Baton Rouge photographer Ingrid Williams has turned her rediscovered passion into a vibrant career

It was on a work trip to Nova Scotia that Ingrid Williams bought a camera and started snapping pictures for the first time since she was a teenager. The setting was so beautiful, she simply had to capture it.

Fifteen years later, Williams has made a career for herself in portrait photography, capturing the lives of local graduates and the personalities of musicians alike.

In high school, Williams always had a camera in hand.

But when her 35 mm film camera was stolen during her senior year, she didn’t pick the hobby back up—until later.

“It was like I had forgotten about my passion,” Williams says today. “I had  forgotten how important pictures and memories (were) to me.”

After her Nova Scotia visit, Williams was working her nine-to-five, taking photography classes and begging friends to let her practice on them when she read a 225 article on Baton Rouge photographer Jordan Hefler. Williams says seeing Hefler’s concert photos inspired her to get into the music scene.

Today, Williams‘ portfolio includes photos of artists like Louisiana-born musicians Lauren Daigle, Trombone Shorty and Tarriona “Tank” Ball; plus others like jazz songstress Quiana Lynell and bluesy singer-songwriter Samantha Fish. Each portrait features unique pops of color that allow the photo and its subject to shine.

While Williams has a passion for music photography, her favorite portraiture subjects are high school grads, showing youths a side of themselves she says they probably have never seen before.

Williams also gives back to the photography community, as others did for her when she first got into the biz. Through mentoring, she helps photographers new to the game and shows them that they don’t need the best equipment to excel in the field. Williams reminds them that they take the picture, not the camera.

“I think (the camera) is a beautiful tool to use to show your creativity,” Williams says.

She, too, says she is always looking to learn, whether that be through classes or collaboration. Williams wants to continue to use what she calls her “God-given gift” to capture the spirit and life of Baton Rouge.

“I’ve realized the importance of finding things that make you happy,” she says. “(Photography) is a passion; and so, when you find what you’re good at and what you love to do, it’s like you’re not working.”

This article was originally published in the September 2025 issue of 225 magazine.