Today we’d like to introduce you to Curtis Grupe
Hi Curtis, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
When I was in middle school my grandmother bought me my first camera and I immediately fell in love with capturing photos. I would spend hours at the zoo taking photos of the animals, capture landscapes as my family hiked on vacation, and document aspects of everyday life. Fast forward to college and I had a close friend ask if I would take his senior photos “because I had a nice camera” and from that first click of the shutter I fell in love with photography all over again. Getting the opportunity to capture natural emotion became what drove me to keep creating as I had the opportunity to capture senior photos for dozens of Texas Tech grads. When I graduated from college I began my career as an engineer and connected with a friend at church who was also a photographer. She introduced me to wedding photography, something that intimidated me because of how important this once-in-a-lifetime moment is. As I began to shadow her at weddings I fell in love with capturing the love and affection that couples showed each other.
After four years of developing a client base and finding my style, I now have my own established photography business focused on making connections with couples and capturing their timeless and authentic memories so that they can relive those moments forever. I still enjoy the occasional senior, family, newborn, or maternity photoshoot but my absolute favorite thing to capture is the love between two people.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I think most small business owners would agree with me when I say, the road is never smooth. The biggest obstacle that I’ve faced is comparison. In the age of social media it is so easy to get caught up comparing yourself to others and that very often leads to questioning your own style and business model.
The one thing I’ve had to continuously remind myself is that comparison is the thief of joy. Regardless of how others approach photography, I’ve found a style and business model that focuses on connecting with my couples and this brings me so much joy.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
I specialize in portrait photography but more specifically in couples and wedding photography. I don’t think I can pinpoint one specific moment I am most proud of but the thing about what I do that makes me the most proud is hearing from couples that get to go through their wedding albums and relive their favorite moments from their wedding day.
The thing that sets me apart from other photographers is my focus on connection with my couples. I don’t like to just show up on wedding days, I want to walk through every step of the planning process with you as you build your timeline. I also love capturing proposals and engagement photos so that I have an opportunity to connect with my couples before their wedding day. I have found that when I have an emotional connection with a couple the final work product I produce is filled with love, joy, and authenticity.
What do you like and dislike about the city?
My favorite thing about Dallas/Fort Worth (and Texas as a whole) is the people. The southern hospitality is unmatched and this is especially abundant in the community of small business owners.
My least favorite thing is probably the same for every Texan and it’s I-35 traffic.
Pricing:
- Wedding Packages Ranging from $3500 to $5000
- Engagement Session – $400
- Family Session – $450
- Mini Sessions – $150
- Maternity/Newborn – $300
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.curtisjamesphotography.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curtisjamesphoto
Image Credits
Image Credit: Curtis James Photography
