Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Taylor Ross. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Taylor, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

I get asked this question a lot since my name isn’t Grace. Coming up with a business name is extremely hard, especially when you’re looking for something different. My full name is common and there’s a bunch of people with the same exact name as me, so I knew I wanted a business name that didn’t include my actual name.

Starting and running a business is immensely difficult. Being your own boss sounds fun until you realize that you’re the one who has to do every single tiny thing! I knew there would be trials and tribulations so I knew that I’d have to give myself a lot of grace throughout this entire process. I knew that I’d make mistakes and I had to be okay with that. I can be very hard on myself so I knew this would be hard. Giving myself, and others, grace is really one of the main foundations to creating a successful business. I’m still learning everyday.

Gracefully Made Photography reminds me that it’s okay to make mistakes and to learn from them to be better next time. It reminds me that people are kind, and I’m kind too. It reminds me that everyone is going through something, even if it doesn’t seem like it. It reminds me that there are always beautiful things happening.

My business name is much deeper than just using my full name, and it is so special to me (even if people call me Grace because of it 😂).

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Taylor and I’m a full time photographer, specializing in high school seniors and couples! I have been a photographer for about 6 years now and I’m so lucky that this path found me. Growing up, my parents had a giant storage tub that was filled with photos. Hauling the heavy tub upstairs to sit and go through the photos was one of my favorite things to do! I would sit and go through all of the photos for hours, even if I’d already seen them all. Looking back on people’s happiest days, and everyday moments, ignites something in me. Looking through photos allows me to get to know people on a more intimate level. I never got to meet my Grandpa, but going through photos of him makes me feel like I know him.

Providing others with these special moments is so happy! I love knowing that my clients can look back through photos I have captured for them for decades to come. It’s comforting that future generations are also able to go through those photos too and get to know the people in them and what was going on in their world.

During my sessions, I want to provide not only a fun senior year/engagement rite of passage, but a monumental life experience that will be remembered for years to come by making you feel loved and confident, all while getting gorgeous photos along the way. I focus on creating a relaxed, comfortable environment and giving my clients that session of their dreams. I like to take away the stress that photo sessions can sometimes bring, so I like to do the majority of the planning for my clients! The less stress the better!

I also offer beautiful, heirloom products that can be enjoyed for generations to come. My clients love being able to walk away from their session with a gorgeous leather album, fine art prints, and more, instead of just letting their images live on their computer. There’s something that’s so special about holding photos in your hand instead of swiping through them on your phone.

My favorite thing about my business is making people feel confident and beautiful. I photograph a lot of high school girls, which can be a tough age to love yourself at. I absolutely love getting feedback after sessions letting me know how great my client felt and how they can’t believe they love themselves in their photos so much! It’s incredible knowing that they can finally see how beautiful they truly are! That always makes me happiest.

Is there a particular goal or mission driving your creative journey?

My main goal driving my creative journey is to create happiness for others. Portrait photography is special in the sense that you’re able to work one-on-one with someone and overcome their insecurities. You’re able to allow them to see themselves how others see them, which is beautiful.

Running my own business can be extremely hard, and there’s days where I feel really down on myself. Seeing people light up when they see their photos and watching their jaws drop when they can’t believe that’s really them is what keeps me going. When my high school senior client’s moms are in tears looking at their child’s photos, I can’t even put it into words how it makes me feel.

I feel so blessed to be involved in a little snippet of someone’s life that they’ll remember for a lifetime. Making others feel great about themselves is my main motivating factor and one of the things I love most about what I do.

Is there something you think non-creatives will struggle to understand about your journey as a creative?

I think sometimes people can look down on creatives, especially when it’s their full time career. I sometimes feel like I’m not good enough because I don’t work a typical 9-5 job and when I tell people I’m a photographer I almost feel like they think I’m lazy, or other things (which is absurd really). When I stop to think about it, I’m so proud of everything I’ve created. It’s pretty wild that I’ve built a successful business from the ground up and I need to give myself more credit instead of feeling judged by others.

I also believe people can sometimes forget that creatives are real humans. We have lives outside of work just like everyone else. Our free time is ours, and setting a work boundaries is typically extremely hard for us. Finding a work/life balance is always an uphill battle. Creatives deserve to have actual business hours, just like any store you’d walk into, so they can have time to decompress and take time to themselves. It’s so important for others to know that creatives work hard for everything they’ve built for themselves. We get be so exhausted and burnt out.

It’s always hard to put yourself in someones shoes until you really know the nitty gritty of everything. Being your own boss sounds like you’d always be having fun and you would allow yourself to work low hours, but in reality creatives are usually working almost around the clock!

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gracefullymadephotography.com
• Instagram: @gracefullymadephotography
• Facebook: @gracefullymadephotography
• Other: Pinterest: @gracefullymadephotography