LoriLens moves into stand-alone studio
Published 6:51 pm Wednesday, September 30, 2015
- The Nederland Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau will host a ribbon cutting for the new LoriLens Photography studio and gallery, located at 203 N. 11th St. in Nederland, on Thursday.
Nederland Chamber to host ribbon cutting Thursday
NEDERLAND — Lori Cappel and Eva Simon have spent more than a decade dreaming up the ideal studio space for LoriLens Photography.
The Port Acres natives said anything would have been grander than Cappel’s kitchen counter — which served as home base since Cappel moved to Nederland and began LoriLens in 1999 — but a century-old feed store turned rustic cottage not only feels like home away from home, it “photographs beautifully.”
“When you walk through these doors, you learn everything about us,” Cappel said in her studio foyer Tuesday morning. “It fits our character — rustic and welcoming. It feels like home.”
LoriLens Photography owner Lori Cappel, left, and her assistant Eva Simon pose in their new building, LoriLens’ first stand-alone studio, off North 11th Street in Nederland Tuesday morning.
Cappel and Simon will host a grand opening for their first stand-alone studio and reception gallery showcasing a variety of LoriLens work Thursday at 203 N. 11th St. in Nederland, most recently known as the Candle Cottage. The Nederland Chamber of Commerce and Tourist Bureau will start the ceremony with a ribbon cutting at noon.
Cappel said after 16 years documenting memories on location, she’s proud to finally offer studio sessions in a charismatic space full of Nederland history.
“This building is 102 years old — it has its quirks to say the least,” Cappel said. “It was originally a feed store. The train would pull up right next to it and dump in feed and hay. Later it was converted to a plumber’s warehouse. Then it was remodeled for the Candle Cottage.
“Now we’ve put our own touches on it — creating separate studio spaces for different needs and building a beautiful, stained staircase leading up to the second floor while preserving the original floors. This building is rich with Nederland history and we’re proud to be a part of it.”
Cappel said LoriLens Photography will continue to offer location shoots and Virtual Background sessions in addition to several new features planned for the fall and 2016.
LoriLens Photography will rent out the foyer of its new building, nicknamed “The Gathering Spot,” for small gatherings such as meetings, reunions, workshops and wedding parties.
“When we started LoriLens, we said we were going to do quality pictures at a reasonable price and to make sure people have these memories,” Simon, LoriLens assistant, said. “No matter what we do, we keep that in mind. Because not everyone can afford something elaborate, but they all deserve to have these beautiful memories on display.”
“We don’t want people to just walk away with a beautiful pictures. We want them to walk away with a memory of this beautiful moment in their life,” Cappel added.
LoriLens Photography reception hours are from 3:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday. Studio sessions and location shoots are available throughout the day.
For more information or to book a session, call LoriLens Photography at (409) 729-5367 or visit www.lorilens.com.
Twitter: @crhenderson90
