Changing the Future of Commercial Photography

After nearly twenty years of working in photography at Shutterstock, National Geographic, and Martha Stewart Living, I came to recognize an industry-wide need for change. From stock photography to national brand campaigns, stories were being left untold. Women weren't being heard; their voices drowned out by a stubborn legacy of sexism. Not only did the industry need more genuinely diverse voices, but the process for creating and accessing that content also needed to be simpler and more direct.

Last year, I launched The Luupe to champion and amplify women’s voices and help brands and photographers seamlessly make great work together. Since then, we’ve grown to a community of over 200 women and non-binary photographers across fifteen countries. Together, we boast more than a century of photography experience across every imaginable genre, hosting a range of talent from rising stars to well-known, established professionals.

Our expert team is familiar with the traditional process and workflow of custom photography—especially the minor frustrations and pain points that arise in almost every project—because we’ve been through it ourselves. Our community and platform is specifically designed to offer unique solutions to overcome the common hurdles that come between brands and photographers.

Our dedicated platform makes it easy to find and build creative partnerships with an eclectic and extensive network of members who know that great work begins with great working relationships. Whether you’re a brand or a photographer—or both—I invite you to create a profile and explore our platform. 

There, you’ll find that diversity sits at the core of our services. We believe that every brand, just like every artist, should have a strong and unique perspective to share. This helps them create culturally authentic content whether it’s creatively visualizing a can of almonds, a breast pump, or a set of fashion forward luggage. But in order to manifest these messages, brands need the talent to match. The best work is always personal, professional, and urgent. Finding a creative partner that uniquely exemplifies these qualities is nearly impossible when dealing with a homogenous talent pool. 

The thing about being a woman and a person of color is that you inherently understand that your voice and voices like yours need to be heard. I am making the photos that didn't exist for me growing up. I'm helping to rewrite the story of today's world.

Lisa Weatherbee, Photographer, The Luupe

That’s why we’ve dedicated ourselves to championing a wide range of traditionally underrepresented talent from all over the world, as well as prioritizing equitable representation within our own internal team and leadership. We understand that diversity is the greatest asset for creating unique and stunning work. We hold it as a central foundation of our platform because we know unique perspectives are the key to establishing ownable and standout visual identities that perfectly fit the distinct personalities successful brands need.

The Luupe’s mission is twofold:

1. Simplify content production to make it easier for brands to create imagery that resonates with their audience.
2. Amplify the voices and perspectives of professional photographers around the world so brands can better reach their customers.

Today, brands and popular media are finally beginning to acknowledge the problem. But despite the growing call to action, I believe there is still much ground to cover in exposing mainstream culture to new dimensions and perspectives. The only way to do that is by having multicultural voices telling the stories, creating the imagery, and getting behind the lens. 

I want to assure everyone that this is just the beginning of a sustained commitment to progress. I’m excited for the potential to help brands shape narratives that respond to the wider range of cultures that make up our world. Together, I truly believe we can guide our industry to a more fair, equitable, and ultimately exciting place. I’m proud to have taken these important first steps with The Luupe, and I hope that you’ll consider joining us in our mission.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions or recommendations. 

Thanks for listening,

Keren Sachs

Founder and CEO, The Luupe