digital world and the rise of social media?
I see it as something necessary because people in the professional sphere will always need photos to market themselves, a workshop, an idea, or to land a new job.
Can you mention a project or photoshoot that you consider particularly significant in your career and that had a notable impact on your client’s personal brand?
I’ve had many experiences where people thank me for capturing in my lens a version of themselves where they feel they can achieve anything; they feel beautiful, strong, powerful. Being in front of the camera is an act of vulnerability, and knowing that many of these photos positively impact self-esteem, help people land new jobs, or become part of launches/projects fills me with happiness.
