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Laurie Freitag is a Los Angeles–based iPhone photographer exploring themes of childhood, memory, time, and escape. In 2026, she celebrates 50 years in photography and was recently named one of The Phoblographer’s “10 Incredible Women Photographers to Follow.”
She is best known for The Lost Years, a series reflecting on childhood amnesia through quiet, observational images of children in their environments, informed by her years working as a nanny.
A search for calm and refuge runs throughout her work. Series such as In the Garden at Chislehurst and The L.A. River are rendered in black and white, emphasizing stillness and form. More recently, her practice has expanded into mixed media with Lunar Sanctuaries, where black-and-white imagery moves into color and abstraction, creating contemplative, atmospheric compositions.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including in Los Angeles, Greece, Paris, and Barcelona. She is the recipient of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award (2022) and was recognized in Photolucida Critical Mass 200 (2023).
-Named Top 100 YourDailyPhotograph, 2023, 2022 where her work has sold numerous times to private collectors via Daniel Miller of the Duncan Miller Gallery in Los Angeles. She is best known for The Lost Years, a series reflecting on childhood amnesia through quiet, observational images of children in their environments, informed by her years working as a nanny.
A search for calm and refuge runs throughout her work. Series such as In the Garden at Chislehurst and The L.A. River are rendered in black and white, emphasizing stillness and form. More recently, her practice has expanded into mixed media with Lunar Sanctuaries, where black-and-white imagery moves into color and abstraction, creating contemplative, atmospheric compositions.
Her work has been exhibited internationally, including in Los Angeles, Greece, Paris, and Barcelona. She is the recipient of the Julia Margaret Cameron Award (2022) and was recognized in Photolucida Critical Mass 200 (2023).
See this work here.
https://shop.yourdailyphotograph.com/collections/photographs
Her series, 'In the Garden at Chislehurst' is represented exclusively by The Susan Spiritus Gallery
https://susanspiritusgallery.com/artist/laurie-freitag/
-Founder and Director of L.A. Photo Curator, online international competitions that promote emerging photographers with 10% of each competition's fees donated to various charities.
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SERIES INFO:
THE GARDEN AT CHISLEHURST served as my refuge during the tumultuous period of the Covid-19 years 2020-2021.
Balancing the demands of my day job as a nanny, immersing myself in the world of a four-year-old offered a respite from the pandemic's stress, creating a sanctuary within the garden—a poignant reminder that beauty endures, even amid adversity.
It prompted contemplation on Einstein's question, "Is the universe a friendly place?" In the midst of relentless negative news, I had momentarily forgotten that it could be. The constant reminders of death and the uncertainty surrounding every sneeze and cough amplified the challenges. Explaining masked faces, hidden smiles, and the absence of hugs to a child felt like an unnatural way to live.
Fortuitously, the setting allowed us to be outdoors, surrounded by nature. I realized the fortune of residing in Los Angeles, where access to nature prevails throughout the year. The child's innate curiosity led me into a world of order, harmony, sunshine, and flowers.
Observing the child at play, creating imaginary berry pies in the dirt, I shifted my perspective and, from my low vantage point, discovered the beauty of dracaenas above. With my iPhone, I leaned close to their stalks, capturing the bounty of life unfolding in a world separate from our worries.
LUNAR SANCTUARIES, Lunar Sanctuaries is a body of work I made in response to the constant noise of the world. I return to the full moon as a steady presence—something that doesn’t rush, argue, or demand attention. I photograph the moon as a place to pause.
I’m drawn to its cycles because they are reliable. The moon rises and falls, again and again, marking time without urgency. That repetition mirrors the way change unfolds in our own lives—sometimes quietly, sometimes unnoticed. Even when everything else feels uncertain, the moon remains.
In Lunar Sanctuaries, the moon acts as an anchor. Its rhythm echoes our inner cycles and offers a sense of renewal and calm. This work is about finding steadiness within change, and about returning—again and again—to moments of quiet and reflection.
THE LOST YEARS explores childhood amnesia, capturing the transformative pre-seven age when memories fade.
Reflecting on my own baby photos sparked questions about parental affection. Drawing on 17 years as a nanny, observing young ones fueled my mission to bridge gaps from my past, becoming a witness to their daily lives.
