The Spirit of a Child

Bright, vibrant and honest, Audrey Woulard’s natural light photography speaks to the innocence of childhood through the simple technique of a self-made artisan

Using the power of color combined with the individual personality of her subjects, Woulard finds the light amidst heady Chicago clouds, 60-mile-per-hour winds and the daunting task of making each session 100 percent unique. Woulard describes herself as a craftsman and has kept her focus positive, choosing to ride the word-of-mouth momentum and spreading a rare assuredness to up-and-coming photographers through select and intimate workshops. She teaches intermediate photographers business and a nuanced spontaneity that allows the artist to control the session even if the elements, the props and the atmosphere are not cooperating. By deleting an agenda, Woulard keeps her intensely busy schedule afloat, sliding through her days sailing with the wind rather than trying to push against it. The carefree nature of her photos is effortlessly authentic. She brings her love of children and her own youthful humor to her work and it shows. Her signature is a photo that feels pure, present and instantaneous. Less analytical than some professional artists, Woulard is not concerned with the mantle on which her photo will be displayed generations from now, she lives and works in the moment.

As a businesswoman, Woulard knows that the client hires her to be the expert. When she walks into a shoot, she is armed with the experience of a mother of four and the confidence of a person whose prolific and award-winning business started from tinkering at home with a $50 camera, chasing her children around—impressing friends, family and a Chicago community that didn’t see her coming. Her instinctive drive isn’t born from an artistic upbringing or the insecurity most artists have in needing to be loved, rather Woulard recognized she was a commodity and she capitalized on her demand in short order—though not to the detriment of her personality or her product. Woulard’s savvy business sense allows the otherwise blithe photographer to indulge in her creativity since she knows her studio is under control.

Whether she walks into a shoot for Pottery Barn Kids or to the park with a newborn, Woulard unabashedly bears the same humor and humility on her sleeve. Even in commercial photography, she wants a child to be childlike. She knows that she was hired to take photos with the Woulard look so she does not tailor her approach in the sessions. She uses the prop in the same casual, natural manner that she would if she was shooting in a client’s home. The poise with which she attacks a project comes from a place that can only be described as total fulfillment. Woulard loves what she does. The life she has created is an idyllic tableau of swing sets, sunshine and bottomless vigor. She creates her own hours and answers to no one, save the clock, and then only to meet deadlines she has imposed herself. Yes, Wouldard really gets to play for a living.

In her “Learnfest” workshops at the upcoming WPPI conference in Las Vegas, she teaches how to make highly stylized photos using alarmingly simple techniques. The brunt of her lessons, however, seems to be how to get the best out of any given situation. Taking the attitude of the child, the light on location and turning the most basic of props into the centerpiece of the shot, a Woulard photo is not overly saturated with the sweetness of a pair of big round eyes, a curly mop or a lollipop. The session is about capturing the personality of the child in a way that promotes spontaneity. Woulard takes on an interactive journalist approach, playing with the subject—being a friend first, and photographer second—so the photo is not stale like a department store portrait session in the 70s. She encourages people not to be afraid to engage with the child, to speak to them and be flexible. Sticking with an agenda is nearly impossible with children because every child is different. If it’s a rough boy, she’s ready to play rough with him. If the subject is a dainty little girl, she’ll hand her a teacup.

Woulard believes that what makes her good at her job is that she enjoys people. The comfort she has with her craft resonates with her clients. She does not second-guess herself. She does not judge the product while she is working. There is not room for doubt or hesitation. She believes that if you are good at what you do, keep doing it so that you become the master of your genre. Rather than trying to please everyone’s vision, exercise your own creative insight and follow your instincts. An especially insightful tip: Make yourself in demand. Offer less of your time, make fewer appointments and tap into the natural human instinct we all possess—wanting what we can’t have. When lines start forming at your door, you have created your own buzz. But then, you must be prepared to deliver.

And she was. The start of Audrey Woulard Photography was like a one-woman army taking on a legion of well trained and tidily uniformed combatants in a field of experience and hegemony. The business that started five years ago in a busy house full of boys in the suburbs has become a booming powerhouse in the heart of downtown Chicago. The idea that almost never happened has taken Woulard across the country to speaking engagements and workshops, where she not only discusses her practice but reminds people of the humanity of photography. She believes the most important lesson to learn is that the photographer has to get in touch with the subject and that the technical aspect of the art is not nearly as important as communicating the spirit of the child.

Educated in computer sciences at the University of Illinois, Woulard’s real learning came from understanding her clients and dipping into the well of natural resources like light and laughter that dominate in the field of child photography. Now one of the top children’s photographers in Chicago, the woman who doesn’t believe she is an artist has national recognition and a healthy following of other photographers and fans who can only hope to achieve a fraction of Woulard’s success.
For more on Audrey Woulard, visit www.alwphotography.com and www.audreywoulardblog.com.

Angel Baker is a freelance writer and attorney in Los Angeles. She’s been a regular contributing writer for magazines in San Francisco, New York and Los Angeles. Her reviews of music, art and interviews can be found in publications like Mesh Magazine, NY2LON.com, White Hot Magazine of Contemporary Art and The Deli Magazine.