We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Gracie Spangler a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Gracie, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
I think something that I do differently than a lot of photographers is that I prioritize natural moments instead of trying to manufacture them. Rather than staging interactions or overly directing couples, I allow my clients to just be themselves. I say a lot “just be”. I think you should feel like you on your wedding day so I don’t force any moments and let the day unfold naturally. I focus on capturing the in-between moments—the quiet, unscripted emotions that truly tell the story of the day.
Gracie, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
Hi, I’m Gracie, owner of Photos By Gracie Jo. I took photography full time about 2 years ago and it was the best decision. I think I fell in love with photographing wedding days so much because I love love. A couple years ago I also fell in love with the uniqueness, nostalgia, and rawness, of film. I love how film shows wedding days in a different way than digital does. I recently started using Super 8 at wedding days as well and love the highlight reel it gives. I think its something unique I offer for my wedding couples that showcases their day unlike any other.
Can you talk to us about how your side-hustle turned into something more.
Photography was a side hustle for years before I finally took the leap and went full time. I was in college working other jobs and towards my degree but knew I didn’t want to do this other job long term so I decided to take photography full time and dive in head first. I gave myself 6 months — 6 months to grow my business to the point that I could be full time or go back to another job. 2 years later and I still love being a full time photographer and couldn’t imagine doing anything else. I leveraged social media and saying yes to every opportunity to get myself where I am today. Some milestones that were fun was being featured in Unscripted Posing App!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Most of my clients find me through word of mouth. Social media has also been huge. A lot of people find me on Instagram because a friend tagged me in a post, etc.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://photosbygraciejo.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photosbygraciejo/