Lacy Kiernan Carroll
Photographer
Faced with an hour to yourself (perhaps a problem you don’t often have), what do you do with free time?
An hour to yourself is the best thing ever. I actually try to take one every day. (I realize this is a luxury that will likely disappear once our little man makes the scene!). Working as a photographer can be hard on your body- at least it is on mine - so with an hour to myself I am typically doing body work. I used to not leave home without lacrosse balls to use to release tight muscles. It’s the least expensive, deep tissue massage out there, and I can’t recommend it enough. I do the Egoscue Method daily to help my alignment especially after long stints of shooting and editing. During my pregnancy this has been even more of a godsend because I wake up with new aches and pains from my body shifting, and fixing my posture has made things much more comfortable. I also really love walking with my family and friends. It’s my favorite way to catch up with people. While living in NYC that meant enjoying the West Side Highway. In San Francisco I loved Crissy Field and the Marin Headlands and now that we’ve moved to CT I’ve loved all the beach and nature walk options available to us.
What is the thing you bought in the last three months that you have most enjoyed?
This is weird... but dental floss, Specifically Coco Floss. I have always dreaded flossing and now I actually look forward to it. I was advised while treating Lyme Disease that I should replace all of my beauty products with non-toxic alternatives. I did it really slowly, replacing one item at a time and floss was the final frontier. I’ve never considered upgrading my floss game, but I am so glad I did. I highly recommend the Pure Strawberry and Cara Cara Orange flavors. They kind of taste like candy.
What’s the last song you listened to?
“Rise” by Caroline Jones. She’s so incredibly talented. She writes her own music, plays almost every instrument, and is beautiful inside and out. 
Did you learn anything new in the last 12 months that has surprised you?
I used to be in airports several times a month. I was exhausted, but I really loved being in the rat race. I do miss traveling a lot these days, but it has been really nice to not be living out of a suitcase. It has made me realize that taking time to create stronger routines has helped me to feel more settled.
What is a parenting quality you admire in one of your parents, friends of siblings that you’d like to emulate as a mother?
My husband, Graham, and I both grew up in households that really stressed the value of siblings. Our parents taught us that siblings are the people who will standby you no matter what. As a result, Graham is very close to his brother, and I am very close to my sisters and brother. They mean everything to us and our happiest childhood memories (adult memories too) include them. My mom always says it’s important to treat your friends like family and your family like friends. I’m not entirely sure how you make your children be friends with each other, but both of our parents mastered it and It’s something Graham and I would love to instill in our children.
2020 has dealt us all with lots of challenges - what was a low moment in 2020 and how did you overcome or face it?
2020 (and now 2021) was a difficult time for so many people around the world. My family and I have remained healthy, and for that I am extremely grateful. We welcomed a beautiful niece in October, and a silver lining of the pandemic has been a chance to spend more time together than we have been able to in previous years while we lived across the country in California. I have a lot to be thankful for. It has however been a strange and sometimes lonely time to be pregnant and I found it really helpful to join a mom’s to-be group. I love the show Working Moms and was pretty excited to see if it would be anything like that! I joined Carson Meyer’s “Growing Together” class/birth group and it has been beyond beneficial. I love social interaction and so was reluctant to meet with strangers weekly over zoom but its become something I’ve looked forward to each week. Carson is amazing and I have really enjoyed getting to know women from all over who are navigating pregnancy up and downs during this weird time.
What are you most looking forward to in a post-vaccine world? What bar, restaurant, or place are you most eager to visit?
We left California in April and didn’t get to say goodbye to friends. I am building a dream vacation in my head visiting friends up and down the California Coast and introducing them to our son. We would start in Northern San Diego county (Del Mar and Encinitas) to enjoy the beautiful beaches and surf. Followed by a stop to see friends in LA and attend a wedding in Santa Barbara. We would do some great hikes in Big Sur and Carmel. Arrive in San Francisco in time for the Blue Angels and dinner at Cotogna. Hike Mount Tam and then head to wine country. Enjoy a few days in Napa and Sonoma and then head to the coast to Point Reyes and Bodega Bay. I’d finish it off with a a killer rental in Sea Ranch. This kid is gonna love it.
Do you believe in setting personal goals? If so, how do you hold yourself accountable to them?
My professional goal year after year tends to be to create work that I am proud of, and I go into each shoot with that mindset. It keeps me working as hard as possible to exceed my personal best and to hopefully create work that my clients and I both love.
I haven’t had to balance being a good mom and finding satisfaction in my career, and so a goal of this coming year will be for me to find a way to navigate both of those desires. I realize this will likely be an ongoing and evolving challenge.
How important is community to you, and how do you go about building and nurturing it for your family?
Community is so important to my mental psyche. My favorite thing is to have all my loved ones in one place. I can’t wait for the pandemic to be over so that we can all live it up with family and friends and to meet new people- as we just moved! 
Shop Lacy's Look: Ribbed Knit Maxi Dress
