Today we’d like to introduce you to Leigha Gray
Hi Leigha, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
When I was in 8th grade, we got my dad a camera for Christmas. I can count on one hand the amount of times I saw him use it, but I was always asking to borrow it. He finally gave in and let me have it. I would shoot my older sister’s track meets, my younger sister’s softball tournaments, and whatever cool thing I saw on Pinterest and wanted to re-create.
I joined my high school’s yearbook staff during my sophomore year of high school, fell deeper in love with photography, and found a new passion for graphic design. I began taking senior pictures for my friends and did that throughout my junior and senior years. My older sister decided to attend the University of South Carolina for college and suddenly I found myself working on my application for the School of Journalism and Mass Communication. They had a major called Visual Communication which would allow me to study photography, videography, and graphic design; it was perfect.
All through college I worked various jobs that would let me grow my portfolio and continued shooting grad photos on the side. I graduated in 2022 and took a job as a social media manager for a Toyota dealership in Tallahassee, FL. I learned that I did not love that side of being a creative and wanted to find a way to be back behind the camera, so I applied for an e-commerce job with Altar’d State and got to move back to my hometown. I loved my time with Altar’d State. It was a great place to work where I got to do what I loved every day, but I realized I was looking for more and decided to go back to school.
I am now three months into my Master of Mass Communication program and still doing grad photos and headshots on the side!
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think one of the biggest challenges any photographer faces is comparison. It is so easy to get stuck in this loophole of looking at what everyone else is doing and being jealous of their success. I’ve had to continuously remind myself that my journey will not be the same as anyone else’s and that I’m only seeing the highlight reel of their journey and they’ve had their own challenges as well.
I have also struggled with finding what I really want to do with my life. At the moment, I don’t think I want to be a full-time photographer. I’m still working to figure out what jobs are out there and what I want to spend most of my time doing.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I like to consider myself a portrait photographer. I love, love, love working with people! I think I’m known for shooting grad photos, but I also do professional headshots, creative shoots, and couples now and then.
I think what sets me apart is that I understand what it’s like to feel unphotogenic. Like many people, I am also uncomfortable in front of the camera, so I like to put my extroverted personality to work and try to make people feel at ease by cracking jokes and chatting throughout their session. I feel like I’ve accomplished my mission when people tell me they enjoyed their session! I also love it when people refer their friends to me!
What matters most to you? Why?
I want people to receive their gallery and be happy with the results. Nothing makes me feel better than when people say they felt beautiful when they saw their photos.
I had a session where a mom came with her daughter who was graduating from college and she cried when I let her look at a few photos on my camera. She said, “Thank you for capturing this moment in my baby’s life. It is so special to me.” That was one of the best moments of my career!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://leighagray.mypixieset.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leighagray.photography
- LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leigha-gray/
