We were lucky to catch up with Laura Grier recently and have shared our conversation below.
Laura, so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
For me, I found my purpose quite young, and I realized that what I wanted most was freedom in my purpose. I didn’t necessarily want that 9-5 office life that would tie me down to a particular place and time. It was then, through seeing the work of my idols at National Geographic, that I figured out a career like photography would actually be quite stable and also incredibly versatile, giving me that freedom to go where I wanted to go and when. Because it is also a job that is always in demand – businesses and people need to be captured and photographed, as well as the entire wedding industry that will always need photographers, and it’s versatile in various ways that you can make a living and a career out of it!
Thanks, so before we move on maybe you can share a bit more about yourself?
As a photographer, I get a passport into bizarre situations that I just normally wouldn’t get to see or have access to – whether that’s through travel, weddings, or even just the conferences that I get to capture. I learn about so many various industries and the people that make up those worlds: whether it’s the different ethnicities and cultures through different weddings that I get to meet, gorgeous luxury cruises I tour, capturing the World Oilman’s Poker Tournament, or even shooting the International Air Guitar Championships – I get to interact with the world in surprising and fun ways and it’s always something different and unique every day.
With my photography, I feel like I have a good view on light and color – my perspective on colors and vibrancy really brings the world to life in the frame with an idealistic wonder or a dramatic edge. Along with that, I’ve traveled to so many countries over the course of my career so far and I’m full of stories and crazy adventures. I love to get people that I just met onboard with what I’m doing. It feels very much like a moment of saying to strangers, “Hey! Join the party!”
I’m all about having more intention in my life, especially as I’ve gotten older. So, every photo project of every trip I’ve done and everything that I could create in the future will always have some sort of philanthropic intention or mission of social impact tied to it. I feel like I want my work to have a legacy to it. I want to make a difference or have a purpose to my work.
Some new things I’m really, really excited about exploring get into AI photography. Definitely not having AI take over and making the computer program create real images out of nothing, though. Simply the idea of taking what already exists and enhancing it to create something completely unique and using AI like a tool rather than a replacement. So, my Goddess Shoots are photoshoots that I do that are centered on women releasing their “Inner Goddess” through adventurous locales and creating epic imagery that will last forever. I’m now exploring a way to work with the client and what they envision for themselves in these photos and understanding all of the things that are important to them, capturing them in amazing, couture outfits, and then using AI to essentially heighten the image – making the pictures into a sort of augmented reality portrait full of meaning. In general, to me, learning how to utilize new technology as it comes in is super important to having a grasp on the world.
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?
Honestly, going to college and learning the concrete, technical skills for photography and really knowing the basics of lighting, mathematics, and all the stuff that goes into the story of a photograph was super helpful. Now that film photography has been widely replaced by digital photography, still understanding the basics of light makes my job infinitely clearer and makes me a better photographer. I think another skill set that’s really important is learning how to network and simply talk to anybody. Just constantly having to talk to strangers, really make conversation, and be personable and efficient all at the same time is a massive thing to master as a photographer. You have to be able to lead people and make the shoots enjoyable because you will get hired back again and again and build relationships and stability that way.
I would say the other skill I think helps is having that solid work ethic. I fortunately had that instilled in me from my parents at a young age, otherwise I think it’s a steep learning curve to make yourself learn how to hustle. Putting in the extra effort and valuing one’s money and time really helps you stand out.
Obviously, college nowadays in the US is not so financially possible to get through without a lot of help, but there are so many videos on YouTube now that break down the basic principles of photography and that is a massive help to anyone trying to learn. Charisma, whether people admit to this or not, is a SKILL! If you’re not good at talking to strangers or making conversation, it is a thing that can be practiced and honed. I would once again recommend YouTube videos because there are so many intelligent people that talk about this and have so much advice for people who want communication to flow more freely.
With concrete ways of getting work and understanding the photography field, reach out to shadow professionals for free, even just to test the field out and understand the day-to-day life of a photographer. I think it’s so important to apprentice because there’s nothing like real world experience. I did that for so many different photographers before I started on my own and it was just invaluable – learning things like how to write a contract, how to answer the phone professionally, how to follow up with a client, how to not make expensive mistakes… It was also helpful to understand that I didn’t have to say yes to absolutely everything – you really can hone what field you want to work in and aim for cultivating your experience in that realm. I wish I had understood that sooner!
Thanks so much for sharing all these insights with us today. Before we go, is there a book that’s played in important role in your development?
I’m reading a book right now called “The Creative Act: A Way of Being” by Rick Rubin and it’s a cool book for anybody in a creative field. It helps you with getting inspiration and understanding where your creativity really comes from. It teaches that being an artist isn’t about your specific output, but about your process. And that has been a running theme in my life and any artist’s life: focus on the process and learn to embrace the mistakes. It’s the roadmap to figuring out the craft. If you never make mistakes, you only embrace the bare minimum of what you allow yourself to do.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://lauragriertravel.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauragriertravel/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LauraGrierTravel/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/laura-grier-travel/
Image Credits
Laura Grier – Beautiful Day Photography
