Lainey Conant - Technicolor Portrait Photographer

Welcome to the colorful world by Lainey Contant, which has been described as a “technicolor daydream“. We spoke with Lainey and learned about the connection between herself, the artist & her art.

Tell us your story of discovering art?


I have been doing art since I was little and have always loved to paint and draw but got into photography in high school through family and friends. I think a lot of my early discovery with creativity came from storytelling through reading and movies. I loved the idea of creating a story through images, crafting or even writing. I was thoroughly into barbies as well and creating a world for them by making them clothes and playing dressing up. A lot of that type of play and storytelling is what inspires what I now enjoy creating! 

Reflecting on your years of photography, what does it mean to you? 

Photography is not only my job but also is part of my self expression, it has been a way to experience the world and to connect with others. Photography is a big part of me and my artistic journey as a whole and I’m so thankful that it is such a huge part of my life. 

How would you describe your work?


Typically when people that haven’t seen my work ask about it, I describe it as fashion portraiture but I think it’s much more than that. I’ve had it described as a “technicolor daydream” and I think that sums up a lot of what my work is about. It’s about experiencing through color and connecting with your inner child. My work is playful and feminine and I like it to live almost outside of reality. 

How has your work evolved yet stayed true to you over the years?

When I first started, I worked a lot in self portraiture because it was easy to express certain concepts and ideas with only myself as the subject. My work has evolved a ton in color and concepts but has remained centered around my personal experiences, femininity and nostalgia. 

The colors in your work are super vibrant, what inspires this & how do you achieve it?

Everything in my life tends to be very colorful and vibrant; the clothes that I wear, the way I decorate my home, the way I make art. I think that color has always been part of me and the harmony of color and the feelings connected to different colors is a way that I can express who I am. Typically I focus a lot on what colors I want to be in a photo, from the blues of the sky to the greens of the grass and how I can create harmony with those and my subjects.

What is your current go to techniques and/or technology? 

I work mostly in photoshop, I use a lot of curves to get different waves of color throughout my work. I tend to saturate blues greens and reds pretty high for the color to stand out well. 

What are your needs as a creative?

Sometimes I have to rest in between work and I switch up between different art styles and move between painting and sewing and photography so I don’t experience too much burnout. 

How do you balance creating art for yourself versus art for clients?

I allow myself to do work that is paid for less but with my concepts in mind, this helps me get to shoot the concepts I like while also allowing this to be my job. Sometimes it is difficult to balance, but shooting concepts that are important to you is so crucial in continuing in your career and not getting burnt out. 

Your client work & personal work feel seamless, how do you find clients that believe in your personal creative visual?

I tend to work with a lot of people that have similar creative visions to me, which I love! But I also work with a lot of people that have no experience with art or photography, they just enjoy the process and I welcome both! I’ve been very blessed that a lot of people are so open to the creative aspect of my photos and want to be a part of my art! 

What has your key to success been?

I think that it’s really hard to feel successful sometimes, but I am proud of what I’ve created thus far and I’m excited to continue creating! I’ve always felt like this is what God created me to do and that helps me continue to create. I think for me, a lot of what makes me feel successful is the support I receive from friends and family. Having a community that believes in your vision is super important! 

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