Meet Gregory Philips

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gregory Philips.

Gregory, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I am an Indian. So naturally, I was set to have a career as an engineer or a doctor (in my case engineer). As a result, I didn’t think I had any artistic abilities (which seemed to be confirmed by a lot of my art teachers at school).

And with a career in engineering in mine, I came to the US for grad school to continue into a life of engineering. But God had other plans. In the course of my time here, I ended up not being able to finish school and unable to work in my field of choice for reasons I’d rather not elaborate at the moment. And so while I was trying to figure out my life, I started growing deeper into my Christian faith and felt a calling to serve at my local church in Atlanta.

While doing so in summer 2017, I felt God slowly telling me that He had given me an artistic gift and that He wanted me to develop it. In the course of trying to discern and figure out what it could be, photography kept coming up. I was ready to step into the field once I was sure of it, but I didn’t have the means to get a camera or a laptop. At that moment, I felt God also leading me to start a Gofundme to get the equipment so I started one with a goal of a little over $2000.

Within a couple of weeks of starting it, I got $1000 from my community so I placed an order for a Nikon D5300. However by this point, it seemed like the Gofundme had stalled as no one else had donated to it. While I was waiting, I met someone at a coffee shop that I frequent that I had never met before. He felt led by God to give me his brand new Alienware laptop. At about the exact same time, someone in the community had donated the entire remainder amount so that I was fully funded and able to use the extra money to take care of past due rent and other bills. Later that very evening the guy I met in the coffee shop had come with his family to a dinner some friends and I were doing.

During the course of the evening, he asked why I wanted the laptop. So I told him about being called to do photography and that part of the evening was to pray for it. On hearing this, he took me to his Jeep and also gave me his brand new Lumix GH5 because he had initially felt God told him to give me both but he was reluctant to do so. Hearing the story confirmed what he was meant to do so he gave them willingly.

With this wild story of provision from God, I stepped into photography. I am not sure where I am going with it or what I am meant to do with it but at the moment, I am working hard to be the best photographer I can be and create the best visual stories and art I cant.

Right now, armed with just a Nikon D750 I have done quite a lot of portraits and landscape photography as well as few events. I am still developing my style and niche but ultimately, I would love to create the kind of art that would feel like it belonged in a museum as well as on a wall as a poster.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Given my limited resources, I haven’t been able to take many classes or attend many workshops. So I am pretty much self-taught. It has been a rough process and I have made many rookie mistakes while trying to learn.

Also trying to get new models and new people to work with me has been hard. Had it not been for a lot of friends willing to give me a chance, I don’t think I would have gotten far.

Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Gregory Philips Photography – what should we know?
I handle and undertake any kind of photography task given to me. But my specialty at the moment is portrait and landscape photography.

What sets me apart from others is probably my willingness to learn from anyone and everyone. I feel like anyone can teach me something new to grow my skills and abilities.

Any shoutouts? Who else deserves credit in this story – who has played a meaningful role?
There were a lot of people from my community that supported my Gofundme that got me started. In addition, there Alaskan guy who felt led to give me his laptop and camera.

There are also friends and acquaintances who helped me with tips, ideas, modeling and random photography opportunities that helped me try to extend myself and grow.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gregoryphilipsphotography.com
• Email: gregory.m.philips@gmail.com
• Instagram: www.instagram.com/gregory_philips

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