Meet Louise van Aarde | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Louise van Aarde and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Louise, how do you think about risk?
In my native language Afrikaans we have a saying “Wie nie waag nie, wen nie”, translated “Those who do not dare do not win”.

Early on in life I made the decision that I don’t want to be the person that comes to the end and then regret the things I haven’t done. I dare say this attitude has taken me all around the world. I have lived and worked in 5 different countries. I experienced the most amazing places, met people from so many walks of life that truly enriched my life and opened my mind to different perspectives.

So risk, it is safe to say, played a very important role in my life. From the first time I picked up that backpack to board a plane in Cape Town heading to Ghana to most recently piling my home in a container and moving with my husband, daughter and son to Atlanta from Dubai, UAE.

However taking that risk in owning your own business and investing in your own creativity is probably one of the most difficult I have done. Investing in your own creativity is very personal because the risk factor is yourself and speaks directly to your insecurities. But once you overcome your fears the freedom, personal satisfaction and sense of achievement is incomparable.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Photography for me is so diverse in how it bends itself to creativity. As a professional I work mostly in the genre of lifestyle portraiture, real estate/interior and product/content photography.

Photography allows me to tell peoples stories, to celebrate them and their moment in time. For me it is capturing the connection and emotion of that moment and having the photo session be more of a memory made than a moment posed. It allows me to submerge myself into the beauty of the world around me. By looking through the lens the camera forces you to slow down and truly see. Now that gets me excited!

A cliché is a truth tried and tested and so: “nothing worth having comes easy”. You have to work at it and constantly learn, you never know everything. I cannot say how many times I have sat on the coach with my husband, telling him I am quitting. Then only to wake up with the promise of new day, and of you go again. It is so important to keep going, good people will come your way and things will be good again – just keep going.

I am excited to be working with the people here in Atlanta and to get to know this beautiful piece of the world we now call home.

Inspired by my nature walks I am launching a new venture along side my photography. Lóu products is born, inspired by nature. It is a range of home decor products with my photographs forming the basis of the print designs. This has been a long standing dream of mine and I am happy that it is finally finding the light here in beautiful Georgia.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Now thats a question. Not having been here that long, I might be limited in my offerings and not bring Atlanta to justice. But seeing that my family from South Africa will shortly be visiting the following will definitely be on the itinerary: Atlanta Botanical Gardens, The Swan House and The Civil and Human Rights museum.

As we are based in Alpharetta we will most certainly find our way to the town center where my family and I love to browse the shops and then visit a brewery for lunch. There is also a local winery called “The Painted Horse” which we will definitely include in the visit. Furthermore a drive to Lake Lanier and we will also go for walks on the many trials along the Chattahoochee River.

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My eternal gratitude goes to my husband for his support from the moment I picked up the camera; my parents for supporting my crazy adventures and always being there. Last but not least my God who is there always, who lights my way and have given us this beautifully, diverse life.

As for books there have been plenty over the years but two stand out: The Alchemist from Paulo Coelho and Les Misérable from Victor Hugo. Both dealing with life’s journey, resilience in the face of adversity and a moral compass.

I would also like to give a big shoutout to The Click Community (www.theclickcommunity.com). They are an amazing online community that offers support, education and inspiration. They have been invaluable to me in my photography career.

Website: www.louisevanaardephotography.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/louisevanaardephotography/

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/louise-van-aarde-7a2b99194

Facebook: @louisevanaardephotography

Other: Links to my new venture: www.louhomedecor.com https://www.instagram.com/lou_decor_/ My personal projects can be found on: https://www.instagram.com/louisevanaarde_photography/