We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gabrielle Duffie a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Gabrielle, appreciate you joining us today. We’d love to hear about a project that you’ve worked on that’s meant a lot to you.
The most meaningful project I’ve worked on is my 3 part series entitled “a cold summer.” series. I set out to depict the idea of a cold summer mirroring how summer 2020 started off with a lot of isolation due to covid (but I didn’t intend for covid to scream through the picture). I wanted it to be felt. Accordingly, I advised my models that my aim was to invoke feeling through the scene itself and my composition of the shots. I wanted something somber, irritable, and cold. I also sought to depict these feelings through the poses and expressions (both via body language and specifically facial). The shoots involved a total of 7 people (including myself), 3 locations, and was shot on 3 separate occasions.
The series was meaningful because it was the first time I felt I created a full fledged concept, saw it through to execution, and coordinated with numerous parties to bring the idea to life. At that point in my photography journey, I wanted to build a team of creatives. I wanted to bring artists from stylists to models to other photographers and more together to create something we all felt not only satisfied with, but that sparked our individual passions to create and make art. I also wanted and still want to find a good amount of creatives of different mediums to work with not only for collaborations but to work with and recommend for more paid work because my belief is that there’s more than enough room for us all to succeed.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
My name is Gabrielle and I’m a photographer. I got into photography after an experience at a college concert. At that time I had never picked up a camera other than the one on my phone and ironically picking my my phone camera got me into this beautiful mess. I snapped a couple pictures of Metroboomin, his management reached out to me about the pictures I posted online, and asked for more. I didn’t understand half the terms they were using and long story short it felt like an opportunity for something big that slipped through my hands, even if I wasn’t looking for it. After that, I set out to learn how to use a camera because I didn’t want to miss another potential opportunity and the rest is history.
Since that time, I have come to have love for photography and appreciate every bit of the journey thus far. I currently offer photography services and my main areas are event, concert, lifestyle, and portrait photography.
A few things that set me apart from others are my eye, the warmth I incorporate in my images, and the personable and inviting environment I seek to create with all my shoots.
Ultimately my goal is that: “When I shoot I want you to see the rawness of the scene, I want you to feel a sense of the mood I intended create, I want to offer perspective and at the same time assist in your journey for your own. In essence, I want my imagery to embolden you to see the world as it is & how you see it without hesitation and without regret.”
The way I approach photography, the relationships it has allowed me to have, the spaces and places it’s put me in, and the drive and furtherance of my motto, “where there’s a will, there’s a way” are what I am most proud of with photography.
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
The best source of new clients has been word of mouth. Early in and to this day I’m willing to put myself out there learn. I would ask anyone and everyone in my given field whose work I liked or aspired to if they minded if I shadowed them. I even paid a photographer for a shoot to see his style, technique, and client coaching from the other side of the camera. Later on in my photography journey, I offered to assist on sets just to be in the room and learn. All said, being willing to learn and open to offer reasonable assistance to others was really helpful in my learning of a number of skills I still use and build upon today.
Additionally, I’m big on talking to my clients and fellow creatives while shooting. I’m a curious person and one that has a fairly big heart for others. That said, I show interest in learning about others and try to make the experience shooting as comfortable as possible, like hanging out with a friend. With both routes, networking and being kind and considerate of others has gone a long way for me and my photography. It’s opened doors I didn’t even know were there, gotten me clients off referrals, and allowed me to travel and do something I love.
What do you find most rewarding about being creative?
The most rewarding aspect of being a creative is the ability to do what you love and have endless opportunity for expression. Creating is art and art is beautiful. Whether you have an affinity to paint the beauty or the chaos of it all, you’re able to put out into the world a view of life that not only can further your understanding of yourself, but can help someone else be more akin to accept and learn from themselves as well.
Contact Info:
- Website: gduffiephoto.com
- Instagram: @gduffiephoto
- Twitter: @gduffiephoto
Image Credits
Image of Me: Elijah Rodney (@simbalic)
All other images: Gabrielle Duffie (@gduffiephoto)