Much of Cindy Loughridge’s work is quiet. It’s unassuming, clean and, yet, suffused with an undeniable warmth. There are scenes of stucco walls with a tangle of flowers growing up one side, linen-covered tables piled with tomatoes and a plouche of basil sprouting from one corner of the frame, a lone child running across the horizon in a blurred red polka-dot dress. Through Loughridge’s lens, the world is pure and good.
Loughridge, who lives in San Francisco, found photography later in life while working a nine-to-five job. She first discovered Flickr and then Instagram, and began sharing her work on both while simultaneously shooting on manual and digital film. After a bit of luck on Flickr (one of her photos was scouted for a Wal-Mart campaign) she became a full time lifestyle photographer, shooting everything from weddings to portraits to restaurants and food. Somehow, all of it feels intensely personal, like an intimate gathering of friends or family.
While Loughridge shoots photos for a living, she is constantly documenting her own life—a plant on her windowsill, her daughter doing homework, a Friday evening cocktail. This week, she allowed PUNCH to follow her through the week to the latter, from Trick Dog, a bar in the Mission, to her end-of-week house cocktail, the Lonsdale. And though Loughridge is not pictured in any of these frames, her mark is everywhere.
Follow her on Instagram @cindyloughridge and on Flickr. #drinktank