Meet Charity Gee

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Charity Gee. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Charity below.

Charity, looking forward to learning from your journey. You’ve got an amazing story and before we dive into that, let’s start with an important building block. Where do you get your work ethic from?

My work ethic was instilled in me by my father. Not so much with words, but with his strong example of hard work. My entire life, I’ve watched him work harder than anyone I’ve ever met. Waking up every day in the early morning hours and working long days at a physically demanding job to provide for his family. Through illness, injury, and exhaustion, I can’t even recall a time he took a sick day. Throughout his career he perfected his craft and became the go-to person for those of all experience levels. He trained and mentored many of his younger peers and demonstrated unwavering loyalty to his employer. He deserved much more recognition than he received but this quiet, soft-spoken man would never complain. To this day, he continues to offer support to anyone and everyone, and never complains no matter the situation. I’ve learned so much from him, and there is no greater example of work ethic than my dad.

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?

I am a wedding, portrait, and brand photographer based in beautiful Boyne City, a small town in Northern Michigan. I photographed friends and family as a hobby for more than a decade before launching my business in 2023. Thanks to my very supportive husband and family, I left a successful corporate job to pursue my dream and I’ve never been happier. I am passionate about capturing the most precious, fleeting moments of life…celebrating a high school graduation, popping the question, sharing vows with the one you love, bringing new life into the world, and everything in between.

I love meeting new people and making everyone feel comfortable in front of the camera. I know having photos taken can be intimidating for some people but my goal is for everyone to have fun and not only love the photos, but love the entire experience. I strive to make a connection with every client and capture genuine emotion. When I accomplish these goals and experience repeat business and referrals to friends and family, that is the greatest gift I can receive as a photographer.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?

Specific to portrait photography, I believe anyone can learn the technical aspect of the craft, but more important is the connection you make with others. Three qualities that have helped me are effective communication, attention to detail, and honestly, just being a genuine person that cares about people. I love learning about others, hearing their stories, and capturing authentic moments. The better connection you make with clients, the better the product. If I had any advice for others, it would be to hone these skills; work just as much on the personal side of the business than you do on the technical.

All the wisdom you’ve shared today is sincerely appreciated. Before we go, can you tell us about the main challenge you are currently facing?

The biggest challenge that I’m currently facing is getting my name established in the industry since opening my business just last year. Although I have over a decade of experience in photography, it can be difficult for people to trust a “new” photographer with their most precious memories. There are a number of brilliant photographers in the area I live, alone, and many have established clients over several years, so competing for clients as a new business is challenging.

To overcome this challenge, I’m working hard to promote my business and connect with people. I believe having a great experience with me will lead clients to share their story and refer my business to friends and family. Excellent reviews and referrals are huge in this business, as with most service industries, and I’m confident these positive client experiences will help propel my business forward.

Contact Info:

Image Credits

These images are from my own portfolio – Charity Gee Photography

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