Rising Stars: Meet Grace Walden of Sugar Hill

Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Walden.

Hi Grace, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I grew up spending the summers and evenings after school at my grandmother (whom we called Binky)’s house. Binky loved beautiful things, whether it was art, poetry, nature, music, or household items. I must have inherited my eye for beauty from her. She also had many inexpensive film and digital cameras, because she loved to document life. She photographed solely for herself and those she loved – she never had any kind of social media.

I always loved creating since I was old enough to hold a crayon, but I first got my hands on a camera when my parents purchased one for my volleyball recruiting film. I took lots of free (and unprofessional-looking) pictures for friends, and slowly started to figure it out. I decided not to play volleyball in college, and instead pursued a degree in advertising and a minor in design & media at the University of Georgia. Balancing my class load and coaching job, I took on shoots whenever I could. I was shocked when I reached my junior year and realized I couldn’t fathom working a corporate job. I had no idea if I’d be able to support myself with photography, but I put my trust in the Lord that all things would work out eventually. So I went full time when I graduated college. I’ve been a full time wedding and senior photographer ever since!

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For creatives, I think the road is rarely smooth. There’s a whole lot to figure out that most people don’t have to think about. Many of us have the task of running an entire business completely by ourselves. On top of that, there’s the inconsistent income, unconventional schedule, lack of company benefits, business taxes *shudders*, and more. You have to really put your head down and grind if you want it to work out, and even then, nothing is guaranteed. It’s hard, and it’s scary! That said, the road may be hard but the burden is light. I get to do what I love everyday and witness countless joyful, milestone moments. So in that regard, I am unbelievably blessed to have taken this path where I get to use the gifts the Lord has given me.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am a wedding photographer who also specializes in couples and senior pictures. I would have to describe myself as a combination of documentary, cinematic, editorial, and storytelling-style photography. I am super passionate about creating art out of how a couple’s wedding day authentically happens. The last thing I want is for my couples to remember constantly being posed and told to smile for the camera their entire wedding day. There’s certainly a time and a place for posing, prompting, and making people look hot! But most important is honoring the time when real moments are taking place and simply being an observer, telling the story of their love, their loved ones, and the way their day unfolded.

One other trend you’ll see in my work is beautiful spaces! I’ve never been much for studio sessions – give me stunning landscapes, gorgeous architecture, the simplistic beauty of your childhood home, or give me death! Your pictures hold even more meaning when the place they were captured is special to you.

What were you like growing up?
I loved the outdoors! I was always outside, playing in my treehouse, the woods, with my dog, in the creek, etc. When I wasn’t outside, I was probably reading – The “Harry Potter” series was my first love when it came to books. I also loved writing stories. They weren’t very good, but my wild imagination was never running out of things to write about. It’s amazing to look back and see the invisible string of interests that God has woven through my childhood into adulthood.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://gracewaldenphoto.com/
• Instagram: @gracewaldenphotography