Meet Isabella Laos | Photographer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Isabella Laos and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Isabella, why did you pursue a creative career?
I was definitely one of those art obsessed kids that oozed creativity in everything I did. Everyone knew I would do something creative with my life. I always loved art and being creative far more than anything else and it carried with me into my adult life. I always dreamt of being some kind of artist but never imagined I would be doing experimental boudoir photography. Ever since I discovered that art could be a career I worked really hard to make that a reality. Whenever I go into work at my studio I get the opportunity to create beautiful sets and photograph special moments which bring other people joy and nothing makes me happier than that. There isn’t a part of the process that I don’t enjoy and getting to bring my dog Daisy to work with me is the best.

Alright, so let’s move onto what keeps you busy professionally?
I think a big thing that sets my style of art apart from others are the colors. I love using vibrant colors in my photo sets and often use gels to make my own lighting or make patterns out of to project onto a set. I was always drawn to vibrancy and color which led me to start photographing local concerts and venue performances where the theatrical lighting and special effects introduced me to a kind of glamorous, low light photography style that I fell in love with. I eventually started doing small photo shoots of my friends in my bedroom using multiple colorful neon lightbulbs and started to craft a style and find my passion. Some of my friends were sex workers at the time and I loved that I could give them a safe space to take beautiful and creative photos they could use to promote their art and businesses. Thanks to that group of friends and community the word about my business spread and led me to where I am today. Through community support and solidarity anything is possible.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Tucson is full of so many weird, fun things to do and places to go. My favorite food spot has got to be Karuna’s Thai Plate. It is a local family run restaurant that has been around for over 25 years. The food is really authentic and delicious and it is the perfect season for curry right now. Tucson’s nightlife is very active and there are venues and event spaces lit up all over downtown. There is nothing better than a Tucson burlesque show in my opinion and if you’re lucky you can catch one of Tucson Libertine League’s burlesque shows at 191 Toole. Led by Lola Torch, Tucson Libertine League reaches beyond the confines of any one performance genre and honors burlesque’s history of innovation and boundary bending. I’m definitely drawn to places that have cool lighting so The Jackrabbit Lounge on Oracle is a favorite hang out spot. You can catch some extraordinary burlesque and drag shows there as well as my favorite monthly dance party, Double Diamond Disco, a disco themed dance party hosted by DJ NGHTFVR of Last Night’s Makeup Party.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I definitely want to thank Lola Torch and all of her amazing students as well as Tucson Libertine League for always being so incredibly supportive and kind. I am very thankful to Splinter Collective for helping me find my studio space and for being so supportive towards me and showing me what community truly is. I owe a big thanks to my friend Eleni for always uplifting me through challenging times and inspiring me as well as my friend AJ who helped me with the remodeling of my studio. I also want to recognize and thank Angelica (@Jellotonin), an incredibly talented Tucson artist who collaborated with me on some of the most psychedelic shoots I’ve ever had the pleasure of doing and for helping me fundraise for the new studio. Last but not least special thanks to my dog Daisy for being the best company and photo shoot assistant in the world.

Website: velvetandshadow.com

Instagram: instagram.com/velvet.and.shadow

Image Credits
Riley & Quynn, Dj Alice, Ela, Mala, Myken, V