Influenced by Magda Gerber, my photography aligns with her principles of respectful interaction, allowing children to explore autonomously while ensuring their safety.
THE L.A. RIVER is a portal to escape the noise of Los Angeles.
For 47 years, I've been a resident of Los Angeles, yet I've never quite felt at home amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. The constant stream of cars, the cacophony of noise, and the overwhelming presence of the freeways seemed to drown out any sense of belonging.
It was during one mundane moment, while waiting at a red light, that I experienced a profound revelation. As if by instinct, my gaze drifted out of the car window and onto the surface of the LA River—a waterway that had always been an afterthought in my urban landscape. And there, amidst the urban sprawl, I saw a mesmerizing sight: sunlight refected and shimmering on the water's surface.
In that moment, I felt a profound connection to something beyond the concrete jungle that surrounded me. The light on the river became a portal—an unexpected escape from the noise and chaos of city life. It was a gateway to a tranquil realm, a serene 'somewhere else' that I had longed for without even realizing it.
Laurie Freitag
THE GARDEN AT CHISLEHURST served as my refuge during the tumultuous period of the Covid-19 years 2020-2021.
Balancing the demands of my day job as a nanny, immersing myself in the world of a four-year-old offered a respite from the pandemic's stress, creating a sanctuary within the garden—a poignant reminder that beauty endures, even amid adversity.
It prompted contemplation on Einstein's question, "Is the universe a friendly place?" In the midst of relentless negative news, I had momentarily forgotten that it could be. The constant reminders of death and the uncertainty surrounding every sneeze and cough amplified the challenges. Explaining masked faces, hidden smiles, and the absence of hugs to a child felt like an unnatural way to live.
Fortuitously, the setting allowed us to be outdoors, surrounded by nature. I realized the fortune of residing in Los Angeles, where access to nature prevails throughout the year. The child's innate curiosity led me into a world of order, harmony, sunshine, and flowers.
Observing the child at play, creating imaginary berry pies in the dirt, I shifted my perspective and, from my low vantage point, discovered the beauty of dracaenas above. With my iPhone, I leaned close to their stalks, capturing the bounty of life unfolding in a world separate from our worries.
LUNAR SANCTUARIES, Lunar Sanctuaries is a body of work I made in response to the constant noise of the world. I return to the full moon as a steady presence—something that doesn’t rush, argue, or demand attention. I photograph the moon as a place to pause.
I’m drawn to its cycles because they are reliable. The moon rises and falls, again and again, marking time without urgency. That repetition mirrors the way change unfolds in our own lives—sometimes quietly, sometimes unnoticed. Even when everything else feels uncertain, the moon remains.
In Lunar Sanctuaries, the moon acts as an anchor. Its rhythm echoes our inner cycles and offers a sense of renewal and calm. This work is about finding steadiness within change, and about returning—again and again—to moments of quiet and reflection.
Reflecting on my own baby photos sparked questions about parental affection. Drawing on 17 years as a nanny, observing young ones fueled my mission to bridge gaps from my past, becoming a witness to their daily lives.
Influenced by Magda Gerber, my photography aligns with her principles of respectful interaction, allowing children to explore autonomously while ensuring their safety.
THE L.A. RIVER is a portal to escape the noise of Los Angeles.
For 47 years, I've been a resident of Los Angeles, yet I've never quite felt at home amidst the hustle and bustle of the city. The constant stream of cars, the cacophony of noise, and the overwhelming presence of the freeways seemed to drown out any sense of belonging.
It was during one mundane moment, while waiting at a red light, that I experienced a profound revelation. As if by instinct, my gaze drifted out of the car window and onto the surface of the LA River—a waterway that had always been an afterthought in my urban landscape. And there, amidst the urban sprawl, I saw a mesmerizing sight: sunlight refected and shimmering on the water's surface.
In that moment, I felt a profound connection to something beyond the concrete jungle that surrounded me. The light on the river became a portal—an unexpected escape from the noise and chaos of city life. It was a gateway to a tranquil realm, a serene 'somewhere else' that I had longed for without even realizing it.
