Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabby Culpepper.
Hi Gabby, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
It’s quite interesting looking back and seeing where it was always just a part of my DNA. Home videos will show you that I demanded to hold the camera documenting life. As I got into high school, I saved up enough money for my very first DSLR, and I began planning sessions with my best friend in our local flower fields. But another passion of mine at the time was volleyball, so that took priority in my life. Long story short, after multiple injuries at the collegiate level, I had to medically retire from playing the sport. The day after I stepped away from the sport, I got word about an incredible opportunity to intern with Mississippi State’s athletic photography program and I applied. I was so pleased that they chose me as one of that year’s interns and for the first time in my life I got to solely pursue this passion of photography. I learned a great deal under some incredible mentors by the name of Aaron Cornia and Austin Perryman. They taught me a ton about the art of photography as well as what goes on behind the scenes to best prepare, edit, and store your work. I truly owe to them for how I still shoot today and for the overall opportunity they gave me. Then, my husband and I moved to Nashville and after a little time finding our ground, I landed another incredible opportunity to work with a local social media agency called Creative & Caffeinated Co. getting to work alongside incredible businesses in the area capturing anything for our clients around the city. I began to grow even more and watch my work and experience broaden to multiple niches. Now, I’ve started to do my own work as well. I shoot weddings, families, and my own branding work. Every experience and opportunity has truly shaped how I approach and shoot all of these different niches. I love how this art form introduces me to so many incredible people. It really is my dream come true to do this!
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
Oh of course it hasn’t been smooth. I think anytime you’re producing art from your heart, you’ll find bumps in the road with yourself. I’ve been incredibly blessed by the opportunities in my life that I don’t see the struggles as much as I do the hardships, but I think it’s healthy to acknowledge that there are moments where your confidence may lack and you’ve got to pivot and/or reassess your process. Artistry is never a linear journey, and every artist has to find their own way. The way someone else works will never work for you if it isn’t authentic and true to you, so I think the struggle comes from trying to figure out your own approach in this space.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a photographer specializing in weddings, families, and brands! I feel like in my wedding and family work, maybe I’m known for gravitating towards the emotions. I will forever and ever include the photos that make me feel something; sometimes that could be a photo that isn’t “perfect” on the technical side but if it moves me, then it’s included. To understand me a little better is to know I actually have my degree in journalism. That all comes from a passion and pursuit to find and tell the story in everything around me. I love to capture the moments that create the full story: family members with a tear in their eye, a mother’s love pushing a piece of hair behind her daughter’s ear, or a colorful cocktail served in the honor of the groom’s father. There will always be these small elements to a day that connect us to the whole story. My heart has no other choice but to look for that, and I think I am most proud of that. I am always seeking the brief moments that you may miss if you’re not looking.
Are there any books, apps, podcasts or blogs that help you do your best?
I think Instagram and Pinterest will always be the ultimate inspiration apps, right? How could you open one of these apps and see another creator’s remarkable work and not feel inspired to capture the same feeling for your own clients? I love to watch how others work in this space. I have met so many talented and kind photographers through Instagram who have been some of the most influential resources I could ever go looking for!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://gabrielleculpepper.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielleculpepper/
