Today we’d like to introduce you to Gracyn Applegate.
Gracyn, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
My interest in photography started four years before the idea for my company ever began. Beginning in the summer of 2016, my family embarked on our first cross-country roadtrip. The views were astonishing, and I couldn’t help but whip out my iPhone 5s to snap a shot of the passing landscapes. With each summer came another roadtrip to another region and of course more and more photos. My interest continued to evolve, but I never thought of taking photos of people—it just seemed too difficult. A landscape is easy to capture: it’s perfectly poised and ready for the camera.
People are different: you have to help them pose, brainstorm creative locations and ideas, get their best angle, and so much more (I later learned that this is the beauty of photographing people!). However, I had a family-friend in Tennessee who had received a camera for her high school graduation gift and decided to attempt a photography business. Now graduated from college, her company has flourished. After watching her bloom and receiving a camera of my own for graduation, I decided to attempt to follow in her footsteps. I have been blessed to have an abundance of friends and clients who want to invest in me and my ideas by scheduling a shoot with me!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
My company is only a little over one month old, and I am so lucky to say that I have had an abundance of interest in it. While I haven’t had any big bumps in the road (thankfully!), it has been difficult to navigate the best way to deliver a perfect gallery while still being efficient. Not only this, but I am slightly struggling to get my name out there with so many more experienced and reputable photographers out there for clients to choose from! I am hopeful that with more time and more exposure, this will change.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
Gracyn Applegate Photography is a company that I started right after I graduated high school. Simply put, I take photos! However, I am so much more than that. I believe that a photographer can single handedly change the outcome of the photos themselves – your photographer should make you feel comfortable being YOU! Whether it’s embracing your style, letting you try posing ideas you saw on the Internet, choosing your location, or just encouraging you along the way, I aim to be your #1 fan while I’m with you. I realize that a LOT of people don’t feel comfortable in front of the camera and that’s ok! It’s my job to change that, and I love it when people give me that chance. As my company is still young, I don’t necessarily “specialize” in any one type of photography. I love to try new niches: from portraits to families to weddings to advertising. I want to help you with it ALL! My only hope is that you trust me enough to tell your story through the lens—posed or candid—because it is SO worth being told.
What were you like growing up?
I’m still growing up! At only 18 years old, I am so lucky to be embarking on a new chapter in my life as I navigate college for the first time at the University of Texas at Austin (hook ’em horns!). As a younger child (and still today), I LOVED being around people — both those I knew and had never met before. I had an adventurous and exploratory personality, which I believe likes to reveal itself in parts through entrepreneurship.
I would say the number one role that luck has played in my life and business is the luck of having people who believe in me. Not once have I had someone question why I’m starting my own business so young. Not once have I had a client not trust my creative eye because of my age. I have people – friends, family, and clients alike – build me up, whether through encouraging words, helpful feedback, referring me to others, or marketing my business on social media. I truly would not be where I am today, both in my personal and professional life, without the wholehearted investment and belief others have instilled in me.
Pricing:
- $50 – Standard Package: 30 minute session, 1 outfit, 1 location, 30 digital prints
- $150 – $250 – Deluxe Package: 1-2 hour session, 2-3 outfits, 1-3 locations, unlimited digital prints
Contact Info:
- Website: gracynapplegatephotography.com
- Email: gracyn.applegate.photography@gmail.com
- Instagram: @gracyn.applegate.photography
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