Lauren Salazar is a photographer, opera singer, and visual storyteller with over a decade of experience capturing artists, productions, and performances. Her love for photography began at age sixteen, what started as a creative hobby alongside her musical studies. In high school, she found her first opportunity behind the camera through Houston Grand Opera’s summer camp, where she discovered how deeply she enjoyed documenting the storytelling and emotion of live performance.

While pursuing her graduate studies at the University of North Texas, Lauren’s passion for photography became a professional focus. During the height of COVID-19, UNT Opera gave her the opportunity to merge her eye for artistry with her background in communication and branding. When the UNT Marketing Director for the College of Music noticed her work, she was quickly invited to join the team, first as a student photographer in the spring of 2022 and, by 2025, as the College of Music’s Staff Photographer.

Since then, Lauren has photographed for organizations including the University of North Texas, Baylor University, TEXAS Outdoor Musical, Wichita Grand Opera, and Opera in the Ozarks. Her photography has become a cornerstone of how these institutions visually represent their artists and productions.

As both an opera singer and photographer, Lauren brings an insider’s understanding of performance to every project. She’s particularly drawn to production & concert photography as well as headshot and portrait photography for emerging artists, helping them present their most confident, expressive, and authentic selves. What began as a creative outlet has grown into a passion for capturing the heart of artistry, on stage, off stage, and in every story in between.