Meet Gracie Shafqat

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

Alright, so we’re so thrilled to have Gracie with us today – welcome and maybe we can jump right into it with a question about one of your qualities that we most admire. How did you develop your work ethic? Where do you think you get it from?

My work ethic definitely comes from my parents. My mom has had so many different types of careers throughout her life and the constants throughout all of them were her professionalism, reliability, and diligence. She worked so hard and continues to do so to help provide for our family and always be there for me and my sister. My dad is one of the most hard working individuals I’ve ever known. He’s been a surgeon for over 40 years and hardly ever takes a day off. He loves to serve others and he’s an incredible businessman who is so passionate about his profession. He had to go through so many years of school to get to where he is today and since his graduation he’s been able to have a variety of hobbies/jobs outside of being a doctor such as being a pilot, pyrotechnitian, book editor, golfer, and more. He motivates me to work hard so that you can play hard and truly enjoy life! It’s all about balance.

Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?

I’m a portrait and brand photographer based in Southern California, specifically Orange County and San Diego. One of the most exciting parts about my job is meeting so many new people almost every day – each one so unique from the other! I love how one day I could be chatting with a high school senior about their post-graduation plans, and the next day I’m working on a full-day shoot for a fashion brand hoping to launch in stores nationwide. Whether it be a newly engaged couple, young family, or graduating senior, I always feel honored to be part of sacred and pivotal milestones.

I bring a lively, encouraging energy to every shoot—part hype-woman, part storyteller. I strive to help my brand clients connect with their audience in a beautiful and intentional way, and for my portrait clients, I create images that feel true to them and timeless enough to hold onto forever.

Lately, I’ve been shooting more on 35 mm film, weaving that soft, nostalgic texture into both portraits and brand sessions. I’m especially inspired by working with brands rooted in Southern California culture—sun-washed, effortless, and full of life— and capturing that feeling of carefree living through both bright and true to color digital photography as well as imperfect, warm toned film photography.

It’s so rewarding to document people and brands in seasons of change and growth— so I’ve started taking clients on a retainer basis as of last year. This has been wonderful for my clients that launch products multiple times a year and want consistent imagery across all platforms. I’ve also been producing majority of my brand shoots and I’ve learned that I love handling both model and location scouting, creative direction, and coordinating the outsourcing for freelancers such as videographers, hmua’s and content creators.

At the end of the day, my goal is to make you to feel seen, celebrated, and like yourself—whether we’re on the beach at golden hour or behind the scenes of your next product launch.

There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?

Having experience being on film sets during my time at Chapman’s film school and observing how directors, producers, and everyone else on crew had their different roles and worked together definitely helped prepare me for my own sets. I understood the value and unique skill that each crew member brought to the table and how much an investment into a full crew can really elevate a brand shoot and the deliverables from the photographer, videographer, talent, and content creators.

I truly believe my background in working retail and public relations also helped me with building my client relationships. I felt like I could’ve been a customer service representative after learning how to handle a mishap on the spot whether that be on a phone call or in person. You really have to be quick on your feet sometimes, and anticipate anything that could possibly go wrong. I try to be extra prepared and ready for a backup plan if things go awry before, during, or after a shoot. Even being extra thorough on an intro call or planning call is crucial to me because I want to ensure my client isn’t left having any questions or hesitations before booking with me.

My advice to anyone early in their photography journey is to invest in a mentorship with someone in your industry you admire and ask them as many questions as you can, or take advantage of shadowing opportunities with professionals who may need an extra hand on set!

One of our goals is to help like-minded folks with similar goals connect and so before we go we want to ask if you are looking to partner or collab with others – and if so, what would make the ideal collaborator or partner?

Absolutely! I’m always looking for videographers, hair and makeup artists, stylists, models, and any production or photo assistants who want to come on set for test shoots or paid gigs! If this sounds like you, feel free to email me gracieshafqatphotography@gmail.com or DM me on instagram @photobygshaf

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.photobygshaf.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/photobygshaf
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gracie-shafqat-12790a188/
• Other: https://www.pinterest.com/gracieshafqat/

Image Credits

Gracie Shafqat Photography