Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Dupuy.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
My passion for photography began when I was 13 years old but didn’t really take off until I was in college. I went to TCU, where I began shooting all of my peers’ graduation photos. When I studied abroad, in Florence, during my junior year of college, I realized that my passion could become something more for me. My visions for the type and frequency of travel I wanted to do far exceeded my budget, so I got creative as to how I could take advantage of the opportunity to travel while there. I would email dozens of hotels in dozens of cities, asking if they needed content. I would propose trades and ask if they were interested in hosting me in exchange for my photography. To my surprise, many of them said yes! I traded with hotels in Athens, Mykonos, Munich, Paris, and more. I also began shooting strangers in the streets with fabulous outfits, which eventually turned into a love for fashion photography. I would reach out to fashion brands I liked before major events I went to: festivals, vacations, etc. This was when I became what I jokingly call myself a modelographer. Many of my family and friends have been my victims on these trips, having to take pictures of me, where I set up the shot and edit the photos, but free travel with accessories is priceless! Once I graduated college, I went into marketing for a year and a half but still felt like photography was my true calling. I went full-time with my photography this year, in 2022, and haven’t looked back since!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Although it has been incredibly fun, it has not been easy. One of my absolute favorite things I regularly shoot now is concerts, which can be very draining, with a high level of stress. I am competing in an industry with many people who have been doing what I do for a lot longer than I have, and I see other young women newcomers in the industry facing these same issues. We are not always taken as seriously as other photographers, but I try to keep things fun and let my work speak for itself! Many festivals and concerts I shoot also take place in the middle of the night, and photographers are typically expected to deliver photos before the afternoon of the following day. I love the chaos! I also shoot weddings and run into similar issues with people deliberating on whether or not they should choose someone older. Of course, there are lots of fabulous photographers in the area, but I think it can be really fun to have a photographer who will keep you laughing and dance along with you on your wedding day.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
As I mentioned, concert photography has become one of my favorite genres to shoot. Some of my favorite nights have been spent shooting these shows, initially starting with any artist I could get to let me, to shooting in Milan, festivals in college, and then working as media director/photographer for ILLFest this past February! I have met some other incredible photographers in the industry who I am blessed to call my friends. I do more graduation shoots than anything, which I think are lots of fun! I love it when my seniors put a creative spin on their sessions. Fun fact: I shot some of my own senior photos in a Whataburger that they later featured! I am also now taking on more weddings, which are always really special because it’s such a huge honor to capture these significant milestones in peoples’ lives.
I also still capture the occasional stranger in Austin when I see an amazing outfit or someone perfectly complementing their surroundings! Lately, I have been working with Texas hotels and ‘Glamping’ locations. I’ve worked with Getaway, Serana, Yurtopia, and continue to trade with the occasional hotel on my own vacations. Although I don’t have much time for them, I also really love planning and executing fun, styled shoots. Every so often, I will have a fun vision for a shoot and get together the models, hair/makeup artists, reach out to venues, and just have a ‘for fun’ creative shoot. Through these events, I have met and worked with some incredible people.
What are your plans for the future?
I hope to dive even deeper into fashion photography, especially working to capture street style in Austin and, of course, more concerts and festivals! A huge dream of mine is to go on tour with an artist one day and continue to work for festivals. The energy and general vibe I experience at shows is amazing, and being able to be on stage with my favorite artists will never get old. I will always love my seniors and their sessions and love keeping this fresh and fun. I would love to work with more hotels, fashion brands, and local businesses!
Pricing:
- $400 for an hour long portrait session
- $400 event rate ($300/hr after first hour)
- Wedding packages starting at $2200
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gracedupuy.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thelettergrace/ and https://www.instagram.com/gracedupuy/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/thelettergrace
Image Credits
Models: Sheldyn Jones, Kaitlyn Dupuy, Alexis Popovich, Ella Rose Hall, Elizabeth Grasher Hair/Makeup: Maddie Born and Lindsay Crawford Concert: Ekali, Kaskade, San Holo, Lucii
