Today we’d like to introduce you to Joshua & Chelsi Lowe
Hi Joshua & Chelsi, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I (Joshua) began doing photography and videography in the early 2000s. I was a young college student and a Youth Ministry intern at my church. Part of my job was to take pictures of events and do promo videos and highlight videos. In 2007, I bought my first DSLR camera, a Nikon D40x (Which I still have sitting on my shelf in my home office). From there, I started taking pictures of anything and everything. Flowers, Trees, People, you name it. I just wanted to take pictures. Soon, I found my way into concert photography. I had spent several years playing music and trying to “Make It,” so to speak, and still had several friends who were still playing music. So I’d come to their shows and take live pictures. That soon branched out to working with larger artists. That was when I started the brand Joshua Lowe Photography and started building a name for myself in the music community. Chelsi and I got married in 2011, and she was always in the background helping with weddings and other sessions. She was pregnant with our son Jackson and helped me shoot a concert with Asking Alexandria and Sevendust. Fast forward to 2023, we were having a conversation about her taking over the management of our social media accounts, helping push the name out, and pushing us more into the portrait and wedding space. From there, we started having more conversations about rebranding the Portrait and Wedding Photography side of the business. We wanted to do 2 things. First, we wanted people to know this was a Husband and Wife photography team. We wanted that to be at the forefront. Second, we wanted people to know we’re focused on Portrait and Wedding Photography. What we found out before the rebrand was that when people heard “Joshua Lowe Photography,” their minds went straight to concert photography and the bands that I had covered. Many even said, “I didn’t even know you did portraits; I thought you only did concerts.” So we wanted to separate the two. So we spent the end of 2024 and January of 2025 building our rebrand, and Grace & Lace Studios was born.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Man, I could write a book on this. Owning a business is full of struggles and ups and downs. As photographers, I think the biggest struggle we have is setting ourselves apart from everyone else. Cameras have now become really affordable, so new photographers are popping up all the time. So we’re constantly having to adjust and evolve with the demands of the business. We are constantly seeking new ways to set ourselves apart from other photographers in the area.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your work?
Again, Chelsi and I own Grace & Lace Studios in Spartanburg, South Carolina. We specialize in Portrait and Wedding Photography. We’re known for a few different things, but as a whole, I think we’re known for how we connect with our couples. We like to have fun with our sessions. Whether it’s a portrait session or a wedding, we like to interact with our clients, cut up, and just have a good time. This allows things to be fun, relaxed, and laid back. By getting to know our clients, we can bring that into their images. For example, we had a couple that were HUGE Disney fans. The bride had tiny Mickey’s on her veil. Well, when we were doing the ring shots, they had a stuffed Mickey and Minnie that was holding a pillow. We used that to do a few shots of their rings. Another example is one wedding where there was a lot of talk about “Prayer”, so we did 2 special shots for the couple. One was of the Bride and Groom before the wedding. This couple was not doing a “First Look,” so I brought the bride into a room at the church, and then we blindfolded the groom and brought him in. The Groom then had a special time of prayer over his Bride before the wedding, still not seeing her, but able to share a special moment. The second shot I think of is that same couple after their ceremony, we’re doing group shots and I did a wide shot of the Bride & Groom seated, holding hands surrounded by their wedding party, pastor and Parents praying over them as they began this journey as Husband and Wife. So I love that we’re not “Check-list” photographers and that we think outside the box when it comes to our clients.
Before we let you go, we’ve got to ask if you have any advice for those who are just starting out?
I have 2 things I always tell people when they’re talking about starting a business. First, don’t spread yourself too thin. It’s wonderful to have goals; without goals, you have no direction. But can’t focus on all your goals at one time. Sit down and make a list of where you want to see your business go, then focus on 1 goal at a time. If you try to focus on them all at one time, you’ll quickly become frustrated, and your business will suffer. Second, and I think this is the most important, don’t be afraid of failure. The idea of failing stops so many people from chasing their dreams. We get it in our minds that our dream isn’t going to work out or what will people think if I fail, and we let that stop us from stepping out on faith. You can’t be afraid of failure. So for any young or inspiring business owners, remember: 1. Don’t spread yourself too thin. 2 Don’t be afraid of failure.
Pricing:
- Our pricing varies on session type, however I’d like to say Chelsi and I pride ourselves in being affordable. We want to provide our clients with professional photography at an affordable price. Contact us today to get a quote
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.GraceandLaceStudios.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/GraceandlaceStudios
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GraceAndLaceStudios/
- Twitter: https://www.Twitter.com/Graceandlacesc
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@GraceandLaceStudios
