Today we’d like to introduce you to Madie Ice.
Madie, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
As a junior in high school, I decided to do dual enrollment through my local college. I’ve had a passion for photography since I was young but I never wanted to go to college for it, I thought it wasn’t necessary, funny how that aged. Throughout my junior and senior year, I was enrolled in the commercial photography program at Gwinnett Technical College in Lawrenceville, GA. As I reached the end of the program in 2019, I knew this was really want I wanted to do as a career. I ended up graduating in July of 2019 with an A.A.S in Commercial Photography. After graduation, I accepted an Internship with Gwinnett Church where my job descriptions was in events. I accepted photography opportunities throughout the 11 months I was there. I just finished and am now heading into full-time wedding and portrait photography.
Great, 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?
It has NOT been easy. Fun fact: The dual enrollment program was harder to get into than regular admission. I didn’t have a high enough SAT score to get in since I only have taken it once and everyone was taking it twice or three times. I had to take the entrance exams and BOY. I missed one of the tests by two points. I had one more chance to get in and so I studied for two weeks and I got a perfect score on the next one I took. I struggled a lot with FOMO. I questioned my choices of not going to a University but PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE know that no one cares if you’re at a community college or fucking Harvard. You’re the only person that it should matter to. I struggled (and still do) with listening to people who were doubters, especially because I was going into the creative field where “people don’t make money” by the way, that’s a lie. To my young ladies, if you have a passion for a creative field, pursue it with ALL you have. Sometimes you’re the only person who’s going to be cheering you on in those hard seasons.
Another crucial thing I would add is mindset it everything. Don’t cut yourself down, affirm yourself. Also being young has nothing to do if you should start a business or not.
We’d love to hear more about your work.
I’m an up and coming wedding photographer. I started out photographing seniors and portraits. I love what I do, and I truly care about the person or couple I’m photographing. I want to know who the heck they are as people. At the end of the day, these aren’t my pictures. They’re my client’s memories. I think knowing them is the key to emphasizing their story in their pictures. And honestly, I’m still learning how to be personable while running a business. It’s all an ongoing process.
Do you feel like there was something about the experiences you had growing up that played an outsized role in setting you up for success later in life?
So, I didn’t have a normal childhood. At the age of four, I was diagnosed with a blood cancer called Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. I spent the next two and a half years doing treatment and life was never the same. I’ve had to fight twice as hard than the average child. The chemotherapy had caused learning disabilities and decreased fine motor skills. I could barely papers in middle school and high school. However, I do believe I’m still here for a reason and a purpose. I mean everyone has a purpose whether you believe it or not. I think every choice I’ve made up and even didn’t’ t make until this point as a 21-year-old has set me up for the success I currently have and will have.
Pricing:
- Portraits start at $150
- Weddings start at $1000
Contact Info:
- Website: www.madieicephotography.com
- Email: madieicephoto@gmail.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/madieicephoto
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/madieicephoto/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/ryleeice/
Image Credit:
For the wedding party, I was a second photographer for Chris Westbrook at East Creek Photography.
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