Meet Gracie Collins | Photographer/Creative

We had the good fortune of connecting with Gracie Collins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Gracie, career-wise, where do you want to be in the end?
By the end of my career I would like to be a freelance professional photographer and videographer. I would like to center my work around travel, fashion, commercial, branding, lifestyle, and model photography/videography. My plans are to live in Palm Beach/Miami area for a few years after college. I am a sophomore right now. I would eventually like to move to California. Honestly, anywhere that inspires creativity I’d love to go! I would really like to travel a lot within my business!

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I am most proud of how I have managed to grow and upkeep a business starting the spring of my junior year of high school. It is tough learning how to manage a business at a young age and somehow I have managed to make it a job for me. Instead of working part time in college somewhere I’m instead working for myself being my own boss. When I first got to college I got a part time job at a cafe. However, I wasn’t being full-filled creatively and I felt like I was wasting my time because I knew if I threw myself into my photography business doing unpaid portfolio shoots at some point people would notice my work and I would get jobs. I quit the job, took a leap of faith and put all my effort into doing unpaid photoshoots and reaching to businesses to work with. I had to cut down on spending and focus on getting my name out there. To do that I reached out to people around my area asking them to model for me. People said yes, word spread, and word spread. Eventually the hard work paid off and now I barely ever do unpaid photoshoots and now I’m actually getting paid clientele with clients I love.

I am most excited about where my creative work will take me in the world, the people I’ll meet, and how my photography will continue to change and grow. I can’t wait to create with other people to create a beautiful feeling. Human interaction is so important within my business. I hope that every connection I have that they walk away feeling more confident, beautiful, and empowered to be themselves. I’ve learned that consistent commitment and determination is huge! I remember freshman year in college thinking if I don’t take this seriously somebody else is going to want it more than me and I’m gonna fall behind. At that moment I started planning shoots at least once a week if not 2-3 times a week in college. I made sure that I was consistently creating and reaching out to others to network my business. I’ve also learned that it’s so important to not compare. Comparing slows us down and we must learn to stay in our lane. Also taking breaks within the creative journey, really whatever passion you may have is necessary. Burnout is a real thing! We have to respect our passions and give ourselves time to just be human and to breath.

I hope that when people read my story that they walk away knowing that they are beautiful, unique, not be afraid to be a little different, and can follow their dreams! When we learn to be authentic in what we do and not compare we really grow and stand out!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If a friend was coming my way to Palm Beach, which is the greatest place in the world, I would take them to of course Palm Beach to see the ocean and go to a beautiful restaurant. A few of my favorites is the Colony Cafe, Alchemy, and Jo Bistro. I love coffee and anything fruity so I’d make sure they’d try a cute coffee shop and some delicious acia. I would also take them to Peanut Island to hangout for the day to snorkel and lounge. It’s such a beautiful spot to have a slow afternoon.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would love to shoutout my mother, and sister. They have always been on my side when it comes to being creative and support me in every way possible. My mom has given me the opportunity to follow my dreams because she has always taught me to be a little different and think outside of the box. In Iowa where I am from photography is not a popular career. But from the start she always believed in me that I could turn this passion of mine into a business. My sister has helped me be creative as well due to her being my model in the beginning. She always helped me come up with new ideas and worked with me to make my ideas come to life.

I would like to shoutout Christina Cernick has well! When I moved to Palm Beach Christina reached out for me to second shoot for her on a wedding shoot. Christina has believed in me and has inspired my work so much!

Overall, in the end all praise and glory go to Jesus Christ. If it weren’t for my relationship with God and for his creative work and passion living through me allowing my business to grow none of this would’ve ever happened. My faith continuously is the driving center of my business and I hope that people see Christ through my work and through in person interactions. Everyone is beautiful in their own unique way and my mission is to show their authenticity as much as possible!

Website: https://www.graciebellephotography.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/graciebelle_photography/?hl=en

Youtube: https://www.instagram.com/graciebelle_photography/?hl=en

Image Credits
Gracie Belle Photography