Today we’d like to introduce you to Bethany Smith.
Bethany, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I originally got into the photography industry over a decade ago, as a young newlywed who had just moved overseas with her soldier. Living in a foreign country in my early twenties, I wanted to remember all that we were experiencing and felt pulled to explore everything through my lens. Skip to the not so distant future when I became a mother, and that need to remember it all became even more amplified. I have a very nostalgic heart and have always loved looking through old boxes of photographs, letters and journals. There is something so special about capturing a present moment and freezing it into place forever to look back on. That’s what drove me to start my business. I realized I wanted to make sure my kids had something tangible to look back on, and even more so, I wanted to give that gift of frozen memories to all of the families I was around. That actually helped me craft the name of my business. While my husband was in training for the Army, all we could do for communication was write to each other. I would always sign each letter “love, Gray”, a nickname he coined early on into our relationship. When thinking of how I wanted to frame my business, I wanted each family to feel like their gallery was an old love letter to re-read fondly throughout the years. I have captured everything from families, maternity, birth, newborns, milestones, couples, seniors, engagements, and more recently branding, and with it all I come at it from the same perspective. What are they going to want to remember from this?
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I definitely wouldn’t use the word smooth for my journey, but it has been one filled with growth. The thing about being a military spouse is that every few years whether you want to or not, you have to move. Which means completely uprooting your business, and starting again. I originally chose to do this because I thought it would be a great job to move with us but didn’t realize how long it would take to rebuild clientele each time. With each rebirth though it helped me hone my craft, and the type of audience I wanted to reach. When my husband separated from the service in 2015, we made one last move to the Austin area, and it has been so amazing to see and feel the growth of my business here, and experience all of the beautiful relationships I’ve been able to build with my clients since being here.
Thanks – so what else should our readers know about your work and what you’re currently focused on?
What’s fun for me about being a photographer, is working with each of my clients and making their vision come to life. Typically in this industry we are encouraged to niche down to one type of photography, to help draw in a certain client and perfect your craft in that area, but I feel like that’s what makes me different. I have decided over and over again that I didn’t want to limit myself from reaching someone that wanted me to help capture their memories, and in doing that I feel very well-rounded. Recently though, I have especially loved being able to collaborate with small businesses and their branding. I’m proud of finding a way to both support local small businesses and help them tell their unique story.
Can you talk to us a bit about happiness and what makes you happy?
Wow, this is such a broad, yet simple question. In every day it’s my kid’s laughter, my husband’s smile, playing with my dogs, a clean house, beautiful music, a good book, a new place to hike or a really great chai tea latte. But in the general sense, being kind and choosing positivity makes me happy. There is so much negative out in the world today, and it is so easy to get sucked into it and weighed down by it. BUT we only have one life. It may not always be easy, but it is always SO much better, to focus on the things you can control – being kind, showing love, and staying positive.
Pricing:
- Mini Sessions start at $250
- Full Sessions start at $350
- Branding Sessions start at $295
Contact Info:
- Website: www.lovegrayphotography.com
- Instagram: www.instagram.com/lovegrayphotography
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/lovegrayphotographer
Image Credits
Bethany Smith with Love, Gray Photography
