Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Davis
Hi Gabrielle, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
My introduction into the photography world is slightly unorthodox, honestly. In 2020 I started college as a communications major at Maryville University. The program was great, but something was… missing. I started considering other routes, unsure about all of them. Then, after completing an assignment that required producing a commercial for a product in an advertising class, I recognized my niche in video production & editing. So, with a lot of encouragement from my life coach and after speaking with a couple of professors in the Design & Visual Arts Program, I switched my major to Fine Art with an emphasis in Photography & Video. I also picked up a studio art minor, mainly because I learned I loved painting during COVID.
As excited as I was to change my major, I was terrified because… well…. I had no idea how to work a DSLR. Even so, through much prayer and an amazing faculty I was able to not only learn but become very comfortable in a studio setting. I began posting my work in 2021 and by the summer time I’d been hired to shoot my very first event. It just took off from there, and I never looked back, and I’m very excited for what the future holds.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
The road has been complex, with many abrupt stops and rough terrain along the way. Photography requires a lot of effort, from set production to editing, and remaining organized whilst being in college wasn’t easy at all. I pour all of my energy into my work, and balancing that with college was not at all easy. Contrarily, balancing it with work and post-grad stress hasn’t been easy either. However, life and passion are about making time for what matters most, and my heart is truly behind the camera, I’ve never questioned if the difficulties were enough to abandon the art.
The other struggle, which I believe any creator can identify with, is the initial fear of putting your work, which is inherently “yourself” out on display for the world. The pressure the media can place on people can be daunting and sometimes paralyzing, but once I break free from my mind (and my phone) I remember that art comes fairly naturally and that the biggest challenge is conquering my mind and getting myself out of the way.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
As a multidisciplinary artist, I specialize in both photography and graphic design. However, I believe I’m known for my work as a photographer. Studio settings are my niche, and what I love to experiment with most is light design. Last year I challenged myself to create sets without duplicating light setups once, even if the clients wanted something similar. I believe that dramatic lighting creates a story for the client to step into, allowing for the model to pose naturally and be themselves. I’m really proud of my own self-portraits in the studio as well. They’ve become a way for me to express myself in a vulnerable way and convey emotions I wouldn’t normally talk about, and when I’m asked about certain images it shocks me how easily I can recall what I was thinking in that moment. It’s a very introspective experience for me.
I try to create the opportunity for my clients & models to have that same experience when they work with me in the studio. I prefer to allow them to post authentically before I start directing them, so I can understand what they want to portray and then guide them from their imagination to the other side of the camera. I know getting ready for photoshoots and special occasions can be stressful, and it’s my goal to bring them back to the moment so they remember why these images are significant. It’s not always about perfection in my pictures, sometimes the focus is authenticity. Real people & real moments, all captured in a fraction of a second. I want them to know they’re working with me, not working in front of a camera.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
I value my authenticity and purpose the most. I believe that the only role I can fill is the one God has called me to. Outside of work, socializing, creating- I know that God has given me a purpose and I try my best to worship Him with my life. There are periods of time when I don’t have a camera in my hand, and where I don’t make it to the networking event, when I don’t submit my work for the gallery- and though those times feel mundane and too quiet for my liking- I know that God hasn’t called be to just create and photograph but to be an example of faith and following His plan even when I don’t understand it. Even when the waiting periods and slow periods feel like I’m not doing enough or being enough- as dramatic as that sounds- God reminds me that He created me to be a light despite what is going on around me, and I’ve learned that I value what He sees when He looks at me, rather than myself or people around me.
My faith is what led me to photography, and huge leaps of faith got me into entrepreneurship. My faith in God keeps me going through the confusing times of transitioning from college to the workforce whilst chaotically keeping my ambitions and creativity ablaze. Knowing God has a purpose for my life is what keeps me from identifying with what I do, and reminding me of who I just.. am.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.maisonlavon.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gdthephotographer/
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gabrielledavis01/
